WALLA WALLA PROJECT
Iftfarcas Whitman Division, Wash.
and
Milton-Freewater Division, Oregon
STUDY
AREA
NORTHWEST REGION
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
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WATER QUALITY CONTROL STUDY
WALLA WALLA PROJECT
Marcus Whitman Division, Washington
and
Milton-Freewater Division, Oregon
A study has been made which discloses a need for storage in
Walla Walla River Basin for streamflow regulation for water quality
control. Future water requirements and quality projections are
based on economic, demographic, and engineering studies.
Prepared at the Request of the
U. S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
Upper Columbia Development Office
Spokane, Washington
By the U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
Northwest Region
Portland, Oregon
JULY 1967
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Table of Contents
Page
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Request and Authority 1
B. Purpose and Scope 1
C. Acknowledgments 2
II. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
A. Findings 3
B. Conclusions 5
III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A. Location 9
B. Proposed Project 9
IV. STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION
A. Location and Boundaries 12
B. Geography and Topography 12
C. Climate 13
D. Principal Communities and Industries 13
V. WATER RESOURCES OF THE STUDY AREA
A. Surface Water 14
B. Groundwater 20
VI. THE ECONOMY
A. General 22
B. Present 22
C. Future Economic Growth 25
D. Future Population 27
VII. WATER REQUIREMENTSMunicipal and Industrial
A. General 28
B. Present Water Use 28
C. Future Water Requirements 29
VIII. WATER QUALITY CONTROL
A. Need for Control 30
B. Municipal, Industrial, and Agricultural
Pollution 31
C. Water Quality Criteria 35
D. Flow Regulation 35
IX. BENEFITS 43
X. BIBLIOGRAPHY 45
APPENDIX
A. Hydrological Data 47-54
B. Water Quality Data 55-60
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LIST OF TABLES
Table
No.
Page
No.
V-l Surface Water Quality, South Fork Walla Walla
River, Washington-Oregon 17
VI-1 Agriculture and Land Use Patterns, Walla Walla
County 23
VI-2 Population Growth, 1940-1960, Study Area 24
VI-3 Distribution of Labor Force, Walla Walla Study
Area, Washington-Oregon 26
VI-4 Distribution of Population, Walla Walla Study
Area, Washington-Oregon 27
VII-1 Average Municipal and Industrial Water Use, 1962,
Walla Walla Study Area, Washington-Oregon ... 28
VII-2 Projected Municipal and Industrial Water Demand,
Walla Walla Study Area, Washington-Oregon ... 29
VIII-1 Principal Sources of Municipal Wastes, Walla
Walla River Basin, Washington-Oregon 32
VIII-2 Maximum Monthly Municipal Waste Loadings, Walla
Walla River Basin, Washington-Oregon 33
VIII-3 Maximum Monthly Industrial Waste Loadings, Walla
Walla River Basin, Washington-Oregon 35
VIII-4 Maximum Monuhly M&I Waste Loads, Walla Walla River
Basin, Washington-Oregon 37
VIII-5 Required Streamflow Regimen for Quality Control
Purposes with Dissolved Oxygen Objective of
5 mg/1, Mill Creek and Lower Walla Walla River,
Washington, Year 2020 40
VIII-6 Required Streamflow Regimen for Quality Control
Purposes with Dissolved Oxygen Objective of
5 mg/1, Mill Creek at Walla Walla, Washington,
Year 2020 42
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Location of Sampling Stations - Walla Walla
Stream Survey
Diurnal Variation in Dissolved Oxygen, % Saturation
Quality of Waste Receiving Waters
Required Flow vs. D.O
Storage vs. D.O
Storage vs. D.O
Page
No.
