Members Attendance

VISITORS:  Emily Adams, City of Colfax; Jeff Fealko, UI grad student; Fritz Fiedler, Professor, UI; Bill French, interested Citizen & PWCN; Steve Gill, previous exec secretary PBAC; Scott King, King Ground Water Science; Andy Rogers, Public Works Supervisor, Colfax; Kathleen Warnick, interested Citizen.
 

1)      Call to Order and Approval of February 20, 2003 Minutes- Mark Workman, PBAC Chair, called the meeting to order at 2:33 PM.  The minutes of the February 20, 2003 meeting were approved by consensus.

2)      PBAC Intergovernmental Agreement- Mark Workman summarized how progress toward a final draft of the intergovernmental agreement was coming.  He said he had comments from all entities but UI.  He planned to work with the Pullman attorney to meld together a composite of all comments for a final draft.  The key issue outstanding is funding for the basic PBAC operating expenses and the cost or fee to be a voting member of PBAC.  The pumpers all pay $8000 a year for basic PBAC operating expenses plus $20,000 a year for research and project funding.  For many years the share for voting participation by the counties has been $4000, although PBAC has permitted participation on a lessor payment.  Participation by all has been considered paramount even if payments were not current.  Mark emphasized the importance of participation but suggested that voting be tied to a fixed payment level.  Because of the need to maintain a minimum level of funding to operate and the history of the $8000/$4000 participation shares, Mark indicated that he was reluctant to drop the county and small city voting right fee. 
        Emily Adams, from Colfax, said a $2000 fee is fine but the $4000 level will be tight.  Tom Stroschein from Latah County concurred.  Various options were discussed involving paying different amounts for one vote and two votes.  Barney Waldrop suggested a base fee with additional payments tied to the amount of water pumped. 
        The concern was raised about giving too much power to the individual voter if PBAC is to do all with a unanimous agreement.  Mark Workman suggested a fee of $2000 for the first vote of an entity and $8000 to have two votes.  To change the funding requirements will require a positive vote by two-thirds of the entities, not two-thirds of all voting members.  This was eventually converted to a motion and passed unanimously.
        Mark Workman handed out a draft of By-Laws and asked everyone to review them and be prepared to discuss them at the next meeting.

3)      Moscow Mountain Front Water Quantity and Quality Study Update [Summary Handout]- Fritz Fiedler made a Power Point Presentation covering the precipitation, runoff and water quality data Jeff Fealko, he and others have accumulated and analyzed.  Based on the water quality data and EPA Surface Water Treatment Rules, it appears any runoff captured will need to be treated for human use or recharge.  The end result of this study will be data that can be used to estimate the cost of capturing and utilizing Moscow Mountain runoff either directly or for recharge to the two main aquifer systems.  The findings can also be used to apply for a water right on available winter runoff from the Moscow Mountain Front.
        Jeff and Fritz are refining a water balance of the basin.  They have pretty good precipitation and runoff data. The challenge is estimating the annual evapotransporation losses for the various crops in order to estimate recharge to the ground water.  For initial analyses purposes they have divided the basin into three areas: forest, ag and urban lands.  Fritz also discussed the concept of “resource balance,” which considers human use including pumping and the possibility of recycling water from various sources. 
Fritz showed the locations of sampling sites throughout the basin.  Automatic samplers and data loggers are measuring turbidity, electrical conductivity, and runoff stage.  Jeff has also been taking samples to determine total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, the presence of coliform and other compounds.  Every site has been positive for coliform.  Nitrogen levels turned out to be consistently below the MCL (Maximum Control Limit) so nitrogen does not present a critical problem.
        A variety of relationships were presented showing how the measured parameters could be used to estimate other desirable water quality characteristics.  For example, electrical conductivity correlated very well with total dissolved solids, turbidity has a good correlation with total suspended solids and turbidity tracks discharge quite closely.
        The runoff probability graphs indicated that there is a high probability of being able to divert hundreds of millions of gallons from the Paradise Creek drainage for recharge or direct use during the winter months in any given year.  Similar amounts could be diverted from the South Fork of the Palouse River watershed.  An important next step is to evaluate the costs associated with specific beneficial use options for various quantities of this runoff.

4)      Kirkland reported that a grant request had been turned into Senator Craig’s office.  Copies of the request are available for those who want one.

5)      Mark Workman reported that discussions between him and Mark Cook and Naylor Farm representatives are close to an agreement on a protocol which would allow the Cities of Moscow and Pullman to feel protected while withdrawing their protests against the Naylor Farm water right application before the Idaho Department of Water Resources.  A third party is presently reviewing the proposed protocol.  The protocol is designed to allow any applicant for a large water use permit to proceed on a temporary basis while evaluating the potential impacts on senior water right holders.  The protocol requires procedures designed to detect connectivity between any Naylor Farm wells and surrounding senior water right holders.  Connectivity is considered a precursor to adverse impacts and grounds for halting pumping by the junior applicant until the potential for adverse impacts can be appropriately remediated.  The protocol would become part of the water right permit from IDWR allowing Naylor Farm or any other applicant for a large pumping right to proceed on a temporary basis.

6)      Kirkland handed out a slightly revised version of the Proposed Handout to Large Pumping Applicants in the Palouse Basin area which was also mailed out.  Any further suggestions for change or comments should be emailed to Kirkland before the next meeting.

7)      Kirkland also made available copies of PBAC and OK Project Accomplishments, Activities and Progress.   Comments are to be gotten to Kirkland by April 7.
 

8)      Discussion of A Possible Policy Concerning Public Comments on Local Water Issues by PBAC Representatives- Steve Busch reported that he had been asked to speak at a forum on local water issues.  He wanted to bring up the possibility that PBAC might want to consider a policy or some guidelines for comments in these public arenas.  Several others mentioned that they had similarly been asked to participate in local water issues presentations or discussions.  Kirkland said he has been making presentations and has been contacted by the news media on several occasions.  After some discussion it was decided to encourage caution but not opt for a policy at this time.

9)      Reports and Announcements
The new WSU well being drilled by Geotech had been progressing at a good pace until they hit a thick layer of clay and dropped a large chisel down the hole.  The clay has now been grouted off and the chisel moved off to one side.  The hole is down to 450 feet using direct air.

10)  NEXT MEETING DATE

The meeting was adjourned by consensus.

Respectfully Submitted,

Larry Kirkland