February 24, 2000

 Kittitas County Water Purveyors

The February meeting of the Kittitas County Water Purveyors was called to order by Chairman Pat Clerf. Those in attendance were Roger Satnik, Barbara Pettit, Jim Schnebly and Urban Eberhart, Kittitas Reclamation District; Jay Anderson, Westside Ditch Co.; Jeff Brunson, Bull Canal Co.; Tom Brunson, Packwood Ditch; Mark Charlton, Kittitas County Farm Bureau; Pat Clerf, Ellensburg Water Co.; Kevin Eslinger and Steve Rosbach, Denmark Irrigators; Ben George, Taneum Ditch Co.; Anna Lael, Kittitas County Conservation District; Pat Monk, Joint Board Fish Biologist; Carol Ready, Water Quality Specialist, Kittitas County Water Purveyors; Pat Taylor, Olsen Ditch; Paul Sorenson; Chris Coffin, Jane Creech, Joe Joy and Pat Irle, Department of Ecology.

Item 1. Call to order

Chairman Pat Clerf declared the agenda for the February 24, 2000 meeting approved as presented. The minutes of the January 27, 2000 were approved as corrected.

Pat Clerf introduced Carol Ready, Kittitas County Water Purveyors Water Quality Specialist, will be available at the Kittitas Reclamation District Office beginning Monday February 28^th. Pat Clerf announced Pat Irle, Department of Ecology, has a sign up sheet on the back table for anyone interested in information presented tonight.

Item 2. Centennial Grant QAPP Update

Jane Creech presented an update on the Quality Assurance Project Plan explaining the major parts have been approved and progress is continuing. Jane further explained the QAPP will be available following final approval and signature.

Item 3. Kittitas County Conservation District Update

Anna Lael, KCCD, presented information on the grower meetings explaining the 3^rd grower meeting was cancelled. Anna explained cost share programs for PAM and soil moisture monitoring will be available this summer. Anna explained KCCD will be submitting two grant applications to the Department of Ecology. The grants are for water quality monitoring, fecal coliform investigation, a mobile lab, and for demonstration of sprinkler irrigation on timothy.

Item 4. Department of Ecology Update

Chris Coffin explained various water quality information is available on the back table. Chris presented information on a new web site created by Jane Creech with some of the information from the Yakima Basin available now with additional information to be posted as it becomes available. Chris continued explaining a Quality Assurance Project Plan is now being required for all grant projects.

Chris introduced Joe Joy, Project Manager, Sediment and Pesticide Assessment, Environmental Assessment Program, Department of Ecology, Lacey, Washington.

Joe presented information on the laboratory and field data collected the past year explaining Betsy Dickes, DOE, has prepared the tables based on the data. Joe continued explaining the data is provisional and has not been verified for accuracy. Joe explained the flow data is not complete and all data needs to be completed and verified for accuracy prior to analyzing the information. Joe explained the state standards and violations of criteria as presented in the tables. Joe explained in reviewing the data nothing found in the Upper Yakima River is as bad as what was found in the Lower Yakima River with the values in Granger and Moxee far higher in Total Suspended Sediment and Turbidity. Joe explained the various comparisons that will be made for the amount of sediment being gained. Once the data is completed Joe explained DOE needs to look at seasonal changes and changes each time they are in the field. Monitoring will show if there are consistent TSS gains in areas or if they are sporadic and attributed to a particular event or season. Joe reviewed the pesticide data presented in the table explaining the range of detection limits will be presented in the summary report. Joe reviewed the fecal coliform table explaining the table is based on Class A water criteria. Joe explained plans are to include testing data from Kittitas Reclamation District and Kittitas County Conservation District from common testing sites. Joe explained how DOE structures the TMDL for the Upper Yakima River might be different from the Lower Yakima River because water comes from more directions. Joe explained since the TMDL is additive DOE is trying to limit the amount of sediment coming from the Upper Valley to the Lower Valley because that sets the limit for the Lower Valley so DOE is trying to get the Upper Valley as clean as it can be before it goes to the Lower Valley because DOE wants to clean up the Lower Valley. Joe explained the target for the TMDL might be more restrictive for the Upper Valley. Joe continued explaining DOE has a technical advisory group they work with when doing the analysis and setting the TMDL. Chris Coffin explained there would be local representation on the technical advisory group. Discussion followed regarding the testing and how the data will be used by the Department of Ecology is setting the TMDL for the Upper Yakima River. There was also discussion with concerns expressed regarding the validity of the pesticide detection limits.

Pat Irle, Department of Ecology, presented an overview of the Teanaway Temperature TMDL Model using the statewide standard. Discussion followed with concerns expressed regarding the use of statewide standards for both Eastern and Western Washington.

Item 5. Kittitas County Conservation District Grant

Pat Clerf presented a letter of support submitted by the Kittitas County Water Purveyors in support of the Kittitas County Conservation District Grant.

Item 6. National Marine Fisheries Service 4D Rule

Kevin Eslinger presented information on the NMFS 4D Rule explaining comments are due March 6, 2000. Discussion followed with the consensus it was unlikely comments could be prepared by the March 6^th deadline.

Item 6. Bull Ditch Grant

Jeff Brunson explained Bull Ditch is working with the Yakima Indian Nation, Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife, Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration on a grant to address unscreened diversions.

Item 7. Meeting Schedule

Chairman Pat Clerf announced the next meeting is schedule for 7 P.M. March 30, 2000 at Sterling Savings.

All Business having been concluded the meeting adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,