[Vision2020] Water Meeting on Monday

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 23:29:56 -0800

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Visionaries-

I have a couple of comments on recent postings regarding Moscow's water.

I do think that it is a good idea to get as many people as possible to the
meeting on Monday. It is a public meeting before both the Moscow City
Council and the Latah County Commissioners in the City Council chambers in
City Hall on the evening of December 15. The meeting itself begins at 7:00
pm but the public hearing will begin at 7:30 pm. In the City's public
meeting notice, the city indicates, "The subject of the meeting pertains to
the potential designation of the region by the Idaho Department of Water
Resources according to state statutes governing ground water issues.
Designation of the area could impact future water use within the region and
development within the City of Moscow and Latah County."

In addition to the subject of the meeting, I think it's good to know the
format of the meeting and what to expect if you attend. The first 30 minutes
of the meeting will consist of some standard City Council business and a
report by Randy Fife on the Agreement with Whitcom for E-911 Services.

At 7:30 pm the Joint Public Meeting will begin. This will be a meeting where
the public will be asked to give testimony. The mayor will run the meeting
and in addition to the Latah County Commissions and the current Moscow City
Council, I think the three newly elected city council members will also be
there. I believe there will be a presentation by the city and one by the
county. These presentations should provide some background and activities
that the city and county think are important to the discussion. These
presentations will probably last an hour or so. After these presentations,
the public will be asked for their ideas and comments to either the City
Council or the Board of County Commissioners. There may be some discussion
by the City Council members which could result in some direction given to
city staff.

A representative from the Idaho Department of Water Resources has been
invited, but there may be a scheduling conflict with Monday's meeting. So
unfortunately, I don't believe there will be any representatives from the
state to clarify questions that people may have about the issue, to point
out potential misunderstandings about the process, or to correct any errors
of fact.

Many posts to V2020 have various levels of inaccuracies in them (including
this post, I am sure).

There have been posts that imply that the state has become interested in our
aquifer only because of a recent petition to the Idaho Department of Water
Resources. There has been a local ground water management plan in place
since 1992 that specified pumping limits for Moscow, Pullman, UI, and WSU.
The only entity that has not been able to meet these pumping limits is
Moscow - the other three entities have managed to remain within the pumping
limits.

There have been posts that imply that if the state becomes involved that
there will be a moratorium on any new hookups to the water system, even to a
single family home. The request, as I understand it, is to impose a
moratorium on permits to appropriate water from our aquifers. The question
of new water hookups in Moscow would remain a local land use decision that
the City would control. What would be reviewed are any new wells that the
City might want to dig. New wells are far different than new home hookups.
In November, I heard Bob Haynes (Idaho Dept. of Water Resources) explain
that local land use would remain local. So I don't believe there is
justification for statements such as "it would have a huge, negative impact
on our community," or that the result will be to "shut down new development
and essentially (freeze) our tax base." Remember that the goal is to
stabilize groundwater levels and provide for a sustainable water supply for
all area residents.

There have been posts that imply that those who call for conservation are
also calling for no growth. This region has a very modest rate of growth, on
the order of 1 or 2 percent. If water conservation methods enabled us to
conserve 1 or 2 percent, then there would be nice balance between growth and
conservation.

I hope at the meeting we'll be able to focus on the issue in front of us,
regarding our use of water and our ability to provide quality water to area
residents today and in the future. Let's discuss how to provide potable
water for the people who live in our region, explore ways to conserve the
amount of water that we use, and learn how to protect this valuable and
treasured resource. I don't think we can continue to delay action by asking
for more science or more studies. It is time to get our act together or we
will force to let the state help us.

I hope that interested residents will come to the meeting on Monday to learn
more about this issue. We need everyone, including the coalition,
developers, residents, the business community, and others, to find a
community solution to this important and complex problem.

John Dickinson

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<div class=3DSection1>

Visionaries- 
 
I have a couple of comments on recent postings regarding Moscow&#8217;s =
water. 
 
I do think that it is a good idea to get as many people as possible to =
the
meeting on Monday. It is a public meeting before both the Moscow City =
Council
and the Latah County Commissioners in the City Council chambers in City =
Hall on
the evening of December 15. The meeting itself begins at 7:00 pm but the =
public
hearing will begin at 7:30 pm. In the City&#8217;s public meeting =
notice, the city
indicates, &#8220;The subject of the meeting pertains to the potential =
designation of
the region by the Idaho Department of Water Resources according to state statutes =
governing
ground water issues. Designation of the area could impact future water =
use
within the region and development within the City of Moscow and Latah =
County.&#8221; 
 
In addition to the subject of the meeting, I think it&#8217;s good to =
know the format
of the meeting and what to expect if you attend. The first 30 minutes of =
the
meeting will consist of some standard City Council business and a report =
by
Randy Fife on the Agreement with Whitcom for E-911 Services. 
 
At 7:30 pm the Joint Public Meeting will begin. This will be a meeting =
where
the public will be asked to give testimony. The mayor will run the =
meeting and
in addition to the Latah County Commissions and the current Moscow City
Council, I think the three newly elected city council members will also =
be
there. I believe there will be a presentation by the city and one by the
county. These presentations should provide some background and =
activities that
the city and county think are important to the discussion. These =
presentations
will probably last an hour or so. After these presentations, the public =
will be
asked for their ideas and comments to either the City Council or the =
Board of
County Commissioners. There may be some discussion by the City Council =
members
which could result in some direction given to city staff. 
 
A representative from the Idaho Department of Water Resources has been =
invited,
but there may be a scheduling conflict with Monday&#8217;s meeting. So =
unfortunately,
I don&#8217;t believe there will be any representatives from the state =
to clarify
questions that people may have about the issue, to point out potential
misunderstandings about the process, or to correct any errors of =
fact. 
 
Many posts to V2020 have various levels of inaccuracies in them =
(including this
post, I am sure). 
 
There have been posts that imply that the state has become interested in =
our
aquifer only because of a recent petition to the Idaho Department of =
Water
Resources. There has been a local ground water management plan in place =
since
1992 that specified pumping limits for Moscow, Pullman, UI, and WSU. The =
only
entity that has not been able to meet these pumping limits is Moscow =
&#8211; the
other three entities have managed to remain within the pumping limits. =
 
 
There have been posts that imply that if the state becomes involved that =
there
will be a moratorium on any new hookups to the water system, even to a =
single
family home. The request, as I understand it, is to impose a moratorium =
on
permits to appropriate water from our aquifers. The question of new =
water
hookups in Moscow would remain a local land use decision that the City =
would
control. What would be reviewed are any new wells that the City might =
want to dig.
New wells are far different than new home hookups. In November, I heard =
Bob
Haynes (Idaho Dept. of Water Resources) explain that local land use =
would
remain local. So I don&#8217;t believe there is justification for =
statements such as
&#8220;it would have a huge, negative impact on our community,&#8221; or =
that the result
will be to &#8220;shut down new development and essentially (freeze) our =
tax base.&#8221;
Remember that the goal is to stabilize groundwater levels and provide =
for a
sustainable water supply for all area residents. 
 
There have been posts that imply that those who call for conservation =
are also
calling for no growth. This region has a very modest rate of growth, on =
the
order of 1 or 2 percent. If water conservation methods enabled us to =
conserve 1
or 2 percent, then there would be nice balance between growth and =
conservation. 
 
I hope at the meeting we&#8217;ll be able to focus on the issue in front =
of us,
regarding our use of water and our ability to provide quality water to =
area
residents today and in the future. Let&#8217;s discuss how to provide =
potable water
for the people who live in our region, explore ways to conserve the =
amount of
water that we use, and learn how to protect this valuable and treasured
resource. I don&#8217;t think we can continue to delay action by asking =
for more
science or more studies. It is time to get our act together or we will =
force to
let the state help us. 
 
I hope that interested residents will come to the meeting on Monday to =
learn
more about this issue. We need everyone, including the coalition, =
developers,
residents, the business community, and others, to find a community =
solution to
this important and complex problem. 
 
 
John Dickinson<o:=
p></o:p>

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