Meeting
Minutes
November 18, 1999
2:30 P.M.
University of Idaho McClure Hall #207
Larry Kirkland (Chair-UI), Juliet McKenna (PBAC), Derek Pohle (Whitman County), Tom Scallorn (for Gary Presol, City of Moscow), Tom Townsend (Latah County), Mark Workman (City of Pullman).
Jay Becker (WSU), Craig Benjamin (WSU), Pam Palmer (City of Moscow), Sue Hinz (Pullman), Loreca Stauber (Latah County), Les Wigen (Whitman County),
Bill French (citizen, Moscow), Jack Hill (future City Council member, Moscow), Scott King (King Groundwater Science, Inc.), Ron Cooper (Pullman), Kathleen Warnick (citizen, Moscow)
PBAC Chair Larry Kirkland called the meeting to order at 2:35 PM.
Minutes from the October 21, 1999 meeting were approved with the following changes: D. Pohle, page 2 paragraph 2iii, noted that Whitman County did not agree to voluntary pumping limits because water use in unincorporated areas of the County is not tracked (change should also be made to web site); L. Kirkland, page 2, paragraph 2ii, noted that Moscow Well No. 2 also has high iron problems; page 3, should be added that if per capita water use is not reduced, then supplemental water would have to be paid for. L. Kirkland also had minor editorial comments. (Approval of minutes motioned and seconded.)
A new draft of updated goals for the Groundwater Management Plan was distributed (copy attached). J. McKenna explained that these goals were compiled by herself and L. Kirkland based on the draft goals completed by the Committee in 1997 and recent comments from discussions in the September and October 1999 meetings. These goals should be reviewed by each member for discussion and a possible vote at the December meeting. J. McKenna noted that Goal No. 5 in particular (dealing with the PBAC’s stance on growth in the basin) should be discussed. The following comments were aired:
M. Workman questioned the point of voluntary pumping limits when there are no ramifications for exceedences. He and T. Scallorn also questioned the rationale behind the allowable 1% annual increase considering that population growth in both communities is greater than this. L. Kirkland noted that this item should be discussed further and that if our pumping depletes the aquifer, we need to be willing to pay the cost of securing additional water.
J. McKenna distributed summaries of individual action plans, listing proposed, completed, and recommended actions. She offered to meet individually over the next month with representatives from each entity to review this information for accuracy and discuss ideas to include in the revised action plans for 2000. Updated action plans should be completed by each entity by the end of February 2000. T. Townsend noted that Latah County is in the process of trying to track the number of wells in the basin to permit an estimate of water use in unincorporated areas of the basin.
A) PBAC Budget Review
No questions; the
only outstanding invoice is $20,000 from the UI for the OK project; L. Kirkland said that a detailed letter
should be written by J. McKenna documenting the purpose of the funds. In the future, letters and invoices should
be sent to the cities and universities in May for the next fiscal year funding,
and in July to the counties for their fiscal year funding.
L. Kirkland stated that the PBAC will approaching the Idaho
legislature in December 1999 to attempt to secure up to $600,000 over three
years (2000-2003) to supplement the research goals of the OK project. This will include purchase of additional
data loggers, geophysical investigations, additional well drilling, and
creation of a GIS database to support construction of a new basin model. No objections were voiced.
J. McKenna stated that UI students in several departments are available for internships including UI Environmental Science majors which are required to do a senior thesis for 3 credits (approximately 120 hours). Currently, there are more students than projects in Environmental Science and they are interested in obtaining a list of potential projects from PBAC. J. McKenna asked if anyone from Pullman or Moscow objected to projects that would involve their cooperation, and there were no objections. J. McKenna will distribute a list of projects to departments that give credit for internships on campus.
The PBAC website has been started at http://www.uidaho.edu/~pbac. Minutes and agendas will be posted in the near future, as well as information on PBAC goals and action plans so it is accessible by the public. Comments or corrections should be given to J. McKenna (pbac@uidaho.edu).
L. Kirkland suggested utilizing Public TV stations for PBAC announcements, including Channel 8 at UI. T. Scallorn said to contact Chris Bainbridge at 883-7015 for channel 11 and 13 in Moscow. M. Workman said that Channel 13 in Pullman is also available and their video/audio technician should be available to assist with any filming or footage for posting.
J. McKenna encouraged entities to email her updates on all water-related projects on an on-going basis so relevant updates can be mentioned at future meetings.
