October 19, 2000 Meeting Minutes
University of
Idaho, McClure Hall Rm. 411
|
X |
UI: Larry Kirkland,
Facilities Engineer |
X |
WSU: Craig Benjamin
(Chair), Assistant Director of Facilities Operations |
|
X |
UI: Jay Becker
(Vice-Chair), Assistant Director, Utilities and Engineering |
|
WSU: Robert Hengst,
Engineering Services Manager |
|
|
Moscow: Gary Presol, Dir.
Public Works |
|
Pullman: Mark Workman,
Dir. Public Works |
|
|
Moscow: Steve Busch, City
Council Member |
X |
Pullman: Sue Hinz, City
Council Member |
|
|
Latah County: Loreca
Stauber, County Commissioner |
|
Whitman County: Les Wigen,
County Commissioner |
|
X |
Latah County: Tom
Townsend, citizen |
|
Whitman County: Derek
Pohle, County Engineer |
|
X |
Executive Secretary and
Technical Advisor: Juliet McKenna |
|
|
Bill French (Moscow resident), Art Garro (Pullman), Tom Scallorn (Moscow Water Dept.), Kent Keller (WSU), Jim Osiensky (UI)
Chair Craig Benjamin called the meeting to order at 2:40 P.M. Minutes were approved with minor editorial corrections provided by Larry Kirkland.
C. Benjamin introduced the discussion. The PBAC requested a follow-up from Jim and Kent after the Palouse Water Supply Workshop in September to review research directions in light of discussions at the workshop. Following is a summary of comments by Kent Keller:
The single most important outcome of the workshop was the receptiveness of representatives of Idaho Department of Water Resources and Idaho Division of Environmental Quality to pilot projects for artificially recharging the Grande Ronde aquifer.
The workshop was useful in discussing ideas for various engineering options for stabilizing the water supply in the Palouse region. At this point, we do not know enough about how the groundwater system behaves to adopt a specific plan over another. As we work towards choosing a plan, it is essential to test assumptions inherent in the proposed solutions. Many of these assumptions are being tested as part of the current research. The discussions at the workshop have served to underscore the importance of PBAC support of this research. The original research objectives remain largely unchanged. The key concepts motivating the research are:
1. Distribution and magnitudes of inflows to shallow and deep parts of the system
2. Lateral continuity of deep vs. shallow aquifers
3. Positions (depths, locations) of strata which isolate deep from shallow aquifers
4. Locations of groundwater outflow and its effect on deep aquifer water budgets
It was understood at the outset of this three year project that specific items may changed as new information becomes available. Currently, the following research items are being considered as part of this project or future research projects:
1. Drilling to resolve hydrostratigraphy (water levels) at pumping centers – Originally, drilling was proposed in the vicinity of Kamiak Butte to determine if the Grande Ronde aquifer is continuous between Pullman and Palouse. Jim and Kent are now considering drilling closer to Pullman or Moscow to resolve the hydrostratigraphy near pumping centers
2. Geologic mapping and shape of potentiometric surface to west and northwest
3. Early history of vertical gradients at the pumping centers – Predevelopment water levels in the Grande Ronde may reveal whether or not the basin is drained or self-contained. Early studies assume a constant hydrostatic head across the basin, a condition that requires no drains (Russell, 1897). Historical water level data can test this assumption. This assumption has important implications for recharge.
4. Better characterization of discharge to Union Flat Creek and Snake River
At the conclusion of this 3-year study, the result will be a new conceptual model for the basin based on interpretations of the data collected.
Additional discussion by Jim Osiensky is summarized as follows:
Pullman and Moscow do not seem well connected hydraulically, which is consistent with the geologically distinct subbasins as interpreted by John Bush (UI Geology Professor). Aquifer pump tests indicate that Moscow pulls groundwater from the west (Whitman County and Pullman) when their wells are pumping. These observations suggest that artificial recharge in Moscow may not provide significant benefit to Whitman County or Pullman.
Larry Kirkland suggests proposing a pilot recharge study in the request for funds from the state of Idaho. Jim thinks a pilot test is a good idea, but it should be closely monitored and tied into the ongoing research in order to get maximum benefit from the money spent. Jim thinks the most feasible pilot project at this time is to construct a passive injection system from the shallow aquifer to the deep aquifer. This avoids the need to do any expensive water treatment, as would likely be required with surface water.
At this time, Jim and Kent are not convinced that drilling is the best way to spend the remaining research funds. By next summer they will have worked out all the details of the remaining research.
Craig Benjamin requested a updated schedule of deliverables and milestones from Jim and Kent at their semiannual update in January 2001.
The revised version was sent to members on September 30, 2000 for approval by legal counsel or other appropriate persons at each Entity. Copies were also sent to the appropriate state regulatory agencies for their information, including IDWR, IDEQ, and WDOE. Comments have not been received by UI and Moscow. All comments received have been minor. Jay Becker of UI said that he needs to forward the new PBAC agreement first to the UI administration before legal counsel will review the documents. J. McKenna offered to help with this.
Whitman County had previously indicated an intent not to sign the agreement. J. McKenna was scheduled to meet with the Board of County Commissioners to explain the value to both PBAC and Whitman County in signing this agreement. [Subsequently the Commissioners agreed to sign the agreement].
Idaho Representative Tom Trail and Senator Gary Schroeder have indicated their support of our request, and have asked to be contacted after the elections on November 7, 2000.
