December 16, 2004 Meeting Minutes

University of Idaho Facilities Mgt Bldg, Jacks Creek meeting room

Members Attendance

 Visitors:  Michael August, UI Student;  Nicole Badan, UI Grad Student;  Megan Doyle, Daily News; Elizabeth Elias, UI Student;  Fritz Fiedler, UI Professor;  Mike Forbes, Moscow Citizen; David Hall, Latah County Resident; Bob Haynes, IDWR;  Mike McVay, UI Grad Student; Jim Osiensky, UI Professor;  Katie Rhode, UI  Grad Student;  Eron Singleton, UI Student;  Kathleen Warnick, Moscow Citizen.  

1)     Approval of the November 18, 2004 Meeting Minutes – Rob Corcoran, the PBAC Chair, called the meeting to order at 2:35 pm. The minutes were approved unanimously. 

2)    Progress Report on Geophysical Survey Project (Derek Holom) – Holom is currently conducting gravity surveys across two sites of interest: the Kamiak Butte to Angel Point Gap and the hypothesized Moscow D Street ridge to evaluate the ability of the gravity equipment to identify the depth to basement rocks and project lithology. These studies consist of taking gravity measurements along a transect using a portable gravity meter. By correlating site specific measurements with known well logs, Holom can extrapolate the depth to basement rocks for nearby gravity readings.  Sediments and water reduce the gravity measurement while rocks and heavy minerals increase the gravity measurement.  

a)    Kamiak Gap Survey: The Kamiak Gap is located 10 miles north of Pullman when following state highway 27 and is approximately 5 km wide. Holom has taken measurements along four gravity survey lines following: Mader Road, West Road, a line parallel to the railroad tracks and a line connecting Mader Road to West Road. He has been working on a spreadsheet that will compile and correlate the data that he has taken. The spreadsheet used to perform the analyses is available on the Geoinformatics website. Holom needs to take more measurements to compete his profile work. He also plans to use magnetic force measurements to clarify the depth of the loess along the measured transects. Eventually, he will use all of the data he has collected to construct a model to give a better understanding of the geology in the area. A problem he is having with the study is that he has only a small window of time between harvest and planting to get out on the farmers’ fields to conduct his measurements.

b)    D Street Gravity Survey: Holom is attempting to determine if there is a granite ridge that runs east-west under “D” Street in Moscow. He has taken gravity measurements along “D” Street and between Moscow wells located on both sides of D Street. The resulting data are then plotted on an aerial map. These data were compared to two possible profiles, one is based on information gathered from the well logs, and the second is based on the hypothetical ridge. Holom stated that he will need more measurements to confirm his findings; however, the data suggests that there is not a basement formation ridge under “D” street.

3)    Naylor Farm Water Right Permit – IDWR issued a preliminary order approving the Naylor Farms water right application; however, Latah County has appealed the decision granting Naylor Farm a temporary permit to develop their water right. If Glenn Saxton, the hearing officer, does not respond within 21 days the appeal is voided and the original order stands.  Latah County and the two cities are requesting that the permit be reworded to explicitly state that Naylor Farms must abide by the protocol.

a)    Water Level Monitoring Program- Nicole Badon, a UI grad student, is currently working with residents surrounding Naylor Farms to install well loggers.  These benchmark readings will be available in determining possible connectivity and adverse impact between a Naylor well and the surrounding exempt senior water right wells.  Latah County has agreed to contribute $5000 toward the monitoring project and also wishes to have some say in the density and intensity of the monitoring in the area. 

4)    Review of IDWR Response to Petition – The five petitioners have filed an appeal with the IDWR Director, Karl Dreher, to have their denied requests reconsidered. All eight requests were denied but Director Dreher did order PBAC to establish a citizens’ advisory group. The director has 21 days to respond to the appeal and if no response is issued, the original order stands.

a)    Citizens’ Advisory Group- IDWR Director Karl Dreher’s order directed PBAC to form a Citizen Advisory Group (CAG). The group will be facilitated by a person from IDWR and consist of 3 members from the petitioning organizations, 2 members representing municipal providers or community water systems within the Palouse Basin that are not represented by PBAC and 2 members representing county/rural interests. Kirkland pointed out that since there was no limit to the number of people who could be on the committee, additional members from the Washington side could be included. The CAG was given four goals, outlined by Dreher, to advise PBAC on. Kirkland also recommended that the petitioning groups pick their own members. After much discussion, it was decided to postpone any immediate action since the petitioning groups have appealed the order.   

5)    Continued discussion of Protocol Related Topics –  Kirkland encouraged PBAC members to address the potential future situation  where PBAC has successfully augmented recharge to the deep aquifer and a non-municipal entity desires a water right to pump the recharged water from the deep aquifer. 

6)    WRIA North Fork Palouse Recharge Proposal – Kirkland handed out a sheet describing a possible joint project with WRIA 34 that would inventory sites favorable to various recharge enhancement options.  Since the Palouse WRIA will be evaluating groundwater storage enhancement options and PBAC has been discussing them for some time, he recommended that PBAC propose a joint inventory project. Because of time, there was no discussion of the topic at this meeting.   

7)    OLD BUSINESS

a)    Budget Sheet – The budget sheet covering expenditures up to December was handed out. Several entries still have not been confirmed so the bottom line figures may vary from those shown.  

8)   REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

a)    Miscellaneous – Kirkland handed out graphs showing that all of the entities have reduced their annual water use in 2004.  Kirkland recommended that PBAC should go public with the information.  

b)    Exposure in the Communities – Les MacDonald said the City of Moscow sent a letter to Idaho DEQ commenting on the proposed “Guidelines for Development of a Ground Water monitoring Program for Recharge Projects.”

9)    NEW BUSINESS – none 

10)           NEXT MEETING DATE –

Respectfully Submitted, 

Larry Kirkland