15
18
18
19
38
39
39
Location Map Inside Back Cover
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I. INTRODUCTION
A. REQUEST AND AUTHORITY
The Area Engineer, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Spokane,
Washington, in a letter dated September 28, 1965, requested the
advice of the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
concerning the needs for storage for water quality control in the
proposed Marcus Whitman and Milton-Freewater Divisions, Walla Walla
River Basin Project, Washington, and the value of the benefits
resulting therefrom. Authority for the investigation is the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 466
et geq.). Responsibility for these activities was transferred from
the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to the Department
of the Interior by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1966, effective
May 10, 1966.
B. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this report is to define the need for and value
of storage for water quality control in proposed Mill Creek Reser-
voir on Mill Creek above Walla Walla, Washington, and in proposed
Joe West Reservoir on Walla Walla River above Milton-Freewater,
Oregon.
Available data on water uses, waste sources, and watet quality
in the study area were examined, evaluated and projected. Survey
data obtained cooperatively by FWPCA and Walla Walla Sewage Treat-
ment Plant personnel in June 1966 aided the evaluation.
Evaluations are based on projected conditions to the years
1980, 2000 and 2020. Much of the base information, projection data
and evaluated results was taken from a report prepared by this office
for the Corps of Engineers entitled "Water Supply and Water Quality
Control Study, Mill Creek Project, Walla Walla River Basin, Washing-
tonOregon," dated December 1965. The economic base study prepared
for this and the December 1965 report is summarized herein.
The study area covered is the Walla Walla Basin, excluding the
drainage area of the Touchet River. The Touchet River was covered
separately in a report to the Bureau of Reclamation entitled "Water
Resource Study, Walla Walla River Basin, Dayton Reservoir, Washington,
Study of Potential Needs and Value of Storage for Water for Municipal,
Industrial and Quality Control Purposes," dated January 1962.
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C. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study was aided materially by officials of the Washington
State Department of Health, Washington Pollution Control Commission,
Oregon State Sanitary Authority, Washington State University, cities
of Walla Walla, College Place, and Milton-Freewater, County of
Walla Walla, Washington State Department of Game, and the Blalock
and Gose Irrigation Districts. The use of information contained in
the bibliography is also acknowledged.
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II. SUMMARY of Findings and Conclusions
A. FINDINGS
1. The Bureau of Reclamation is evaluating the feasibility
of utilizing Walla Walla Basin storage and Columbia River pumpage
to irrigate new lands and to supplement the water supply of pres-
ently irrigated lands in the Marcus Whitman and Milton-Freewater
Division areas. Two reservoir sites are being considered in the
investigation; namely, Mill Creek Reservoir (65,000 acre-feet),
also known as Blue Creek Reservoir, on Mill Creek, and Joe West
Reservoir (about 108,000 acre-feet) on the upper Walla Walla River.
Storage needs for municipal and industrial water supply, water
quality control, flood control, fish and wildlife, and recreation
are also being investigated for the multi-purpose development.
2. The area of study covers all of Walla Walla River Basin
except that portion draining to the Touchet River. The area is in
southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon and is located
mostly within Walla Walla and Umatilla Counties (see Location Map,
inside back cover).
3. The drainage area of the Walla Walla Basin (excluding
Touchet River drainage) is about 1,070 square miles. Existing
water resource development in the basin is limited to channel
structures which divert streamflow for irrigation and to an off-
stream reservoir east of Walla Walla which provides flood protec-
tion to that city.
4. The average annual runoff of the basin, including the
Touchet River, is over 410,000 acre-feet (567 cfs). The computed
low mean monthly flow of the Walla Walla River near its mouth, on
a one-in-ten year recurrence basis, is approximately six cfs and
occurs in August. The minimum mean monthly one-in-ten year flow
at the Mill Creek site is 23 cfs and at the Joe West site is about
81 cfs. Irrigation diversions dry up much of the river and tribu-
tary streams during summer months. Flows are also reduced due to
losses to a highly pervious streambed immediately below Milton-
Freewater.
