The U.S. Geological Survey is making a trip to the Wood River Valley next Wednesday to present findings and suggestions for how the county should proceed with protecting its water resources.
"For the past year and a half, a core group of Wood River Valley citizens has been working with the USGS in an effort to clarify the nature of our water resources," said Ketchum hydrologist Lee Brown. "In May of 2004, this grassroots movement began exploring with the USGS what would be involved to fill in the gaps in existent knowledge leading to an integrated and comprehensive understanding of the dynamic nature of our water resources in the Wood River Valley and Bellevue Triangle."
The impetus for this effort is tied to a conviction held by three local water scientists, Drs. Bruce Lium, Wendy Pabich and Brown, who are "acutely aware we are moving into a very sensitive period with respect to the future of population growth and economic development," Brown said. "We lack a uniform grasp of the most basic issues concerning trends in groundwater and surface water supply and quality."
More specifically, these scientists and their core group have said that they believe a "singular and comprehensive grasp of water resources" is necessary to develop needed policy tools and guidelines.
Over a dozen water studies exist, some even authored by Brown, Lium and Pabich. However, they frequently focus on different topics, using different methods, done during different time periods, and by different institutions, Brown said.
"At the risk of redundancy, what is painfully lacking is the comprehensive knowledge required to develop a growth management tool capable of guiding developers, elected officials, planners, nonprofit organizations and citizens toward prudent choices," Brown said. "Few doubt population growth will occur, but whether or not this activity will be considered development or malignancy is another question altogether. Our future hinges upon how this growth will be configured."
Startup funding from Blaine County commissioners and the Blaine Soil & Water Conservation District, matched by USGS, allowed the USGS to begin "Phase One" of the cooperative venture to assess prior water studies and develop a "Work Plan" for the future. At Wednesday's meeting, the USGS will prioritize what needs to be done, outline the scientific steps necessary to accomplish proposed tasks and assign costs to each priority. Also, the USGS will suggest broad strategies to connect these accomplishments with planning policy, Brown said.
