Passive Rehydration
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| LOCAL CONSERVATION DISTRICT SCHEDULE PUBLIC MEETINGS ON FEASIBILITY OF LINCOLN COUNTY PASSIVE REHYDRATION PROJECT The Lincoln County Conservation District will begin an investigation in January 2010 to assess the feasibility of conveying available Lake Roosevelt water into the surface water streams and basalt aquifers in Lincoln County. Over the past several years, studies completed by the Columbia Basin Groundwater Management Area (GWMA) on the basalt geology and basalt aquifers and by the local WRIA Watershed Planning Units on water resources in Lincoln County, have begun to interpret the local and regional water conditions throughout the northeastern Columbia Basin. GWMA’s studies of the aquifers underlying the region, building on other work by the U.S. Geological Survey and universities, has found that that groundwater in the shallow part of the basalt aquifer system is recharged primarily from surface water if surface water is present. On the other hand, the deeper basalt aquifer system, especially that part commonly known as the Grande Ronde, contains water more than 10,000 years old. In addition, the wells in these deeper aquifers are displaying significant groundwater level declines, suggesting depletion of old groundwater by pumping. GWMA scientists are concerned about these findings because the deep aquifers are the primary zones from which large production irrigation and municipal water supply wells draw from. If these aquifers are not receiving natural modern recharge at the rate of which wells are withdrawing groundwater, the long term sustainability of deep aquifer groundwater pumping is in question. In addition, streams flows have been decreasing and lakes, such as Pacific Lake, are dry. The Lincoln County Conservation District is leading an effort to study the potential feasibility of conveying available Lake Roosevelt water into the streams of Lincoln County. This water which will eventually seep into the basalt bedrock under natural conditions to recharge and replenish the water within at least the shallow Columbia River Basalt aquifers. This project also will look at the potential for deeper aquifer recharge in this project area as GWMA mapping has shown the upper part of the Grande Ronde aquifer, the aquifer that is being extensively pumped to the south, lies close to the surface beneath a number of Lincoln County drainages that will be evaluated for this project. Prior to the initiation of the study, the Conservation District is planning on holding a series of public meetings to discuss the project. The meetings will cover a general overview of the findings of various studies to date, showing the need for looking at potential solutions to recharge surface and groundwater throughout the region. Dave Lundgren of the Conservation District says his office wants to actively pursue potential local solutions to the decreasing water supplies in the area. This project was developed from the input of local residents involved in watershed planning and from the results of the regional groundwater mapping project conducted by the GWMA. The project will look at how we can improve surface water and groundwater conditions in the region that will benefit all water users in the area. We feel this is a potentially feasible alternative and we are looking to keep local landowners and residents informed of what we would like to accomplish. Out intent of the public meetings will also be to solicit input from anyone with interests on the project. |