Appendix A

Minutes
Source Water Assessment Plan Advisory Committee Meeting
July 27, 1998

John Barnes	Wyoming State Engineer's Office
Jim Bigelow	Wyoming Dept. of Agriculture
Myron Brooks	US Geological Survey
Jim Case	Wyoming State Geological Survey
Tom Clayson	Petroleum Association of Wyoming
Jim Cochran	Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts
Maggie Davison	Dept. of Environmental Quality/Water Quality Division
Floyd Field	Wyoming Association of Rural Water Systems
Kevin Frederick	Dept. of Environmental Quality/Water Quality Division
Ken Hamilton	Wyoming Farm Bureau
Chris Jessen	Wyoming State Geological Survey
Karen Larsen	League of Women Voters
Gus Lopez	City/County Health Department
Jeff Lundberg	Wyoming Agri-Business
Larry Martin	National Park Service
Phil Ogle	Dept. of Environmental Quality/Water Quality Division
George Parks	Wyoming Association of Municipalities
David Schmidt	US Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII
Rick Schuler	US Bureau of Land Management
Bud Spillman	Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities
Mike Wireman	US Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII

Following opening remarks, the outcome of the "field test" of the ranking system for conducting source water assessments was discussed. Problem areas were identified with the proposed ranking system in terms of inordinately weighted categories or areas where information was not readily available. One source of information identified was EPA's database containing the results of PWS monitoring. It was stated that the database could be made available to the state to use in ranking water systems. It was also stated that information regarding whether or not a water system is equipped with disinfection is also contained in the database.

Discussions followed regarding the use of monitored water quality as an indication of the quality or potential vulnerability of the source water. It was suggested that microbiological contamination may be more of an indicator of the integrity of the distribution system than the vulnerability of the source water. A discussion of the number of systems without disinfection capabilities ensued. The potential use of chemical parameters was discussed with the need to focus on synthetic organic contaminants. The possibility of basing the vulnerability history on a ten year time frame rather than five years was considered. It was suggested that a five year consideration of synthetic organic contaminants detected at any levels may constitute an adequate assessment of vulnerability for the purpose of prioritizing how source water assessments are accomplished.

The difficulties of addressing the "economies of scale" factor was described; particularly how surface water intakes within the same basin are weighted and how there is not an appropriate counterpart for groundwater systems. Jim Case of the Wyoming Geological Survey, Mike Wireman of US EPA and Kevin Frederick of Wyoming DEQ agreed to meet to discuss potential approaches to applying this factor to groundwater systems.

The proposal was made to simplify the ranking system such that fewer factors are addressed. What was proposed still considered the major areas identified by the committee in earlier meetings. The proposal was:

I. Vulnerability determined based on:

• Surface water source;
• Surficial aquifer;
• Deep aquifer

II. Population served

III. Ratio of annual mean household income to state annual mean household income

IV. Detections of SDWA Contaminants during the past 5 or 10 years

Mike Wireman from EPA made a presentation on surface water protection area delineations, drawing the relationship of how options for inventorying potential pollutant sources can be customized to the delineated area. Mike described how the level of effort in identifying sources within the delineated watershed upstream of an intake can vary based on a described buffer zone or distance upstream of the intake relative to a PWS's ability to respond to a release (time of travel). Mike stated that buffer zones were being defined as 50 to 100 foot strips and that the level of effort in identifying potential contaminant sources within these areas should be thorough and complete and that buffer zone widths may vary with distance from intakes. He also stated that the USDA was providing funding to support buffer zone easements. A list of PWSs for which conjunctive delineations would be appropriate needs to be compiled.

The following comments were provided by the committee members:

Ken Hamilton raised the issue of the potential for conflicts arising between the agricultural community and municipalities if "buffer zones" are drawn on maps. He also questioned how zones delineated as "buffer zones" would be managed on federal lands. The fact that management strategies that are developed based on information obtained through assessments are implemented through cooperative efforts on the parts of the PWS, affected landowners, and sometimes land management agencies was discussed.

Jim Bigelow asked if buffer zones couldn't be identified as a last step. He also questioned the process for determining whether or not a potential contaminant source will, in fact, constitute a problem at the water intake.

Jim Case suggested that time-of-travel delineations should be different for soluble chemical contaminants relative to biological contaminants.

George Parks stated that most municipalities would be interested in the source inventory information. He described the fact that there currently exists a predominant spirit of cooperation between municipalities and agricultural interests.

Rick Schuler stated that the purpose of conducting source water assessments is to provide useful information to PWSs and questioned the value of a delineation and source inventory of a watershed.

Jim Bigelow proposed the use of the term "inventory zone" as opposed to "buffer zone"; suggesting that this terminology would more clearly communicate the intent.

Bud Spillman suggested that lines on a map delineating an "inventory zone" did not necessarily imply the presence or need for fences.

Floyd Field stated his support for the use of the term "inventory zone".

Larry Martin proposed that the inventory zone for source identified as groundwater under the influence of surface water should consist of the lateral extent of the alluvial aquifer.

Myron Brooks said he would provide information on surface water velocities so that lengths of various time-of-travel zones could be approximated.

The next meeting of the advisory committee, which will consist of a tour of part of the Cheyenne well field and surface water source areas, was scheduled for September 1, 1998. The meeting was then adjourned.

Chapters
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Glossary | Acronyms
Appendices
A | B | C | D
Wyoming's Source Water Assessment Guidance Document Contents