5. Surface waters in the proposed watershed storage areas of
the Walla Walla River are generally low in hardness (25-30 mg/1 as
CaC03), low in dissolved solids concentration, and suitable for
municipal and industrial water supply, irrigation and most other
uses. During late summer months, however, Mill Creek and Walla
Walla River downstream from the city of Walla Walla develop stagnant
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pools characterized by high nutrient concentrations which stimulate
heavy algal blooms, high temperatures, low dissolved oxygen levels,
and organic and bacterial pollution (see Appendix B, TABLES__B-2_»
B-3. B^4, and B-5).
6. Agricultural activities form the economic base of the
Walla Walla Valley. Major factors affecting water quality in the
area, therefore, are those associated with the growing and pro-
cessing of vegetables and other agricultural products. Studies
show trends toward continued expansion of this economic base.
7. The 1960 population of the study area was 45,660, of
which 36,660 persons (80 percent) resided in urban areas. There
is potential for considerable population growth and industrial
expansion. Employment and other development possibilities indicate
the projected population for years 1980, 2000 and 2020 to be 59,200,
83,800 and 110,400, respectively.
8. Study area water use for municipal and domestic purposes
averaged over 12 million gallons per day (mgd) in 1962. Three-
quarters of the demand occurs at Walla Walla, where it is supplied
from Mill Creek watershed supplemented by well supplies. College
Place and Weston obtain water exclusively from underground sources.
Milton-Freewater's groundwater supply is supplemented by water
from South Fork Walla Walla River.
9. Most industrial water use is for food processing and is
generally supplied by the municipal systems. The industrial
demand, which occurs seasonally from May through November, was
about six mgd in 1962.
10. Surface waters in the study area, in addition to being
the major source of water for irrigation and municipal and indust-
rial purposes, are also used for fish and game propagation, stock
watering, recreation, and dilution and assimilation of municipal
and industrial wastes. Stream waters in the lower basin are
almost completely depleted by upstream irrigation diversions
during the growing season. During this period, most flows origin-
ate from M&I waste effluent and surface and subsurface land drain-
age.
11. During periods of the year, stream waters below the
proposed Mill Creek and Joe West reservoir sites support a limited
game fishery and spring runs of steelhead trout. According to
the Fish and Wildlife Service, a significant salmonid fishery
could be established if provisions were made for additional stream-
flow, improved water quality, and passage facilities at diversion
dams.
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12. The four municipalities in the study area, i.e. Walla
Walla, College Place, Milton-Freewater, and Weston, have plants
providing secondary waste treatment. Seasonal industrial wastes
at Walla Walla are treated by a combination of the municipal
facilities, a separate industrial waste treatment plant, and land
disposal. Over-all study area treatment efficiency (BOD removal)
is estimated to be about 75 percent during peak load periods.
Industrial wastes at Milton-Freewater and Weston are used for
irrigation on offstream land areas where very limited amounts of
residual wastes reach stream waters'.
13. Average daily municipal waste production in the study
area in 1960 (before treatment) was about 36,000 population
equivalents (PE). With present treatment, it is estimated that
about 5,400 PE of this waste reaches basin streams. Most of this
waste is discharged to Mill Creek at Walla Walla.
14. Industrial food processing waste production (May - Novem-
ber) in the study area varies widely from year to year, but in
recent years has averaged about 450,000 PE during the peak month
of July. Existing study area industrial waste disposal practices
accomplish an over-all average BOD reduction of about 340,000 PE.
The residual load, consisting primarily of pea-processing waste,
is discharged to Mill Creek at Walla Walla. Irrigation return
flows, farm animal wastes, and other agricultural waste materials
also contribute to the organic loading of basin streams.
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B. CONCLUSIONS
1. Annual municipal and industrial (M&I) water supply
requirements in the study area are expected to triple during the
study period, totalling 60,000 acre-feet (53 mgd) by the year 2020.
