Monitoring Programs
Monitoring Programs
WWBWC's monitoring projects provide data to support collaborative water management solutions in the Walla Walla Basin and to help evaluate the effectiveness of restoration actions.
Streamflow
Streamflow
WWBWC began monitoring stream flow in 2002. We currently monitor about 25 sites in the Walla Walla Valley, including springs, small-order streams, and irrigation ditch sites. This monitoring network covers an area bounded by Walla Walla, Milton-Freewater, and Touchet.
WWBWC also maintains near-real-time gauge stations on the main stem of the Walla Walla River below Tum-A-Lum Bridge as well as stations on the South and North Forks of the Walla Walla River above the forks confluence.
VIEW HISTORICAL STREAMFLOW LOCATIONS AND DATA
Groundwater
Groundwater
The primary objective of WWBWC’s Alluvial Aquifer Monitoring Project is to collect groundwater level data, identify long-term aquifer trends, and use that information to support collaborative water management solutions in the bi-state basin. The monitoring network also tracks the effectiveness of artificial recharge (AR) testing.
WWBWC currently monitors over 60 wells in the Walla Walla River Basin and has records of over 100 wells with historic data. Current monitoring is limited to the Oregon portion of the basin.
The shallow well monitoring network is a grassroots, community effort that includes both urban and rural wells in and around Milton-Freewater and Umapine. They are owned by a variety of water users, including states, counties, cities, businesses, and universities within the basin. However, most monitoring wells are irrigation or old domestic wells owned by private landowners. All the participating well owners do so voluntarily. We are incredibly thankful for their participation in this task.
Water Quality
Water Quality
The WWBWC participates in several ongoing water quality monitoring programs include Walla Walla River Temperature monitoring, the Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Program (PSP), and data storage for the Creating Urban Riparian Buffers project..
VIEW WWBWC WATER TEMPERATURE LOCATIONS AND DATA
VIEW WWBWC PSP INFORMATION
Integrated Water Management
VIEW AQUIFER RECHARGE LOCATIONS AND REPORTS
The WWBWC tracks groundwater levels associated with four aquifer recharge sites in near-real time at:
Constructed in the spring of 2004, it has since gone through two expansions resulting in the current site of almost 3 acres of spreading basins (10 spreading basins) and 3 infiltration galleries.
This site was constructed in the fall of 2015 and consists of a single infiltration basin with a sediment-settling pond.
Constructed in the fall of 2015, this site consists of a single infiltration basin off of the Fruitvale ditch.
The Fruitvale Aquifer Recharge site was constructed in the fall of 2015 and consists of a series of four infiltration galleries fed by a single pipeline.