No contact has been made with Washington representatives. At the September 21 meeting, it was suggested a group work with Washington legislators on this request including Sue Hinz, Jay Becker, Derek Pohle, and Les Wigen.
J. McKenna spoke with Dave Reese on October 2, 2000 and he indicated PBAC should expect a preliminary scope of work by October 31, 2000.
The display booth is not yet finished, but former conservation coordinator Helena Gregory should be completing it this month. It will be available for display at community events and contains water conservation information and information on the PBAC as well as activities for children.
AWWA Water Conservation Division is holding their annual national meeting in Portland, OR on February 1-3, 2001. The meeting will feature two workshops: Welcome to the Conservation Force, New Cadet Training is an introduction for new water conservation professionals to the basics of planning and implementing municipal conservation programs, and a refresher for experienced professionals. Workshop 2 explores the implementation of the conservation program undertaken by the City of Portland, and examines emerging conservation innovations and technologies. J. McKenna highly recommends that each water supply entity send at least one representative to this meeting. It is a chance to learn what other utilities are doing for water conservation and network with other water professionals and it is also an inexpensive plane flight to Portland from the Pullman-Moscow airport. It is not likely that conservation meetings of this caliber will occur in the Northwest in the future.
J. McKenna attended a presentation in Spokane on September 27, 2000 by Phil Brown of CH2MHill in Portland, an expert in aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) technology in the Northwest. Another presentation on water rights issues in ASR will be given by George Schlender of the Washington Department of Ecology will occur on October 25.
July and August 2000 pumping in the basin exceeded the 5-year average by over 10 percent. Moscow and Pullman water departments suspect this is weather dependent. J. McKenna examined climate data and concluded that historical pumping data show a strong dependence on temperature and precipitation. This makes conservation programs aimed at reducing summer irrigation demand even more important.
J. McKenna distributed a copy of press release about an award given to Whitworth Water District (near Spokane) from Washington Department of Ecology for lowering per capita water demand by instituting tiered water rates. To encourage conservation, higher water usage is billed a higher rate. Water use in Whitworth was lower this past summer than in the previous summers, despite high temperatures and low precipitation which contributed to near record water demand locally. This demonstrates the effectiveness of water rates in encouraging water conservation.
Pullman is continuing to include brief water conservation tip in the “message” portion at the bottom of their water bills.
Drilling for Pullman’s new well has been pushed back to resume on October 30, 2000.
UI has submitted a capital request to expand their recycled water irrigation system. UI has also joined the GemStars program, an energy and resource conservation program that involves recycling and education.
UI is in the process of interviewing applicants for a Resource Conservation Manager.
Moscow sent an employee to Boise for a water festival and is now setting up a similar half-day festival for 6th graders at McDonald Elementary School in Moscow. Moscow is also sponsoring a Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) workshop on October 20-21. They are working with the school district to get water education programs accredited.
Because of excessive and unmetered water use, as a concerned citizen, Bill French is trying to get the City of Moscow to charge Latah County for water usage at the fairgrounds. This past summer he documented that the fairground uses between 2.82 and 3.47 inches of potable water for irrigation per week, compared to 0.8 to 0.97 inches per week at the Eggan ball fields. He also documented puddles of standing water and sprinklers running continuously for 36 hours. Billing the county for the water used this summer would amount to nearly $4,000, an amount equal Latah County’s PBAC fee (of which only $2,000 was paid this year), and half of Moscow’s PBAC fee. According to Bill, the issue has not yet been resolved.
WSU hired Mr. Terry Ryan as energy manager. He will not be on the Committee, but will attend regularly to learn the issues. [Note: WSU appointed Pete Grigas of Facilities Planning as the other PBAC representative, replacing Robert Hengst.]
The Committee would like to get a speakers slot at the January Quarterly Leadership Breakfast for the leaders of Pullman, Moscow, both Universities, and both Counties. Members of the Committee are concerned that the Entities are not aware of the issues nor clear on what needs to be done. [Note: The University of Idaho is in charge of hosting the next meeting in January and PBAC has been scheduled as the featured speaker.] There was some discussion on how and what to present:
· The audience may not be aware of the water supply problem or may need to be reminded
· Level of technical detail to present needs to be figured out
· LK: make a case for PBAC existence – discuss IDWR stance on groundwater mining
· SH: emphasize that this committee ensures local control
· Provide copies of the GOALS, 20 year timeline, and discuss PBAC history and how past goals have been met
· Perhaps have Osiensky and Keller present 5 minutes
· Discuss fund requests from states and COE; show progress and sense of goal completion
· SH: strongly believes that elected officials can be educated about water supply
· Remember the meeting is at 7 am in the middle of winter-the presentation needs to be concise and engaging
· LK/SH: decorate tables with water conservation devices (toilet tanks, washers to fix leaky faucets, etc).
· SH: Committee doesn’t exist for its own benefits, it provides conservation, research and regulatory guidance
· CB: Committee exists solely to solve the water supply problem including the technical solution, financial impact, and growth concerns
· LK: numerous national and international works stating that water is one of top 2 or 3 problems facing country or world
· JM: could invite regulators (at least get them to agree to show up and decide later if there is time to have them speak)
Thursday, November 16, 2000 at 2:30 pm
McClure Hall Room 311
The meeting was adjourned by consensus.
Respectfully Submitted,
Juliet M. McKenna
Executive
Secretary/Technical Advisor