[Vision2020] Water
French
dfrench@moscow.com
Wed, 23 Jul 2003 13:24:28 -0700
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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.=20
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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<P>To the editor:</P>
<P>Elsa Kirsten Peters=92 July 17 letter purports to provide "facts, not =
rhetoric"=20
about our groundwater. Unfortunately, her "facts" are more rhetorical =
than=20
factual.</P>
<P>Ms. Peters claims that water levels in the upper (Wanapum) aquifer =
"have done=20
nothing but rise in my lifetime". But a chart in the 2000 Annual Report =
of the=20
Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) shows Wanapum levels between 1976 =
and=20
2000 rose twelve years, remained level four years, and declined eight =
years.=20
Most of the declining years happened after 1990, when Moscow increased =
pumping=20
from the shallow aquifer because of improved filtration capabilities. =
Shifting=20
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=92s wastewater treatment plant. The Elks course =
draws from=20
the shallow aquifer that Ms. Peters (erroneously) claims isn=92t =
dropping at all.=20
Irrigation at the WSU golf course isn=92t metered, so it can only be =
estimated.=20
But even if 10% of WSU pumpage goes to the golf course, that would =
constitute=20
little more than 2% of basinwide pumping from the deep aquifer. </P>
<P>By contrast, data from the city of Pullman show 75-80% of their =
annual water=20
use is residential, the remainder going to commercial and public uses. =
If the=20
information were available, Moscow=92s usage would most likely mirror =
Pullman=92s.=20
Ms. Peters=92 is correct that "Most water used in both Moscow and =
Pullman during=20
the summer is not consumed by =91new housing developments,=92" but =
residential=20
consumers ARE by far the largest user group in the basin and should be =
expected=20
to contribute the greatest amount to conservation efforts.</P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Bill French,=20
Director  =
; =
&=
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p;  =
; =
&=
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</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>
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