Palouse - L. Kirkland noted that drilling on City of Palouse well should begin the week of November 22, 1999 and J. Bush and D. Ralston have arranged for someone to log the borehole and collect and archive samples of cuttings. J. Osiensky is looking into the cost of performing down-hole geophysical logging and this may be an item PBAC might want to consider paying for.
Pullman - M. Workman stated that he thought the well construction specifications for Well No. 7 includes performing complete geophysical and geological logging of the borehole. He will give a copy of the well specs to J. McKenna to confirm this.
Moscow - T. Scallorn stated that Moscow intends to do complete geological and geophysical logging of their new well. J. McKenna asked if the location of the well is negotiable (i.e. could it be moved 0.5 miles further north to supply us with data from an area where there is none)? T. Scallorn will look into it. The pump will be pulled from Well No. 3; it would be possible to get a video log of it if PBAC wanted. J. McKenna will look at old video logs and determine if this is necessary.
Whitman County- D. Pohle said that a new well will be drilled in winter/spring near the Colfax airport. J. McKenna will look into the possibility of collecting samples of cuttings from the borehole. D. Pohle also noted that several wells recently drilled around the landfill (to a maximum depth of ~200 feet) should have been carefully logged.
UI- L. Kirkland noted that the pump in UI Well No. 3 will be pulled during the summer of 2000 and will be out of the well for several months for routine maintenance of the pump.
L. Kirkland introduced this subject by suggesting that since PBAC has taken a stand on the proposed golf course in the corridor (not supported unless recycled water is used), that to be defensible PBAC should have a consistent opinion on other proposed developments (e.g. a residential development that would use an equal amount of water). L. Kirkland suggested that perhaps the distinction should be made between potable and non-potable use and in the case of non-potable use, require recycled water to be used. M. Workman asked if L. Kirkland was suggesting the PBAC not take a stand on any developments in order to protect the Committee. L. Kirkland replied that he thought the PBAC should have a policy on new developments, but the reasons should be carefully outlined in order to be consistent. D. Pohle pointed out that there is a virtual moratorium on issuing any more water rights in Washington. L. Kirkland replied that although this prevents new pumping, it does not solve the PBAC’s problem-it only postpones the decisions that the PBAC will inevitably have to make regarding their position on future water usage in the basin.
After 6 years of voluntary limits, it seems that the predictions of Lum and others (1990) from the USGS basin model are not correct because water levels continue to decline steadily. M. Workman again stated that although voluntary limits are a great idea, they are not realistic given current growth rates in the basin.
Both T. Townsend and M. Workman stated that in approving new developments, future water usage is not a consideration by City Councils. M. Workman noted that it is fairly non-controversial to be against one single large water user and he would support that stance (i.e. a business or a golf course); however, it is difficult and controversial to be opposed to a residential development that would use an equal amount of water. D. Pohle noted that Whitman County Commissioners would not support a goal that limited growth.
It was generally agreed that it is not realistic nor desirable for the PBAC to adopt a “no growth” stance; however, L. Kirkland pointed out that due to limited groundwater resources, there will be greater and greater costs for water because of future developments resulting in more water use. L. Kirkland said that the goal should be to adopt a policy of tolerable increases in water usage, provided there is a recognition of the costs and the means to pay for it.
L. Kirkland also noted that the prevailing thought is that water from the tap is free, and consumers pay only for the cost of conveyance, approximately equal to less than half a cent a gallon. For comparison, consider that the cost of bottled water may be $1/gallon, and if it were shipped on railcars it may be 1/10 cent per gallon, considerably less than this for water from the tap. J. Hill noted that this is where education becomes very important; conserving water should become a way of thinking, just like recycling now is for most people.
M. Workman stated that Pullman recently (July 1999) brought a new billing statement system on-line, which has capability to add text, compare previous years water usage for the same period, and accommodate inserts. Previous year’s data will be available after one year, or in July 2000. J. McKenna will work with Ron Cooper on items that can be added to the water bill regarding water conservation, aquifer water levels, etc. to educate consumers.
T. Scallorn is hopeful that within the next 12 months Moscow’s billing system can be updated to allow for the same services. J. McKenna will review some of the software that T. Scallorn has. J. Hill commented that this is an excellent way to educate, by providing a little bit of information month after month.
The next meeting is Thursday, December 9, 1999 at 2:30 pm in Room 207 McClure Hall at the University of Idaho. The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
NEXT MEETING
Thursday, December 9, 1999
2:30 PM
University of Idaho
McClure Hall Room 207
Respectfully Submitted,
Juliet M. McKenna
Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor