Members ATtendance

VISITORS:  Richelle Allen-King, Prof WSU; Jerry Fairley, Prof UI; Jeff Fealko, grad student UI; Fritz Fiedler, Prof UI; Bryony Hansen, Golder Associates; Kent Keller, Prof WSU, OK project; Chris Pitre, Golder Associates.

1)     Call to Order AND APPROVAL of January 17, 2001 Minutes-   Jay Becker (Chair) called the meeting to order at 2:40 PM.  Minutes for the January 17, 2002 meeting were approved with minor grammar corrections.

2)      GOLDER aSSOCIATES, INC. ON AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY –  Chris Pitre and Bryony Hansen, hydrogeologists for Golder Associates, Inc. gave a quick overview of Golder Associates, Inc, and what Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) is and then presented case history summaries for the Salem, OR and Yakima, WA  ASR projects.  Some key points presented included:

a)     There are a number of benefits from conjunctive use of surface and groundwater:
 1.  Increased reliability of combined supplies
 2.  Increased redundancy through more wells and infrastructure. 
 3.  Environmentally responsible in that prevent continued fall in aquifer  water levels and better utilize excess surface runoff by storing for low runoff season.
 4.  Improves surface water treatment plant efficiency by levelizing treatment plant loads over the course of a year.

b)     Requirements for ASR include:
1.  An adequate aquifer for retaining water added to it for temporary storage.
2.  Appropriate water chemistry and microbiology to avoid precipitation, cementation and biofouling problems.
3.  Appropriate infrastructure for putting treated water into the aquifer and recovering that same water as needed.
4.  Required permits.  These are quite difficult to get in Washington at this time but the procedure for permitting is being worked out with WA DOE.

c)      ASR is not new.  The Salem project is fully permitted and has been working for several years.   There are a number of other operating ASR projects in the US and around the world.  Golder Associates is or has been involved with many of them.

d)     The Salem ASR Project involved a basalt aquifer in an impermeable sedimentary bowl.  Prior to the ASR Project there were significant overdrafts on the aquifer.  This project uses slow sand filters and infiltration galleries.  It involved a preliminary study looking at the above requirements; a pilot study with a temporary permit and them implementation on modular scale with permanent permitting.  It now has 4 two-way wells and could add 4 more at a later date.  The project can use all water above an agreed upon level in the aquifer.

e)     The Yakima ASR Project has favorably completed the pilot project stage and is now working on permanent permitting.  

f)       Jim and Kent are now focusing on siting either one multilevel monitoring well or two separate monitoring wells to further define the degree of hydraulic separation/continuity that exists between Moscow and Pullman and between Moscow and Palouse.  Cost is a key factor in construction of the well or wells.  Two simple sampling wells may be less expensive than one complicated multilevel well.  Both options should yield valuable hydrologic, geologic and stratographic information concerning the above mentioned hypotheses.  Finding the right site for the well or wells is also critical to maximize beneficial information gathered.

g)     Jim stated that he did not think it is possible to reduce pumping enough to stabilize the Grande Ronde aquifer system water levels.  Therefore, it will be necessary to add water to the aquifer system to stabilize the water levels.   If there really are three separate sub-basins, then it will be necessary to find ways to add water to all three to meet the PBAC goal of stabilizing Grande Ronde aquifer water levels by 2020.

h)     Jim mentioned that aquifer storage and recovery - the injection of water in a  season of surplus surface water and the removal of that same water from the aquifer in a season of short surface water supply - is being utilized in the Boise area as well as other areas to augment inadequate water supplies.  A presentation on this topic by Golder Associates, Inc. will be the primary focus of the next meeting.

i)        There is still the possibility that the various Grande Ronde wells are actually in different aquifers separated by impervious layers of sediment and/or basalt.  Additional pump tests, more detailed analysis of hydrographic data, C-14 and chemical analyses of selected wells in each of the three areas and the construction of one or more monitoring wells is expected to clarify the above hypotheses as well as the potential solutions.

3)     Proposal Status

a)     Kirkland reported on the on-again-off-again status of State of Idaho funds.  In the latest communications with personnel at IDWR, there is the possibility of getting some IDWR funding if the proposal(s) can be structured to not include research.  Since research to clarify a variety of issues is still necessary before committing to a set of solutions, this could be difficult.  Christian Petrich and Karl Dreher have offered to help structure such a proposal.

b)     Jim Osiensky reported that he had submitted a grant request to IWRRI for funds to do a local ground water quality study.  The study would meet PBAC’s prerequisites to drilling a pilot connection well for testing the potential of draining Wampum water into the Grande Ronde to help stabilize water levels. 

c)      Jerry Fairley and Fritz Fiedler gave a quick synopsis of what they could do to provide statistical estimates of the surface water available in the basin for recharge or other uses.  The initial emphasis would be on surface water available from the Moscow Mountain chain.

PBAC members present gave tacit support to Kirkland to continue to seek funding for these top priority research projects. 

4)     EXECUTIVE SECRETARY POSITION – Kirkland reported that Eddy Teasdale, a master’s student in the area until June, has been hired on a temporary basis to work part-time helping to accomplish executive secretary position tasks.  The necessary funds are available in PBAC’s budget for the executive secretary position.

5)     ACTION PLANS –Pullman, University of Idaho and Moscow have all submitted lists of action items for the coming year.  

6)     OLD BUSINESS

a)     Renewal of Intergovernmental Agreement -
 Before leaving on his trip Becker recommended the four pumping entities proceed with adopting the proposed intergovernmental agreement such that Latah and Whitman Counties can continue to participate.   Minor changes are being made to the agreement in the meantime.  

b)     Palouse Basin WRIA –
Kirkland reported his most recent update from Rob Buchert of the Palouse Conservation District.  Rob said everything necessary had been submit to Washington DOE for the Palouse River Water Resource Inventory Area planning grant.  Rob was no longer planning to fast-track the Phase I planning portion.  He is now allowing a year for planning purposes.  He was going to Spokane to meet with Doug Allen, the DOE representative in charge of WRIAs in this area.

7)     REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

a)     Exposure in the Communities –  Mark Workman reported that the pump shaft had broken off at 270 feet in Well #6.  He expected the well to be down for at least 3 weeks.
He also reported that the City was going to try utilizing an aquafreeze process which injects high pressure CO2 which freezes and opens pores and then kills bacteria and dissolves cementation as carbonic acid is formed.  Hopefully, this results in rejuvenating the well.

8)     NEW BUSINESS      There was no new business.
 

9)     NEXT MEETING DATE

The meeting was adjourned by consensus.

Respectfully Submitted,

Larry Kirkland