Emergency water supply options for WS identified

Restoring the city’s Jewett Spring diversion;

Developing a shallow groundwater well near the Jewett Spring diversion;

Drilling a new, basalt bedrock well at the Hatfield Water Association property;

Putting a new well on Port of Klickitat property adjacent to the Columbia River;

Developing a new well in the city’s existing well field;

Drilling a new well on city property near the Columbia.

Dan Haller and Joe Morrice of Aspect Consulting put the overview of options together after consultations with city officials and an April 28 site visit.

The compilation identifies primary infrastructure improvements, permitting and source approval processes, “and other actions that would likely be necessary to bring additional source capacity on-line,” the consultants wrote in a memorandum dated May 8.

Patrick Munyan Jr., the city’s administrator and public works director, told city councilors on May 20 staff is watching the status of the city’s available water supply closely and outlined “steps we are taking to ensure the city is covered throughout the summer and into the fall.”

Munyan also advised that he discussed the Jewett Spring source with the state Department of Health engineer for the area, Andy Cervantes, on May 20, and they reviewed “the improvements and repairs that would need to be made to make it a viable and usable water source for the city.”

In the final issue, Munyan said, “The only way the city can afford to implement the project is with emergency funding” from the state Department of Ecology.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide drought last month, and the state Senate last Thursday approved two years worth of emergency drought relief funding to pay for projects like the Jewett Spring enhancement.

The House of Representatives, however, hasn’t taken action yet, so Ecology still is waiting for approval of the roughly $9.6 million it requested in March.

The Senate measure would make $18 million available over two years, and could be used to lease water for farmers, protect fish populations, and help municipalities develop drought-related projects, such as drilling emergency wells.

Ecology has proposed using the drought relief money in the following ways:

$3.896 million for public agricultural irrigation projects water leasing and/or acquisition.

$2 million to municipal water utilities for emergency drought relief.

$1.187 million to Department of Fish and Wildlife for salmon and trout protection.

$2.2 million for Yakima emergency well pumping mitigation.

$187,000 to hire temporary state staff to respond to the drought emergency.

$100,000 for stream flow monitoring.

$25,000 for conservation education.

According to Ecology, snow-pack statewide is currently at about 9% of normal, less than 10% lower than when the last statewide drought was declared in Washington in 2005.