Developed sources of supply at Walla Walla are of adequate quality
for continued use but are of insufficient quantity. The city of
Walla Walla has, therefore, expressed interest in obtaining supple-
mental water from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers' Mill Creek
Reservoir Project. Future rural-domestic water needs, M&I needs
in the Milton-Freewater area, and demands in smaller community areas
are expected to be adequately met by continued use of existing
groundwater sources. Some shallow groundwater areas near Milton-
Freewater are subject to bacterial contamination and require disin-
fection for continued use.
2. The municipal, industrial and agricultural growth projected
for the study area intensifies the need for greater control of
wastes to maintain adequate water quality, particularly in Mill
Creek and downstream Walla Walla River. Continued disposal of
waste to land, as presently practiced in the Milton-Freewater and
Weston areas, is expected to provide adequate protection of water
quality in the upstream Walla Walla River area.
3. Municipal and industrial waste production in the study
area during the food-processing season for 1980, 2000 and 2020 is
projected to be 794,000, 1,189,700 and 1,733,100 population equiv-
alents (PE), respectively. Residual loads in the treated discharge
of this waste, together with uncontrolled loads from other sources
(i.e., animal waste) pose a continuing and increasing hazard to
fish and wildlife, recreation, public health and general appearance
of surface waters in the basin. By 1980, 2000, and 2020, treated
wastes from municipal and industrial sources alone are expected
to average some 35,900, 53,500, and 76,900 PE, respectively. Much
of this waste, together with residual animal waste which has been
estimated to total 10,000 PE, will require assimilation in Mill
Creek and lower Walla Walla River.
4. Oxygen-balance computer studies, utilizing factors
obtained during stream surveys in the Walla Walla Basin, indicate
that low mean monthly flows available on a one-in-ten year recur-
rence frequency (Mill Creek2 cfs and Walla Walla River6 cfs)
would not provide satisfactory control of present or projected
residual waste loadings. Even with treatment, or other control
of waste to greater than 85 percent BOD removal, stream uses
cannot be protected or preserved without storage releases for
quality control.
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5. There is a need in the Walla Walla Basin for adequate
waste treatment to provide at least 85 percent BOD removal, for
disinfection of treatment plant effluents, for control of surface
and subsurface irrigation drainage, and for assured quantities of
streamflow at prescribed times and places to dilute and assimilate
residual waste materials received in the stream from municipal,
industrial and agricultural sources.
6. Maintenance of a dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of
2.0 mg/1 in the critical zone of Mill Creek and lower Walla Walla
River would provide a minimum level of stream protection--pre-
vention of nuisance conditions. Maintenance of a 6.0 mg/1 DO
concentration in these reaches would provide the highest level of
protection of the basin's stream uses and would allow the re-
establishment of a salmonid fishery. The selected objective, DO
concentrations of at least 5.0 mg/1, would assure an acceptable
level of quality.
7. The immediate and long range need to maintain a 5.0 mg/1
DO concentration, in addition to adequate waste treatment for con-
trol of water quality in Walla Walla Basin, is for storage to yield
110 cfs and 205 cfs during July and August of projected years 1980
and 2020, respectively. No need is foreseen for flow regulation
for quality control in that portion of the Walla Walla River up-
stream from the Mill Creek confluence.
8. The flow needed by 2020 to maintain a 5.0 mg/1 DO level
will require an annual draft-on-storage* of 31,300 acre-feet from
Mill Creek Reservoir or from a combination of Mill Creek and Joe
West Reservoirs. Combined releases would necessitate a minimum
of 4,200 acre-feet from Mill Creek Reservoir supplemented by up to
27,100 acre-feet from Joe West Reservoir. A total draft-on-storage
of about 15,000 acre-feet will be needed by year 1980.
9. Storage releases for control of water quality would provide
benefits in terms of restored stream uses and prevention of future
stream damage. These releases would complement provisions for
adequate waste controls at the source and would not, therefore, be
a substitute for these prerequisite measures.
