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<div>To add another piece to the water thread, there is the issue of
how we support growth and development in Moscow when we are at or
beyond the ability of our aquifers to supply water to the city.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Fact: the deep Grande Ronde aquifer has no identified recharge
mechanism and continues to fall 1-2'/year.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Fact: the upper Wanapum aquifer recharges seasonally (winter
runoff) through mechanisms not quite identified (the ongoing Latah
County Hydrogeological Characterization Project is designed to answer
that question) but the current rate of withdrawal from the Wanapum
exceeds the recharge. Historical pumping records indicate that
Wanapum well levels may drop precipitously within 15 years.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Fact: the City of Moscow is signatory to the regional Palouse
Basin Aquifer Agreement which requires each pumping entity (Moscow,
Pullman, UI, WSU) to limit increases in pumping to 1% annually and to
not exceed a total cap of 125% of the total volume pumped as an
average of the years 1982-1987 for a cap of 875 million gallons/year
(MGY). It was hoped that limiting pumping increases would allow the
aquifer levels to stabilize. They were wrong.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Fact:<font color="#000000"> From 1994 to 2003, Moscow exceeded
its 1% annual growth limit and from 1998-2003 its 875 mgy
cap.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Fact: After Moscow area conservation and
civic groups filed a petition with the State asking for designation of
Moscow area aquifers as Critical Groundwater Management Areas and
Groundwater Management Areas the City implemented mandatory landscape
irrigation measures that reduced the amount of water pumped by the
City from 919 MGY in 2003 to 819 MGY in 2005. (Bravo!) 2005 was the
first year since the city signed the PBAC agreement that it was in
compliance with the agreement.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Fact: Moscow City wells (with the exception
of Wells 6&8 which have had their pumping significantly decreased
due to internal piping issues) continue to have declining water levels
despite the conservation efforts of people and businesses across the
city.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Fact: the SuperWalmart developer, on page 6
of his application for a rezone of the Thompson property across from
the cemetery, forecasts full build out at 1.5 million square foot of
commercial space. The applicant predicts water useage based on full
build out at over 62 MGY. Full build out would increase water
pumped by 7.6% above current levels violating the 1% annual increase.
Full build out will also cause the City to exceed its absolute cap of
875 mgy.</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Question: Is this how we want to use the
water we have conserved? Do we want to give all our water to
Walmart?</font></div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Answer: The City Council is holding a
public hearing on Walmart's proposed rezone 5/1, 7:00 pm , Council
Chambers (unless they move it to someplace where all the people who
are likely to attend can actually fit in the room...)</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Mark Solomon</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000"><br></font></div>
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