Minutes
January 15, 1998
Calvin C. Warnick Hydrogeological Library
304 McClure Hall, University of Idaho
Jay
Becker (WSU), Steve Gill (Executive Secretary), Sue Hinz (Pullman), Don Huskey
(UI), Phil Merrell (Whitman County), Loreca J. Stauber (Latah County), Tom
Townsend, Chair. (Latah County), Les Wigen (Whitman County), Mark Workman
(Pullman).
Craig
Benjamin (WSU), Larry Kirkland, Vice Chair. (UI), Pam Palmer (Moscow), Gary
Presol (Moscow).
Kevin
Brackney (UI), C. Kent Keller (WSU), Denise Ortiz (Pullman Environmental
Quality Commission), Jim Osiensky (UI), Dale R. Ralston (UI), Kathleen Warnick.
The
meeting was called to order by PMWRC Chair T. Townsend at 9:45 A.M.
Minutes
from November 19, 1997 meeting were unanimously approved (D. Huskey motioned,
L. Wigen seconded)
Get Wise!
Learning to be Water Wise and Energy Efficient Program: S. Gill noted that he would
be piloting the GetWise! Program in February. He stated that his original intent was to
launch the program during the next school year (98/99); however; the
opportunity has arose that allows PMWRC to coat-tail the GetWise!Program on an existing environmental education program in
the Moscow School District. The
existing program, Growing Green, is a
cooperative venture between Latah Sanitation and the Palouse Clearwater
Environmental Institute. The Growing
Green program is funded, in part, from an AmeriCorps Learn and Serve grant and is being conducted in four classrooms
throughout the Moscow School District, two 4th grade classes at Russell
Elementary and two 6th grades, one in Genesee and one at St. Mary’s
School. S. Gill stated that by
coat-tailing the GetWise! Program on the Growing Green project he will be able to pilot a cross section of
70 students. He stated that, in a joint
project between himself and Maureen Toomey, Environmental Education Coordinator
at IWRRI, the curriculum for the GetWise!Program
has been modified to make it more specific for the Palouse area. The new curriculum incorporates the
following PMWRC developed water efficient materials: the Efficient Water Use on the Palouse brochure that Anne Volmer
developed and the Teaching Water
Conservation on the Palouse handbook developed cooperatively between PCEI
and PMWRC.
S.
Gill notes that the pilot is beneficial for the future implementation of the GetWise! Program throughout the Palouse
area. Specifically:
·
Targeting
4th and 6th graders will result in a wider audience to receive feedback on the
programs curriculum and success in the student’s homes.
·
Grant
money and/or corporate sponsors may be easier to persuade due to the fact that
the PMWRC is implementing GetWise! with our own limited funds.
Change in the City of Pullman and City of Moscow
Representatives: T. Townsend introduced Mark
Workman, Acting Pullman City Public Works Director, who will replace Larry
Waters as the City of Pullman PMWRC member beginning January 1, 1998. T. Townsend noted that Larry’s exemplary
attendance; the committee will miss clear-sighted comments and insightful
input. T. Townsend extended a hearty
welcome to Mr. Workman on behalf of the committee.
T. Townsend noted that Steve Busch, owner of Busch
Distributing and newly appointed Moscow City Council member, will replace Pam
Palmer as the City of Moscow PMWRC member beginning January 15, 1998. T. Townsend noted that Pam’s input was an
asset to the committee. T. Townsend
extended a hearty welcome to Mr. Busch on behalf of the committee.
Kent Keller, Professor of Geology, Washington State University presented a video of Kathryn R. Larson’s thesis defense. Ms. Larson’s thesis: Stable Isotopes in the Pullman-Moscow Basin, Eastern Washington and North Idaho: Implications for the Timing, Magnitude and Distribution of Groundwater, was funded in part by the PMWRC.
Ms. Larson’s research focused on the age-dating of ground water in the Pullman-Moscow basin. Samples of water were taken in local wells from the shallow-alluvial aquifer; the upper (Wanapum) basalt aquifer; and the lower (Grande Ronde) basalt aquifer. Additional samples were taken of local rainwater. Analysis of these samples showed that the ground water in the shallow-alluvial and in the upper basalt aquifers is statistically similar to that of local rainwater; while ground water in the lower basalt aquifer is shown to be statistically distinct. The age dating of these samples suggested that the ground water in the lower aquifer was not precipitated during current climactic conditions. This suggests that recharge rates to the lower (Grande Ronde) aquifer are much smaller than have been supposed.
Kevin Brackney (UI) asked how much lower are recharge rates to the lower (Grande Ronde) aquifer?
K. Keller explained that the original USGS model of the Pullman-Moscow basin estimated recharge to the lower aquifer at a rate of 0.9 inches/year; however, Ms. Larson’s research suggests that the rate of recharge could be as little as one-tenth of that amount. This lower rate of recharge could result in a deficit for the basin’s ground water budget. The USGS model estimated that the volume of water recharging the lower aquifer is approximately 2.4 billion gallons per year; however, Ms. Larson research suggests that the volume may be as low as 240 million gallons per year. The current volume of ground water pumpage by the two cities and two universities combined was 2.7 billion gallons of water in 1996. K. Keller than suggested that the current rate of pumpage may be non-sustainable in the long-term.
Dale Ralston (UI) pointed out that while the rate of recharge to the Grande Ronde used for the USGS model may be in error, he does not feel the original estimate is off by a factor of ten. He stated that the original USGS study calculated the rate of recharge using a multitude of parameters, including a previous water age-dating study. He noted that current research, at both the UI and WSU, suggests that many of the other parameters (such as plant-root uptake and ground water retention time in loess) in the USGS model indicate a much lower rate of recharge than that used in the USGS calculations.
S. Gill noted that Ms. Larson’s research, in conjunction with the other studies concerning recharge parameters, warrants a renewed effort by the PMWRC to try to ascertain funding for future research in the Pullman-Moscow basin. He noted that while the decline in ground water levels has been fairly uniform, at a rate of 1.5 feet per year, pumpage is steadily increasing, and this recent research into ground water recharge parameters, allows us to better define the level of uncertainty concerning our ground water resource.
New Business
Due to the length of Ms. Larson’s video presentation
and discussion, new business was put off until the next meeting.
The
meeting was adjourned at approximately 12:00 P.M.
The next meeting will be
held on
February 19, 1998 at 9:30
A.M.
Calvin C. Warnick
Hydrogeological Library
304 McClure Hall, University of Idaho.
Respectfully Submitted,
Steve W. Gill
PMWRC Executive Secretary