Jay Becker (WSU),
Steve Busch (Moscow), Loreca Stauber (Latah County), Les Wigen (Whitman
County).
A)PBAC Budget Summary: S.
Gill distributed a summary of PBAC’s annual
budgets beginning with Fiscal 1995 (July 1, 1994 to June 30, 1995) and
ending with June 1999 (end of Fiscal 1999). C. Benjamin stated that he would like to have Peggy Hammel
make a presentation to explain why the June 1999 budget includes future
anticipated funds. C. Benjamin noted
that he feels this method of fiscal accounting is incorrect. S. Gill noted that he would try to arrange
to have Ms. Hammel attend the next meeting.
B)
Water Level Monitoring: New Data Loggers: S. Gill
noted that the bids for the purchase of the submersible water-level recording
units and electronic water-level measuring tapes, approved at the 20 May 1999
meeting, have been received. Two companies produce the devices, Solinst Canada
Ltd. (Model 3001-L Levelogger) and In-Situ Inc. (Model SP4000 Troll). Initial quotations
were received in early May. The bid
from In-Situ for (8) SP4000 Troll units and (2) water level tapes had a total
cost of $15,664.50. The unit cost for the SP4000 is $1,595.00; however, In-Situ will sell (2) SP4000’s at a 50%
educational discount-cost of $ 797.50.
The Solinst quotation for (8) 3001-L water level recorders and (2) water
level meters was $ 7,264.99. The unit
cost for the 3001-L is $951.00. S. Gill noted that
the PBAC approved approximately $10,000 for the purchase of the equipment. Because the SP4000 has a higher unit cost,
except for the first (2) SP4000’s, he decided to order (8) Solinst 3001-L
Leveloggers and (2) SP4000 Trolls.
Specifically:
In-Situ Inc. 2-SP4000
with Lithium battery @ $897.50 each $
1,795.00 2-RS232
Cables-50 feet @ 153.75 each $ 307.50 1-RS232
Comm Kit $ 202.50 1-Heron
Water Level Meter, 400’ tape $ 774.00 1-Heron
Water Level Meter, 100’ tape $ 409.50 Freight $ 110.00 TOTAL $
3,598.50
Solinst Canada Ltd. 8-3001
L Levelogger @ $867.3125 $
6,938.50 1-3001
PC Comm Kit $ 340.10 Freight $ 41.28 TOTAL $
7,319.88
TOTAL
PBAC BUDGET TRANSFER REQUIRED: $10,918.38
S. Gill noted that in addition to the
(10) water level recorders PBAC is ordering, the City of Moscow has budgeted
$2,000 for the purchase of (2) Solinst 3001-L Leveloggers at the beginning of
the City’s next fiscal year in October 1999.
C. Benjamin questioned whether WSU
would be able to get (2) In-Situ SP4000 recorders at the 50% educational
discount rate. S. Gill noted that Dr.
Keller should research this possibility, either through the WSU Geology
department or the Washington Water Resource Research Center.
C) Research Update: Osiensky-Keller Project: C. Benjamin
stated that he had met with Samuel L. Kindred, Vice President of Business
Affairs, to discuss funding for the Osiensky-Keller project. C. Benjamin noted that Dr. Kindred would
like to see: 1) a more detailed proposal that included a timeline stating tasks
and deliverables, 2) quarterly updates to the committee documenting progress
and accounting for expenditures, and 3) a year-end report that would help the
committee determine the future level of support by the entities. M. Workman stated that he feels
quarterly updates are overly ambitious and that the nature of scientific
research makes it difficult to anticipate changes in deliverables and
tasks. He continued that, one small
piece of information can often change the entire direction of a project but
that the end result would still be the same: increasing PBAC’s knowledge of the
Basin’s ground water system. M. Workman
feels that updates two or three times a year would be enough; and that the
primary point to the updates is to maintain a high level of enthusiasm by the
individual committee members, who are ultimately responsible for ensuring the
future level of support for the project. L. Kirkland noted that the University
of Idaho would also appreciate this type of follow though on this project. He suggested that he and C. Benjamin work
together with Dr. Osiensky and Dr. Keller to develop an effective, yet simple,
mechanism to address the issue of timelines, tasks and deliverables. Dr. Osiensky stated that this
discussion brings up a very good point: the ever-changing nature of scientific
research. Case In point: the
geophysical logging of the new City of Palouse Well. The initial proposal sought approximately $2,000 for geophysical
logging of the well; however, quotations for this work are in the range of
$5,000. Discussions with Dr. Kenneth
Sprenke, UI Geophysicist, indicate that this information might not be worth the
cost and that a better use of the limited financial resources might be to hire
Dr. John Bush, UI, to geologically log the Palouse well (including personal observations
and chemical sampling). Dr. Bush’s
expertise could also be used for the proposed well for the project and, if
within the project’s three-year timeline, the City of Pullman’s new well. C. Benjamin asked what it
would cost to bring Dr. Bush into the project.
Dr. Osiensky answered that it would add about $6,000 per year. L. Kirkland stated that he had no objection
to bringing Dr. Bush into the project, if Drs. Osiensky and Keller could remain
within the approved budget. Dr. Osiensky stated that he
would like to begin placing the submersible water level recorders into selected
wells as soon as they arrive. He
requested that the committee authorize the transfer of $1,000 into the project’s
budget to employ a graduate student part-time.
L. Kirkland motioned that the committee
immediately transfers $1,000 into the Osiensky-Keller project budget for an IH
employee, M. Workman seconded. The
motion was unanimously approved.
S. Gill
distributed color copies of the 1998
Palouse Basin Annual Water Use Report to those PBAC
members in attendance at today’s meeting. Color copies will be mailed to
the PBAC members not in attendance.
