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Re: Initial runs for groundwater study released - Bainbridge Island Review

waterequalsmoney — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:03:42 -0000

The original message was received at 2009-10-20 16:00:13 -0700
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Re: Initial runs for groundwater study released - Bainbridge Island Review

waterequalsmoney — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:32:10 -0000

Ok boys, while you two are outside standing in the rain with your tongues hanging out to collect your drinking water for the day, the rest of us will make sure our ground water supply is protected. At least this way you will be too busy to make anymore silly statements.

Lots Of Luck digging up your backyard for a retention pond big enough to hold your annual water needs. Based on your calculations for single family residential use of 97 gallons/day, you will need to excavate a pit to accommodate approximately 25,000 gallons of water to sustain you through the arid months. Don't forget to line it so it does not leak. The Health Department will also require you to treat your surface water for potable use among other concerns. City water systems usually pickle the water with large quantities of chlorine and other chemicals to make it safe to drink. Unfortunately the city/county/state has put the kibosh on future holding ponds, so instead you could build a very large cistern ($) or assemble 363 55-gallon drums on your property.

Let's us know where you live so we can document two OLD CURMUDGEONS living off JUST THE RAINWATER on Bainbridge.

Or... possibly Bainbridge can intelligently manage the existing ground water supply and supplement residential use with reasonable rain water collection methods. Seattle Tilth has a workshop on cisterns on Oct 22, at 6:30 pm. The USGS also commented on the documented drawdown of Bainbridge aquifers despite the 18 billion gallons of annual rainfall you calculated. Even if we do not increase the population on the Island for years to come we will continue to experience further drawdown. So, help bring the conservation methods on board. Islanders look forward to your upcoming report on how residents can economically and legally collect rainwater and retrofit their homes to help promote the management of our ground water supply.

http://www.seattletilth.org...

http://www.tucsonpimawaters...

Re: Initial runs for groundwater study released - Bainbridge Island Review

waterequalsmoney — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:54:49 -0000

The EPA is the appropriate agency to contact when submitting a Sole Source Aquifer (SSA) Designation Petition. The city of Bainbridge is not the agency of record. Just like the USGS is handling the Groundwater Model Study, the EPA is the agency who designates SSA.

The designation is for an aquifer that supplies at least 50 percent of the drinking water consumed in the area overlying the aquifer. The key words are aquifer and ground water; this is what the designation involves. These areas may have no alternative drinking water source(s) that could physically, legally and economically supply all those who depend on the aquifer for drinking water. The petition for designation may also be submitted by any individual or citizen.

Refer to... http://cfpub.epa.gov/safewa...

SSA designation is one tool to protect drinking water supplies in areas where there are few or no alternative sources to the ground water resource and where, if contamination occurred, using an alternative source would be extremely expensive. Desalination is expensive; hopefully research will someday make this a more reasonable alternative. Currently Bainbridge homes and infrastructure are physically and mechanically reliant on the groundwater supply on Bainbridge. Efforts by many qualified individuals are underway for Islanders to design and build, even retro fit their homes to collect water as a beneficial way to help manage water resources on Bainbridge. Recently the Department of Ecology made allowances for Washington residents to collect and store rainwater for use on their property. The Kitsap Sun recently published an article related to this information.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/ne...

Anyone who has noted the increase in population and subsequently the increase demand for potable water in this country and globally over the last fifty years is aware of the need for groundwater protection and conservation. Groundwater protection and education for the aquifers on Bainbridge through a sole source aquifer designation process with the EPA is a positive thing. It is just one of many ways to promote the appropriate management of our water resources. The USGS model is also very good tool for our city and a very important study.

Many qualified individuals contribute to their community, providing resources and expertise otherwise not available at a municipal or city level. Many types of efforts, such as affordable housing, the arts, emergency response, education, including surface water resources. The Watershed Council is presenting a film on October 22 at 7pm, a documentary celebrating two decades of stream restoration activism on Bainbridge.

When Obama took office he signed an executive order and memorandum for embryonic stem cell research and directed the White House Office of Science and Technology to "develop a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to government decision making".

"Now this order is an important step in advancing the cause of science in America. But let's be clear: Promoting science isn't just about providing resources -- it's also about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about letting scientist ... do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it is inconvenient -- especially when it's inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve political agenda -- and that we make scientific decisions based on facts not ideology." Applause followed.

We should applaud the efforts of all citizens who endeavor to increase awareness to maintain and improve upon our quality of life on Bainbridge. Attending meetings and committees will increase your knowledge of the USGS model and the SSA and provide for good decision making policies based on facts instead of irrational fear or gossip.

Here is another Kitsap article from Oct 3, that provides an understanding of the relationship of rain water, aquifer recharge, and water supply, This underscores the possible impacts of drought conditions in our region which has occurred historically.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/ne...

Re: Initial runs for groundwater study released - Bainbridge Island Review

waterequalsmoney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:36:01 -0000

Correct link for the article about the Sole Source Aquifer Petition by Melanie Keenan and Malcolm Gander.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/ne...

Re: Initial runs for groundwater study released - Bainbridge Island Review

waterequalsmoney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:12:09 -0000

The city should use more than 19 years of population data to predict the population for the next 25 years. The validity of the numbers going into the model will provide for better results. Estimating for the hightest growth rates during the housing boom to occur consecutively for the next 25 years is not a realistic projection. Using the Ground Water Model to provide for updating the Comprehensive Plan due in 2011 reduces the effectiveness of the outcome of the study. This study is too important to compromise the outcome.

Scientist Melanie Keenan and Malcolm Gander are the two residents who completed a detailed analysis of the ground water resources for the Sole Source Aquifer Petition for Bainbridge Island. The two resident geologists will be working with the EPA to finalize the designation.

Bainbridge is 100% reliant on our ground water for water supply. There are no other readily available water resources for residents to use on Bainbridge Island. This designation by the EPA will go a long way towards helping our community and most importantly our city government to adequately manage this vital resource. See article from the Kitsap Sun for more information. www.kitsapsun.com/.../scien... -