[Vision2020] Logos School in search of water

[Moscow Cares]

Courtesy of the August 38, 2018 edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Logos in search of water
School seeking enough water for about 300 homes to irrigate new football field

The grass at Logos School may be greener soon as officials have recently applied for additional water rights from the Idaho Department of Water Resources.

Logos Superintendent Larry Stephenson said the school is applying for the water rights to collect runoff from their roof and asphalt as well as the right to drill a well.

Stephenson said the additional water would be used to irrigate the grass seeds on the school's new football field.

However, before Logos can begin collecting the runoff surface water or begin drilling, they will need to receive approval from the Latah County Commissioners.

On Monday, the commissioners protested the application for additional water rights, which means Stephenson will need to go before the commissioners and explain the school's request.

"This is just a request for more information. We are not for or against anything," Commissioner Richard Walser said Monday.

According to the IDWR application, Logos is requesting the rights to 0.3 cubic feet of water per second, an equivalent of about 134 gallons per minute.

Commissioner Dave McGraw said the amount of water sought by the school is about enough to supply 300 houses.

"IDWR almost always recommends they apply for as much water as they can get - so nine out of 10 times, a person will come in and not realize how much they are applying for," McGraw said.

McGraw said he has some concerns regarding Logos's plans to drill a well within Moscow City limits. He said historically the city has been hesitant to allow more wells.

Stephenson said Logos originally planned to purchase turf for the new football field, which would not have needed irrigation but determined it was more cost effective for the school to grow grass instead.

Stephenson said the school would continue to use water from its current retention pools before using the additional water if their application is granted. However, due to the lack of rain on the Palouse during the summer, the pools are typically dry before the end of July, he said.

Stephenson said the football field they hope to irrigate would be approximately one-third the size of Mountain View Park.

He said for the past 36 years, since Logos was founded, their students have never had a grass field and have made do with a concrete playground. Stephenson said hopefully, if Logos is approved for the water rights, that will change.

A time and date for Stephenson and the commissioners to meet has not been set at this time.

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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