vision2020
RE: groundwater declining
Dear Will,
I understand that we are tapping into different water sources. Remember my
statement that the city wells were a lot deeper. I actually have studied
geology and especially have been interested in the geology of the northwest.
I do not generally like to delve into the technical details of things when I
communicate to the general masses. I guess this is due to my highly
technical background. I find that people are not interested in the extreme
details when conceptual discussions are going on. Once they get hooked, then
they delve deeper and get technical. I may have not communicated properly.
What I am saying is the city water source is not doing well at all and the
county wells are dropping rapidly requiring people to re drill for water. I
disagree with the notion that we have nothing to worry about with the water
source in most of the county. At our rate we will have dramatic problems in
a couple of decades (sooner at many of the shallow wells in the county). The
east side of Moscow is in worst shape (water level and availability). As the
water level drops, we will have to drill deeper, it will be harder to hit
water, and thus the cost of getting water will skyrocket. At this point the
value of the properties in the area will nose dive and effect the whole
economy in a very negative way. As for the replenishment of the shallower
wells... you are right. They are being replenished but they are also more
sensitive to cyclical or long-term droughts. We will not run out of water
completely... it will just become scarce and as we drill more wells to tap
into it the cost of water will affect property values dramatically.
Conservation will work. The problem is that, historically, we will not do a
damned thing about it until we are forced to wake up. As you well know our
water source is ancient (for the city)... the source is not replenished very
well (more like at all). To keep Moscow going we will probably have to bring
water from Lewiston (river) and filter it (heavily!) so we can have water. I
will let the group figure out the cost of water around here in a couple of
decades. I guess we are so short sited that the only way to get us to do the
right thing is to put a $ in front of it! There are certainly individuals
who are very conserving but as a people we tend to be selfish, short sited
and lazy.
Look at the situation In California with respect to electricity. It is the
same thing. They can generate electricity by solar photovoltaic easily (like
Israel has done for decades). They get more sun than most in this country
and need more electricity in summer. Why don't they have solar panels on all
buildings? Because they are short sited and lazy. As long as we have what we
need we like to sit on out butts and ignore signs of future problems. Why is
it that we have not developed fuel-cell technology to better generate
electricity and heat in our homes instead of all the ugly cables in the
streets and the huge energy loss due to transport of electricity? Why is it
that we are driving cars that burn gas still when the technology to go
electric is more affordable? Is it apathy? Is it ignorance? Are we so busy
watching TV that we cannot be bothered to actually know something about our
society? Or is it greed? Do you think that Avista like you generating your
own power? Do you think the oil companies want you to drive electric cars?
Do you think that the big business who runs this country is going to worry
about you and what your needs are?
The answer is not conservation, energy generation, recycling, reusing and
the other politically correct ways of doing things! The answer is to wake up
and take control of our own world... it is to stop being sheep and a slave
to the all mighty $... it is to do the right thing even if it is not to your
individual benefit... it is living with principle of bettering the society
you live in not consumption and gluttony. If we lived appropriately we would
minimize our negative impact upon our environment. We would not have to talk
about conservation because we would only take what we need. So is it
Gluttony or apathy? The answer is YES!!
Your brother in arms,
Shahab...
-----Original Message-----
From: Will Simpson [mailto:wsimpson@idaho.tds.net]
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2001 9:58 AM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: Re: groundwater declining
Shahab, I think you are a little off the mark in your thinking that private
out of town wells draw from the same groundwater source that the city does.
For the most part they don't! It is more likely that our city friends will
run out of water before your county cousins do. The groundwater source the
city draws from (Grande Ronde Basalt aquifer) is very deep and the
mechanisms by which this deep aquifer is recharged are largely unknown. The
groundwater sources tapped by "private" wells are very shallow and these
wells are recharged by the local annual rain fall. These shallow ground
water sources do not drain vertically but drain horizontally towards the
Columbia Basin and ultimately to the ocean. My understanding of the deep
aquifer tapped by Moscow/Pullman is that it is unaffected by variations in
the local rain fall. These are two different water sources and they do not
appear to be connected. Maybe someone on the list with more technical
knowledge about the recharging mechanisms of they area's groundwater sources
could add to this discussion.
The disturbing trend is with those deeper wells. There may still be pockets
of problems in the county and those problems would be the result of local
dwelling density and usage or local geological situations where shallow
ground water can't be retained as in the South flank of Moscow Mountain.
Ground water in my area of the county is artesian or almost artesian and
wells are very shallow - less than 100 feet.
All this being said, we are still face a problem in our community which will
greatly effect us who live in the county. Along with conservation we are
likely going to have to help, financially, the cities find alternate sources
of water. Here is where us country folk can help. One option for an
alternate source of water would be a surface reservoir. This would capture
more of the seasonal ground water, have a relatively short pumping distance
and relieve pressure on the deep aquifer. Another option I've heard is to
pump water up from the Columbia.
Below is a quote that might interest you from
http://www.uidaho.edu/pbac/okproject.html the site hosted by Palouse Basin
Aquifer Committee that further explains the problem with the Grande Ronde
Basalt aquifer.
"The research (PBAC Funds Major Research Project ) will be conducted by Drs.
Kent Keller of WSU and Jim Osiensky of the UI. Both professors will utilize
some of the funding for graduate student projects. The Palouse Basin relies
entirely on groundwater to meet all of its water supply needs. There are two
major aquifers within the basalt that are being tapped by water wells: wells
shallower than 250 feet are generally in the Wanapum Basalt which generally
yields less than 1,500 gallons per minute (gpm); deeper wells in the Grande
Ronde Basalt aquifer are capable of yielding upwards of 3,000 gpm.
Previous studies have indicated that annual pumping withdrawals in the
Palouse Basin by the four major entities is substantially less than rates of
flow through the basin (for example, in the form of precipitation). However,
groundwater level data collected in the pumping centers of Pullman, Moscow,
and Palouse indicate that water levels in the Grande Ronde aquifer are
declining at a rate of 1.5 feet per year, in continuation of a 100-year
trend. "
Will Simpson
Kestrel Creek Gallery
Exploring the Potential of Wood Turned Art
http://www.kestrelcreek.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Shahab Mesbah <meteor2@moscow.com>
To: Greg Brown <gregb@alaskapacific.edu>; <vision2020@moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 4:35 PM
Subject: RE: groundwater declining
> Dear Greg,
>
> I agree with almost all of what you say! The fact is that the wells in the
> area are dropping fast. The city well will not run out soon but the
private
> (out of town) wells are far shallower and will be running out soon indeed.
>
> As you mention Moscow has not done well to conserve the problem is mainly
> our culture. Lets face it... there are individuals that conserve in this
> country but we, as a population, are very much into consuming everything.
We
> cause all kinds of damage to our environment because we refuse to
> acknowledge the fact that our consumption level is not sustainable. We
> continue to consume the majority of the resources in our world yet we are
> but a fraction of the population.
>
> Your brother in arms,
>
> Shahab...
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