Members Attendance

VISITORS:  Jerry Fairley, Prof UI; Jeff Fealko, grad student UI; Fritz Fiedler, Prof UI; Bryony Hansen, Golder Associates; Kent Keller, Prof WSU, OK project; Farida Leek, grad student WSU; Jim Osiensky, Prof UI, OK project; Dennis Owsley, grad student UI; Eddy Teasdale, grad student UI; Kathleen Warnick, Moscow resident.

1)     Call to Order AND APPROVAL of december 20, 2001 Minutes- Mark Workman (Vice Chair) called the meeting to order at 2:40 PM.  Minutes for the January 17, 2002 meeting were approved with an  email correction.

2)      OK Project Semi-Annual Update –  Jim Osiensky and Kent Keller with help from Dennis Owsley summarized findings and thinking on the OK project since July, 2001.  A handout covered most of the summary update.  The principal points presented included:

a)     Preliminary evidence from several sources suggests that Moscow, Pullman and Palouse may all be in separate ground water sub-basins for both the Grande Ronde and Wanapum aquifer systems.

b)     The apparent divide between Moscow and Pullman is located west of the DOE monitoring well at Sunshine Road.   Testing of City of Pullman’s new well indicated that the water is coming primarily from the west, substantiating earlier testing that there seems to be a barrier a couple miles to the east of Pullman.

c)      The hypothesized Palouse sub-basin, which could be part of a Moscow-Palouse sub-basin, is very similar to the hypothesized Moscow sub-basin in that both have similar basalt flows interbedded with substantial deposits of sediments.  The Pullman-Colfax sub-basin is almost devoid of these sediments.  The logical divide for the Moscow and Palouse sub-basins is between Kamiak Butte and the extension of the Moscow Mountain range to the east.

d)     Jim and Kent would like to conduct a pump test on the DOE well while monitoring wells in the surrounding communities and region. They are seeking cost proposals to stretch the available funds.

e)     Water levels in the Grande Ronde are 40 feet lower in the Moscow area than in Pullman or Palouse or at the DOE test well.  In the absence of sub-basins a logical conclusion is that water should be flowing from the Pullman and Palouse areas to the Moscow area.

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