Re: New well questions

["Juliet McKenna" <pbac@uidaho.edu>]

> I assume the new well was located on the west side of Moscow 
near the 
> stateline to take advantage of a deeper aquifer source there.

I can't answer for the City about the financial and technical 
questions, but Bill is correct about the aquifer characteristics.  Our 
current knowledge indicates that our groundwater basin (defined by 
two basalt aquifers that extend from the Moscow Mountain front 
west into Pullman and beyond) is thicker and capable of producing 
more water towards the west. Also, because Pullman doesn't have 
the high iron and manganese that is seen in some of Moscow's 
wells, it is assumed that the water quality is more consistent and 
generally of  better quality as you go west.  The deeper of the two 
aquifers (referred to as the Grande Ronde aquifer, named after the 
basalt unit) is the main municipal aquifer in the area and produces 
up to 1,500 gallons per minute in some wells in Pullman and 
Moscow.

Juliet McKenna

________________________________________________________                                                
Juliet M. McKenna, Executive Secretary/Technical Advisor
NEW! www.uidaho.edu/pbac
Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee
University of Idaho
P.O. Box 443011
Moscow, Idaho  83844-3011
Phone: 208-885-4569
Fax: 208-885-6431