The Future of Our Water FINAL

7/30/2019 The Future of Our Water FINAL

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The Future of our Water 2

Abstract

In this paper I seek to analyze the conservation practices of ground water on the Palouse.

Groundwater is the sole source of drinking water for the area has been in a steady decline for

more than 50 years. The two main sources of drinking water for the region are two basalt aquifer

systems: the Grande Ronde aquifer (lower aquifer) and the Wanapum aquifer (upper aquifer).

Water levels within the Grande Ronde aquifer are declining.There are indications that while the

upper aquifer has a relatively quick recharge rate, the lower aquifer has very little recharge if any

at all. As such, the sole source of drinking water on the Palouse is now widely believed to be

unsustainable, though little is known about actual recharge rates of the lower aquifer.

Considering this, I will analyze what the ground water situation on the Palouse. Specifically, I

will focus on how the municipalities and Universities who rely on the sole source aquifers for

their drinking water are addressing the need for conservation. I will also analyze what future

plans have been drawn, and make suggestions regarding what could be done in the future to

increase conservation practices of this limited resource.

Keywords: Groundwater, Drinking water, Sustainability


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Introduction:

Groundwater accounts for nearly all water use for the over 60,000 residents within the

Palouse River Basin, an area that encompasses the eastern part of Washington State and north

central Idaho. The Groundwater is pumped from two basalt aquifers, which are a part of the

extensive Columbia River Basalt Aquifer Group (University of Idaho, 2011)

Contrary to popular myth, an aquifer is not an underground lake or river system. Rather,

the water located in the aquifer systems resides in a layer of water bearing permeable rock or

other unconsolidated materials like gravel, sand, and silt. The Grande Ronde aquifer is the lower

aquifer on the Palouse and is found at depths greater then 300 feet. This aquifer has a very with a

slow, to arguably non-existant, recharge rate and is still the primary source of drinking water for

the city of Moscow and the University of Idaho. This aquifer is also the only source of drinking

water for Pullman, Washington State University, Colfax, and Palouse. Very little information is

available about the actual recharge rate of the Grande Ronde Aquifer and research is ongoing to

determine just how much, if any, recharge there is. The water currently in the lower aquifer

seeped and formed its way into the rock during the last ice age and is approximately 20,000

years old, and is often referred to as fossil water. (PWCN, 2012)

The Wanapum aquifer is the upper and shallower aquifer residing only about 60 feet

below the surface. This aquifer has a much faster recharge rate and is the primary source of water

for rural residents of Latah and Whitman Counties (PWCN, 2012). The recharge rate of an

aquifer is the amount of time it takes for the water pumped to return to the aquifer system. For a

simple diagram of the Palouse aquifer system and ground water structures please see figure 1.


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figure 1. Retrieved from Palouse Water Conservation Network 2012. Illustrates the Aquifer system used for groundwater on the Palouse.

Groundwater on the Palouse has been in a steady decline since the first deep wells weredrilled more then 50 years ago. Water levels within the Grande Ronde aquifer are declining at an

average rate of 1.3 feet per year (Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee 2012). There are indications

that while the upper aquifer has a relatively quick recharge rate, the lower aquifer has very little

recharge, if any. Figure 2 illustrates the data that has been recorded, showing the decline of water

at the WSU test well for the Grande Ronde Aquifer from 1935 to 2010.

Figure 2 retrieved from Palouse basin aquifer committees 2011 water use report, illustrates the decline of the water table and also the

decline of pump rates from 1935 to 2010

The amount of water that is available for sustainable use in an aquifer system can be

determined by the rate of recharge and discharge of the system. From the data above it is evident

that the ground water pumped from the Grande Ronde Aquifer is being mined. To mine ground

water is the idea that the water used is exceeding the possible rate of recharge and thus being


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used unsustainably which occurs when the rate of discharge exceeds the rate of recharge

(Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee, 2012).

Considering this, I aim to research and address what conservation practices are currently

in place and working to limit the groundwater pumped. In addition, I will analyze factors that

may limit the conservation practices of our groundwater on the Palouse. Specifically, this paper

researches the current major uses, attitudes, and societal values, in order to address how we can

adopt better conservation practices and awareness. Overall, this paper aims to illuminate ways

we can reduce our use of this precious limited resource, for ourselves and also for future

generations.

Methods:

In my research I randomly sampled from water policy documents published by municipal,

state, and government agencies. I focused on evaluating information gathered and published by

the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC), an advisory committee that has made strides to

better understand and manage the Palouse Basin Aquifer since 1987. I have analyzed the yearly

reports that PBAC produces which make policy and conservation recommendations based on the

current water usage for each University and Municipality on the Aquifer system. For the

purposes of this evaluation policy documents are particularly relevant due to the management

situation, location, and demand for compromise, as well as communication between state and

municipal governments regarding the shared water resources.