Additionally, black and white copies will be distributed to PBAC
interested parties and other parties who request copies. The purpose of
this report is to review ground water pumpage, aquifer water levels, the
quality of our drinking water and review research aimed at helping to better
understand our ground water supply for 1998.
Ground water is
the sole source of water for the cities of Pullman and Moscow, the University
of Idaho and Washington State University, and people and industry in the
surrounding rural areas. The Palouse
Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) is charged with the task of planning to insure a
reliable long-term quality water supply for the basin. The PBAC is a voluntary, cooperative,
multijurisdictional committee comprised of six entities: the two cities, the
two universities, and the counties of Whitman and Latah. The Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee’s
mission is: to provide for future
beneficial use of the basin ground water without depleting the basin aquifers
while protecting the quality of the water.
Ground water in
the Palouse Basin is pumped from aquifers located primarily in basalt. The primary drinking water source is a
deeper basalt aquifer referred to as the Grande Ronde while a shallower basalt
aquifer, the Wanapum, provides limited water for the cities and universities,
but is the primary water supply for rural residents. Since ground water development began in the late 1890’s, ground
water pumpage has steadily increased while the basalt aquifers in the Palouse
Basin have experienced consistent annual drops in water level.
The total
combined ground water pumpage by the two cities and two universities during
1998 was 2,666 million gallons. Of this
total Moscow used 34-percent, Pullman used 33-percent, Washington State
University used 21-percent, and the UI used 12-percent. The ground water level in the Grande Ronde
continues to decline at a rate of nearly one and one-half feet per year and
selected wells in the Wanapum aquifer indicate a similar trend.
Based on the
continually falling ground water level and recent findings that ground water
recharge is less than previously thought, it is possible that the entities are
pumping more water than is being recharged [replaced] naturally to the deeper
aquifer. This possibility has resulted
in heightened concern and more urgency to find ways to increase recharge and
stop the fall in the water table.
Efforts are also underway to counter the increasing ground water pumpage
through water conservation, exploration into methods for increasing recharge,
and the use of wastewater effluent to supplant current irrigation and other
nonpotable demands for the deep aquifer water.
Basin water
management is complicated in that basin recharge and discharge [losses] are not
well understood or accurately determined.
The extent of the basin is still in question [how big is our bathtub]
and the interconnection between the deep aquifer and surface water sources is
uncertain. To better understand these
concerns, the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee is increasing its commitment to
research of critical topics and to monitoring of ground water levels and the
basin-wide impacts of pumping events in various locations. This will require more financial commitment
by the entities. However, this increase
in the pace of research and monitoring should facilitate key decision-making
prior to the occurrence of a critical water supply situation. Specific goals of the increased commitment
include:
c
Installation and use of automatic
water level recorders that will provide better and more extensive data than
ever before,
c
Careful monitoring of the geology
and aquifers during the drilling of the new City of Palouse well,
c
Cooperative water conservation
efforts by the cities and universities,
c
Refinement of the US Geological
Survey computer model, and
c
Utilization of the tremendous
resources of the two universities to undertake research which will help clarify
some of the less well understood issues such as the rate and location of
recharge to the deep aquifer, the size and capacity of the basin, and the water
balance for the basin.
Accomplishments
for 1998 included: 1) introducing a school-based conservation program, Learning
to be Water Wise and Energy Efficient Program®, created by the National Energy
Foundation, into selected 4th and 6th grade classrooms, 2) participating in
Planetary Stewardship 98, an interdisciplinary conference on the environment at
the University of Idaho, 3) establishing a permanent location for the PBAC in
McClure Hall on the UI campus, 4) continuing well monitoring and research
efforts focusing on local ground water issues, and 5) sharing of information
and production of the 1998 annual report which includes a Consumer Confidence
Report.
The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now requires water suppliers to produce
annual drinking water quality reports for their customers known as: Consumer
Confidence Reports (CCR). One of the
goals of the PBAC is the protection of the basin’s water quality. To foster consumer confidence, the Palouse
Basin Annual Water-Use Report will now include a CCR section on the quality of
our drinking water.
The Palouse
area is not facing a water shortage at this time. Ground water levels in wells indicate an ample supply of water
for current and near future needs.
However, ground water levels are continuing to decline in some
areas. This increases the urgency of
finding a long-term solution to deal with the falling water table. That is why the Palouse Basin Aquifer
Committee is trying to speed up its learning about the local ground water
systems and encourage local communities to promote water conservation and
efficient water-use.
L. Kirkland stated that Alpha Engineering out of Montana set up
a portable electromagnetic water purification unit at the Moscow Wastewater Treatment
Plant on 22 June 1999. Alpha claims that its water
purification unit can destroy all bacteria and reduce the phosphorous content
of the wastewater. L. Kirkland noted
that the trial run improved the water quality but did not produce as dramatic
results as hoped. Another test may be
scheduled for a future date. L.
Kirkland noted that he would inform the PBAC of additional test results. Alpha
is doing on-site water treatment in Montana.
L. Kirkland also pointed out an article
on the use of micro-filters to provide drinking water from stream water at
favorable prices.
T. Townsend announced that a meeting
would be held at the UI SUB on 19 August 1999, to discuss the 1999 EPA State/Tribal/Local Governments
Wetlands Development Grant Program.
John Olson, EPA Boise Office and Lee Daneker, EPA Region 10 Aquatics
Resources Unit will be on hand to answer questions and offer guidance for
future grant applicants.
2:30 PM
Thursday
August 12, 1999
University of Idaho McClure Hall 304
Respectfully
Submitted,
Steve
W. Gill, Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor
.