Potholes Supplemental Feed Route Updates
Reclamations efforts continue with the following activities:
Monitoring Plan – Staff from the Ephrata Field Office (EFO), Pacific Northwest Regional Office (PNRO) Water Management (WMWM) and PNRO Geology staff are working on the development and implementation of a robust groundwater monitoring program focused on near-surface groundwater. This effort will inform feed route operations to protect infrastructure (e.g., the airport and community septic systems) and homes from inundation due to elevated groundwater tables resulting from increased, consistent surface water flow as a result of the feed.
Data collected will also allow for the update of hydraulic modeling to better account for storage areas, gains, and losses along the creek. The hydraulic model will be used to evaluate conveyance improvement alternatives along the middle Crab Creek and assess options in the West Channel associated with removal of flow restrictions at Walker Road, Barren Road and Lower Stratford Road.
- Well Installation/Data Loggers – EFO and the PNRO Geology group have begun the installation of up to 28 shallow (up to 60 feet below ground) groundwater monitoring wells and data loggers. Installation of wells and data loggers will continue to occur through 2019.
- LiDar data –LiDar data along upper Crab Creek was completed in Spring 2019 and data is available. The topographic and multi-spectral data will provide a basis for conceptual level design and updated 2D hydraulic model, which will better account for backwater and storage areas, allow for opportunities to include groundwater losses and gains, and allow for better evaluation of evapotranspirative losses.
Groundwater Impact Analysis - Reclamation continues to analyze groundwater impacts along Crab Creek and Rocky Ford Creek.
Reclamation will evaluate Crab Creek and alternatives to route water to Potholes Reservoir. The goal of this work is to determine, with the available data and models, the extent to which Crab Creek can be used as a feed route to Potholes.
Lower Stratford, Walker, and Barren Road Obstructions – PNRO Design is working on the assessment of inundation reduction alternatives in the West Channel associated with removal of conveyance restrictions at Walker Road, Barren Road, and Lower Stratford Road.
Realty – Realty actions required to feed water through the Frenchman Hills Wasteway have occurred. Realty actions in the Crab Creek corridor to mitigate unanticipated flooding of private landowners continue.
Moses Lake International Airport – The Moses Lake International Airport (Airport), owned and operated by the Port of Moses Lake, Reclamation, and Ecology staff meet quarterly to discuss data needs, potential solutions, and mitigation options regarding elevated groundwater levels and ponding at and near the Airport.
Troutlodge Fish Hatchery (Hatchery) Bypass – Reclamation continues to meet and work with Troutlodge Fish Hatchery, LLC, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Ecology to determine how to mitigate for elevated groundwater levels that is exacerbated by feed through Crab Creek.
| 11/2021 | Acquisition of Grant County Parcel 170934000 EA PDF 6.32 mb |
| 11/2021 | Acquisition of Grant County Parcel 170934000 FONSI PDF 1.71 mb |
Contact
Jennifer McConnell
Project Manager
jmcconnell@usbr.gov
(509) 754-0237
Bureau of Reclamation
Ephrata Field Office
P.O. Box 815
Ephrata, WA 98823-0815