In these documents I looked for common themes that addressed past, current, and future

successes and constraints to water conservation on the Palouse between the City of Moscow


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Pullman and Moscow each pumped approximately 1/3 of the total, with Pullmanpumping 34% and Moscow pumping 31% of the total water pumped from the Grande

Ronde Aquifer. Total water pumped by entity is shown below in figure 3. (PBAC, 2012)

Figure 3 shows the percentage of water used by entity for 2011 (PBAC, 2012)

Theme 2: Proposed Solutions

Each document also put forth various solutions. The broadly agreed upon goal for water

use on the Palouse is for a long-term solution to the water supply issues. The ideal solution

would be safe, sustainable, and address the water needs of the region reliably in the long term.

These documents also widely agreed that these solutions would be found through conservation

practices and a reduction in our demand on the system. Other solutions that were proposed, but


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are more drastic, include seeking ways to encourage increases in natural recharge rates, and the

possibility of having to find a new source of drinking water for the future (Beall, A.; Fiedler, F.;

Boll, J.; Cosens, B., 2011).

Each university and municipality has taken actions to meet their voluntary pump limits.

For example, the city of Moscow has been proactive about education and social influence of

conservation practices throughout the community (City of Moscow, 2012). This is fairly well

received within the community, and Moscow makes great efforts to continue these programs (e.g.

hosting competitions for sustainable landscaping). The University of Idaho has a partnership

with the City of Moscow that allows them to pump and use reclaimed water for irrigation

purposes (City of Moscow, 2012). This greatly reduces the amount the University of Idaho

pumps from the aquifer system. Pullman and Washington State University have discussed the

possibility of using reclaimed water for irrigation purposes but have yet to invest the resources

required to redistribute the reclaimed water back from the water treatment plant to the University.

Such a project, while expensive, has the potential to greatly reduce the pump load on the Grand

Ronde Aquifer (PBAC, 2012).

Theme 3: Societal Factors

The documents also highlighted various societal factors. For example, the City of

Moscow currently places a great deal of importance on social pressure and public recognition as

a conservation tactic (Columbia Institute, 2012). They use a variety of social awareness methods;

their yearly contest to promote sustainable landscaping is one example. Moscow has


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continue pumping groundwater in the future. To artificially rechard the aquifers could put the

groundwater quality at risk and reduce the storage and transmit potential of the basalts. Another

option that has been proposed since the mid 1970s is the collection and direct use of surface

water. This option carries with it an enormous initial cost of building the infrastructure to make

the storage of surface water a feasible idea. However, this option does provide a sustainable

alternative to pumping groundwater that would continue to be a valuable reserve that could be

utilized in times when surface water was in reduced supply. Whichever method is ultimately

chosen be it the direct use of surface water, artificial recharge, or more then likely a combination

of the two. The solution will take many years and hold an extensive cost to develop and

implement. Considering this, in the meantime, our limited groundwater resource ought to be used

with the utmost of care and conservation.

One way to promote such a move might be to create a tiered rate structure payment

policy for the universities and municipalities on the aquifer. Charging tiered rates that increase

based on the amount used for individual buildings and parks with accurate (not estimated)

monthly water readings of any water pumped from the aquifer would make strides in keeping

water use sustainable and accountable.

Conclusion and Future Study:

More work should be done to understand how each entity is addressing the increasing

need for conservation on the Palouse. Additional information about this could be gathered from

interviews of the local municipal government entities to gain their input on implementing

programs like the tiered rates scale for city and university water use. Surveys could also be

conducted that evaluate knowledge and attitudes of the individual residential and businesss


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water usage. A meeting could be held to conduct education on conservation fixtures and

practices that should be employed in households and business throughout the area. There is an

exceptional amount of future research that should be done on this topic because of the wide

variety of water users affected who can implement an array of conservation practices.

References

Beall, A.; Fiedler, F.; Boll, J.; Cosens, B. (2011) Sustainable Water Resource

Management and Participatory System Dynamics. Case Study: Developing the PalouseBasin Participatory Model. Sustainability, 2011, 3, 720-242

Retrieved from: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/3/5/720/htm

City Of Moscow Idaho. (January 2012) Comprehensive Water System Plan.Moscow, ID:City of Moscow Idaho

Columbia Institute. (2012)Aquifer in Crisis: WSU Water Mining, retrieved from:http://columbia-institute.org/wsu/WSUhome/home.html

Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee. (September 2012) 2011 Palouse Groundwater Basin:

Water Use Report. Moscow, ID: Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee.

Palouse Water Conservation Network. (2012)Palouse Water Conservation Network.

Retrieved from: http://www.pwcn.org


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University of Idaho. (2011)Palouse Basin: Community Water Information System.Retrieved from: http://wr.civil.uidaho.edu/cwis/palouse/index.html

Documents

The Future of Our Water FINAL