What does Marrowstone water have to do with setting instream flows?
Not much, if anything. The setting of instream flows will not impact the ability of the PUD to serve water on Marrowstone Island. Nor will the serving of water to Marrowstone Island by the PUD influence the setting of instream flows. According to the state water code, the PUD’s water rights – including the rights at the Sparling well the PUD has yet to put to beneficial use- are senior to the water rights being set aside for instream flows. There are some concerns that moving water out of basin to serve Marrowstone Island may have some negative impact upon Chimacum Creek. Work is being undertaken by the Department of Ecology, the County, PUD and US Geological Survey to model and understand this potential impact. This will be a consideration when the local planning unit implements its strategies to help protect local stream flows and Chimacum Creek will be a high priority for protection.
-Bill Graham, PUD #1
Where will the water piped to Marrowstone come from?
Marrowstone Island is now a part of the Quimper water system. Water to Marrowstone will come from Quimper water system sources, principally the Sparling well on Kennedy Road in Port Hadlock and the New Kivley well behind Mountain Propane in Port Hadlock. Both the Sparling and New Kivley wells draw from ground water in the Chimacum Basin.
-Bill Graham, PUD #1
Will there be enough water for these other areas if Marrowstone gets its water?
Yes. Assuming new connections are added at the rate of anticipated growth within the PUD’s Quimper water system service area (which includes Marrowstone Island, the Tri-Area, Adelma Beach, Beckett Point and Woodland Hills). Our short term concern now is capacity which the PUD is currently expanding to meet the needs of the additional connections on Marrowstone Island as well as the rest of the service area. The PUD has planned for 250 connections on Marrowstone over the next 6 years. The PUD will likely need to find additional water sources 10-15 years from now to serve growing demand. Options for additional sources are many but limited in feasibility and cost including more aggressive water conservation, the purchase of wholesale water from City of Port Townsend, paying for the processing of additional water rights, purchasing existing municipal water rights and reverse osmosis.
-Bill Graham, PUD #1