[Vision2020] Water
Dale Courtney
dale@courtneys.us
Thu, 24 Jul 2003 05:20:15 -0700
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I attended the Moscow Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday.
Larry Kirkland from PBAC spoke. Larry noted that 1.9% of all precipitation
makes it to the Wanapum aquifer (the upper aquifer) resulting in more
recharge than we are using. This collaborates what Elsa Kirsten Peters wrote
in her Letter to the Editor.
If anyone cares.
Best,
Dale
_____
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] On
Behalf Of French
Sent: Wednesday, 23 July, 2003 13:24
To: Lewiston Morning Tribune; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Water
To the editor:
Elsa Kirsten Peters' July 17 letter purports to provide "facts, not
rhetoric" about our groundwater. Unfortunately, her "facts" are more
rhetorical than factual.
Ms. Peters claims that water levels in the upper (Wanapum) aquifer "have
done nothing but rise in my lifetime". But a chart in the 2000 Annual Report
of the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) shows Wanapum levels between
1976 and 2000 rose twelve years, remained level four years, and declined
eight years. Most of the declining years happened after 1990, when Moscow
increased pumping from the shallow aquifer because of improved filtration
capabilities. Shifting even more pumping back to the Wanapum now would only
accelerate those declines.
Ms. Peters also claims that "Most water used in the summer goes to watering
golf courses". The "real" fact is that local golf courses consume relatively
little deep Grande Ronde water. The UI golf course is watered entirely with
effluent from Moscow's wastewater treatment plant. The Elks course draws
from the shallow aquifer that Ms. Peters (erroneously) claims isn't dropping
at all. Irrigation at the WSU golf course isn't metered, so it can only be
estimated. But even if 10% of WSU pumpage goes to the golf course, that
would constitute little more than 2% of basinwide pumping from the deep
aquifer.
By contrast, data from the city of Pullman show 75-80% of their annual water
use is residential, the remainder going to commercial and public uses. If
the information were available, Moscow's usage would most likely mirror
Pullman's. Ms. Peters' is correct that "Most water used in both Moscow and
Pullman during the summer is not consumed by 'new housing developments,'"
but residential consumers ARE by far the largest user group in the basin and
should be expected to contribute the greatest amount to conservation
efforts.
Bill French, Director
Palouse Water Conservation Network
202 E 7th St, Moscow, ID 83843
883-3937 * prairiedoc@moscow.com
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<DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D483341512-24072003><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#800000 size=3D2>I attended the Moscow Chamber of Commerce =
meeting=20
yesterday. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D483341512-24072003><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D483341512-24072003><FONT =
face=3DArial=20
color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Larry Kirkland from PBAC spoke. =
</FONT></SPAN><FONT=20
face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D483341512-24072003>Larry noted that=20
1.9% of all precipitation makes it to the Wanapum aquifer (the upper =
aquifer)=20
resulting in more recharge than we are using. This collaborates what =
Elsa=20
Kirsten Peters wrote in her Letter to the Editor. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D483341512-24072003>If=20
anyone cares. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#800000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#800000><FONT size=3D2><FONT=20
face=3DArial>Best,</FONT><BR></FONT><FONT face=3D"Vladimir Script"=20
size=3D5>Dale</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #800000 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader lang=3Den-us dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft>
<HR tabIndex=3D-1>
<FONT face=3DTahoma size=3D2><B>From:</B> vision2020-admin@moscow.com=20
[mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] <B>On Behalf Of=20
</B>French<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, 23 July, 2003 =
13:24<BR><B>To:</B>=20
Lewiston Morning Tribune; vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B>=20
[Vision2020] Water<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>
<P>To the editor:</P>
<P>Elsa Kirsten Peters’ July 17 letter purports to provide =
"facts, not=20
rhetoric" about our groundwater. Unfortunately, her "facts" are more=20
rhetorical than factual.</P>
<P>Ms. Peters claims that water levels in the upper (Wanapum) aquifer =
"have=20
done nothing but rise in my lifetime". But a chart in the 2000 Annual =
Report=20
of the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) shows Wanapum levels =
between=20
1976 and 2000 rose twelve years, remained level four years, and =
declined eight=20
years. Most of the declining years happened after 1990, when Moscow =
increased=20
pumping from the shallow aquifer because of improved filtration =
capabilities.=20
Shifting even more pumping back to the Wanapum now would only =
accelerate those=20
declines.</P>
<P>Ms. Peters also claims that "Most water used in the summer goes to =
watering=20
golf courses". The "real" fact is that local golf courses consume =
relatively=20
little deep Grande Ronde water. The UI golf course is watered entirely =
with=20
effluent from Moscow’s wastewater treatment plant. The Elks =
course draws from=20
the shallow aquifer that Ms. Peters (erroneously) claims isn’t =
dropping at=20
all. Irrigation at the WSU golf course isn’t metered, so it can =
only be=20
estimated. But even if 10% of WSU pumpage goes to the golf course, =
that would=20
constitute little more than 2% of basinwide pumping from the deep =
aquifer.=20
</P>
<P>By contrast, data from the city of Pullman show 75-80% of their =
annual=20
water use is residential, the remainder going to commercial and public =
uses.=20
If the information were available, Moscow’s usage would most =
likely mirror=20
Pullman’s. Ms. Peters’ is correct that "Most water used in =
both Moscow and=20
Pullman during the summer is not consumed by ‘new housing =
developments,’" but=20
residential consumers ARE by far the largest user group in the basin =
and=20
should be expected to contribute the greatest amount to conservation=20
efforts.</P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Bill French,=20
=
Director  =
; =
&=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; &nb=
sp; &nbs=
p;  =
; =
&=
nbsp; &n=
bsp; =20
</FONT>Palouse Water Conservation Network</P>
<P>202 E 7th St, Moscow, ID 83843</P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>883-3937 * prairiedoc@moscow.com</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT=20
face=3DArial></FONT> </P></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BO=
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