PBAC Minutes

June 17, 1999

University of Idaho    McClure Hall # 403

 

Members Present:

Jay Becker (WSU), Craig Benjamin (WSU), Steve Gill (PBAC), Sue Hinz (Pullman), Larry Kirkland (Vice Chair-UI), Tom Scallorn (Moscow for     Gary Presol), Tom Townsend (Chair – Latah County), Mark Workman (Pullman).

Members Absent:

Steve Busch (Moscow), Derek Pohle (Whitman County),                       Loreca Stauber (Latah County), Les Wigen (Whitman County).

Visitors:                                                                                  Ron Cooper (Pullman), Bob Haynes (Idaho Dept. Water Resources),     Dr. Jim Osiensky (UI), Kathleen Warnick.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by PBAC Chair Tom Townsend at 2:45 PM.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the 20 May 1999 meeting were unanimously approved                  (M. Workman motioned, C. Benjamin seconded).

Reports and Announcements:

A) Osiensky-Keller Research Proposal:  S. Gill opened the discussion confirming that PBAC representative’s from Moscow, Pullman, UI, and WSU have spoken to their respective entity’s financial committee concerning the motion made at the 20 May 1999 meeting supporting an additional $20,000 per year support for a minimum of the next three fiscal years.

C. Benjamin stated that WSU’s money would be available beginning the summer of 1999.

M. Workman stated the Pullman’s $20,000 would be available beginning the summer of 1999.                                                                                                                                       T. Scallorn stated that Moscow has set money aside in the upcoming fiscal year, available after 1 October 1999, for the purchase of data loggers by the City of Moscow, which PBAC could use.  The requested supplemental funding for $20,000 should be available beginning late summer 1999, with full support by January 2000.                                                                              

L. Kirkland stated that UI would like a letter stating the involvement by each of the other three entities and that upon receipt of the letter by UI’s financial division the $20,000 would likely be available.

S. Gill and T. Townsend stated that they would draft a letter to each of the four entities stating PBAC’s mission and reasoning behind the request for additional research funding.   

B)  PBAC Budget for Fiscal Year 1999-2000:   T. Townsend stated that for fiscal 1999/2000 the entities would continue the same level of base support for the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee plus the additional support for the Osiensky-Keller research.  The following level of base support for PBAC was approved for fiscal 1999/2000:

            Pullman                                                          $  4,000                                                          Moscow                                                            $  4,000                                                          Washington State University                   $  4,000                                                          University of Idaho                                         $  4,000                                                          Whitman County                                            $  2,000                                                            Latah County                                     $  2,000                                                          Total Base Support for 1999-2000 $ 20,000

The PBAC unanimously approved at the 18 May 1999 meeting the following level of supplemental support for ground water research by Osiensky-Keller:

Pullman                                                          $ 20,000                                                         Moscow                                                            $ 20,000                                                         Washington State University                   $ 20,000                                                         University of Idaho                                         $ 20,000                                                         Additional Support for 1999-2000              $ 80,000                                                                                                                                                                                        Total support for fiscal 1999-2000 by each of the PBAC entities will be:

Pullman                                                          $ 24,000                                                         Moscow                                                            $ 24,000                                                         Washington State University                   $ 24,000                                                         University of Idaho                                         $ 24,000                                             Whitman County                                            $   2,000                                                         Latah County                                     $   2,000                                                         Total Support for 1999-2000                       $100,000

C) Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor:  The committee reviewed applications for the Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor position.  Four applications have been received and formal review by the PBAC Personnel Subcommittee (C. Benjamin, S. Hinz, L. Kirkland, T. Townsend, M. Workman) would begin immediately following today’s meeting.  The sub-committee was given authority to interview and hire a new Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor.

D) WDOE Well:  The rehabilitation of the WDOE well between Moscow and Pullman is complete.  Burns Well Drilling in Grangeville finalized cleaning of the well on 10 June 1999.  It was easier than expected.  The well checked out at over 1,000 gallons per minute.

Dr. Jim Osiensky, UI, noted that the driller has installed additional well casing and a cap bringing the top of the well casing to approximately seven feet above land surface. Osiensky stated that, as of 17 June 1999, one of the UI’s water level data recorders has been placed in the well to begin immediate collection of water level data. 

S. Gill reported that the present water level in the well is 238 feet below the top of the well casing, which translates to a water level elevation of 231 feet below land surface (bls) or 2,244 feet above mean sea level (amsl).  The last recorded measurement that was made in the well before the flood of 1996, on 4 February 1996, showed a water level of 226.9 feet bls or 2248 amsl.  This translates to a yearly water level decline of 1.25 feet/year since 1996.  The historic rate of water level decline in the WDOE well, for water years 1975 to 1996, is 1.29 feet/year.

 

Election of PMWRC Officers:

After brief discussion, J. Becker motioned that Larry Kirkland serve as the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee Chair and Craig Benjamin serve as Vice-chair, M. Workman seconded.  M. Workman moved that nominations be closed, S. Hinz seconded and motion was unanimously approved.  The motion electing Larry Kirkland PBAC Chair and Craig Benjamin PBAC Vice-chairman was then unanimously approved.

New Business

L. Kirkland announced that Alpha Engineering out of Montana would set up a portable electromagnetic water purification unit at the Moscow Waste Water Treatment Plant next week on Tuesday 22 June 1999.  Alpha claims its unit will destroy all bacteria and can greatly reduce the phosphorous content of the waste water.

 

J. Becker announced that the rehabilitation of WSU Well # 7 is complete and appears to have been a success.  The rehabilitation included placing a swedge at the well casing reduction to prevent sand from coming into the well, lining a portion of the well with new casing, and installing smaller diameter wellscreen.  A small amount of sand is still being pumped; however, it appears to be insignificant to the operation of the well.

Adjournment

After setting the next meeting for July 15th at 2:30 in the Calvin C. Warnick Hydrogeological Library, the meeting was adjourned.

 

Next Meeting

2:30 PM

Thursday July 15, 1999

University of Idaho McClure Hall 304

 

 

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

 

Steve W. Gill, Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor