[Vision2020] A few facts about Palouse water

Thu, 17 Jul 2003 18:45:09 -0700

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In today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Elsa Kirsten Peters (faculty =
member in
the Geology Department at WSU) raised the ante and laid the following =
before
the feet of the Moscow Civic Association.=20

I'd like to hear a response from someone from MCA. These are questions =
that
I have asked as well.=20

Best,
Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho

  _____ =20

A few facts about Palouse water=20

It's a nice change of pace to see Wayne Olson's letter to the editor
(Opinion, July 9) asking for facts, not rhetoric, about "our aquifer."=20

First fact: There are at least two aquifers below Pullman and Moscow. =
There
may be more, but two are known to all drillers and geologists in the =
area.=20

Second fact: The water level of the upper (more shallow) aquifer is not
dropping at all. Indeed, water levels in the upper aquifer have done =
nothing
but rise in my lifetime (I'm 43).=20

Third fact: The water levels near Moscow-Pullman city wells in the lower
aquifer are dropping. That statement, however, does not imply that the =
water
levels farther away are dropping (it's a huge aquifer) nor does it imply
that we "will run out" of water in the lower aquifer. Ask another =
geologist
if you don't care to believe me on these points.=20

Fourth fact: Most water used in both Moscow and Pullman during the =
summer is
not consumed by "new housing developments," a favorite target of members =
of
the Moscow Civic Association (most of whom, of course, were new arrivals =
on
the Palouse themselves some years back). Most water used in the summer =
goes
to watering golf courses, not to flushing the toilets of new city =
residents.

More facts and less fear could greatly help move our public discussion =
of
water use forward. Thanks, Wayne, for asking.=20

Elsa Kirsten Peters=20

Pullman=20

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In today's =
Moscow-Pullman=20
Daily News, Elsa Kirsten Peters (faculty member in the Geology =
Department at=20
WSU) raised the ante and laid the following before the feet of the =
Moscow Civic=20
Association. 
I'd like to =
hear a=20
response from someone from MCA. These are questions that I have asked as =
well.=20

Best, Dale=20
Courtney Moscow, Idaho

<HR>
A few facts about Palouse =
water=20

It's a nice change of pace to see Wayne Olson's =
letter to=20
the editor (Opinion, July 9) asking for facts, not rhetoric, about "our=20
aquifer." 
First fact: There are at least two aquifers =
below Pullman=20
and Moscow. There may be more, but two are known to all drillers and =
geologists=20
in the area. 
Second fact: The water level of the upper (more =
shallow)=20
aquifer is not dropping at all. Indeed, water levels in the upper =
aquifer have=20
done nothing but rise in my lifetime (I'm 43). 
Third fact: The water levels near =
Moscow-Pullman city=20
wells in the lower aquifer are dropping. That statement, however, does =
not imply=20
that the water levels farther away are dropping (it's a huge aquifer) =
nor does=20
it imply that we "will run out" of water in the lower aquifer. Ask =
another=20
geologist if you don't care to believe me on these points. 
Fourth fact: Most water used in both Moscow and =
Pullman=20
during the summer is not consumed by "new housing developments," a =
favorite=20
target of members of the Moscow Civic Association (most of whom, of =
course, were=20
new arrivals on the Palouse themselves some years back). Most water used =
in the=20
summer goes to watering golf courses, not to flushing the toilets of new =
city=20
residents. 
More facts and less fear could greatly help =
move our=20
public discussion of water use forward. Thanks, Wayne, for asking. =

Elsa Kirsten Peters 
Pullman </BODY></HTML>

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