10. The beneficiaries of controlled water quality in the
Walla Walla River Basin are the persons utilizing basin surface
waters for irrigation, fish and wildlife and recreation activities,
and aesthetic enjoyment. The riparian land owners and surrounding
areas' population, which is projected to total 100,000 persons by
2020, would also benefit from this control. Many of these benefi-
ciaries are identifiable in general terms; but the monetary value
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of the benefits is not directly measurable by known means. Benefits,
therefore, are considered both tangible and intangible and are
widespread, both in area and type of beneficiary.
11. The minimum value of the benefit assignable to project
storage for quality control in Walla Walla Basin is considered
equal to the cost of accomplishing similar control by a single-
purpose alternative means in the absence of the project. As found
in studies for the Corps of Engineers on Mill Creek Project, single-
purpose storage at the Mill Creek site would accomplish the desired
control at an annual cost of $15.50 per acre-foot.
12. The minimum value of the water quality control benefit
assignable to an annual draft-on-storage of 31,300 acre-feet in
Mill Creek Reservoir, or in Mill Creek and Joe West Reservoirs
combined, is estimated to be $485,000.
13. An annual draft-on-storage of more or less than 31,300
acre-feet would increase or decrease the annual value at the rate
of $15.50 per acre-foot. No benefits would accrue until at least
the minimum regulation (17,300 acre-feet in 2020) considered
necessary to control stream nuisances (2 mg/1 DO) has been provided.
Maximum benefits would be realized by providing an annual draft-
on-storage of about 48,000 acre-feet in 2020. Releases from this
storage would maintain DO levels above 6.0 mg/1, which would allow
the highest uses of basin streams.
14. Planning for additional water resource development in
the Walla Walla River Basin should consider preserving the excell-
ent quality of water in the upper basin spawning areas and main-
taining satisfactory quality in the lower river to permit passage
of anadromous fish. Maintenance of water quality for at least a
put-and-take fishery would assure continued multiple-use of the
lower river. The accomplishment of this goal would necessitate
continued improvement and updating of waste treatment facilities,
and the reservation of at least 31,300 acre-feet of storage for
release to the lower river.
15. After the project is in operation, a system of water
quality and waste monitoring and streamflow forecasting will be
needed in order to fully utilize flow regulation for water quality
control.
* Annual draft-on-storage is the sum of incremental excesses of
needed releases over inflows during a climatic year (April
through March). This is the additional quantity needed in the
lower Walla Walla River and does not include storage and trans-
mission losses.
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III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A. LOCATION
The Walla Walla project is a land and water resource develop-
ment investigation of the entire Walla Walla River Basin, located
in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. For investi-
gation purposes, the USER has separated the project into three
divisionsthe Marcus Whitman, Milton-Freewater, and Touchet. The
Marcus Whitman division includes the Walla Walla drainage in
Washington and some of its tributary drainage in Oregon; the Milton-
Freewater division covers most of the basin in Oregon; and the
Touchet division covers the Touchet River drainage. Because of the
inter-relationship between irrigation water supply and delivery
areas, the Marcus Whitman and Milton-Freewater divisions are being
investigated as one unit. The Touchet division has been covered in
a previous study and will not be considered in this report.
Sites of major structures being considered are shown on the
Location Map (inside back cover).
B. PROPOSED PROJECT
1. Storage Development
Part of the water requirements would be met by developing
storage at Mill Creek Dam and Reservoir site on Mill Creek and Joe
West Dam and Reservoir site on Walla Walla River.
a. Mill Creek Dam and Reservoir
Mill Creek Dam is being planned by the Corps of Engineers
to serve the purposes of flood control, irrigation, recreation,
fish and wildlife, municipal and industrial water supply, and water
quality control. The dam site is located immediately below the
confluence of Mill Creek and Blue Creek, about 9 miles upstream
from the city of Walla Walla. Runoff from the drainage area above
the site (87 square miles) has averaged about 81,000 acre-feet
annually for the past twenty-five years.
Mill Creek Dam would be an earth and rock fill structure
about 190 feet high. Storage capacity of Mill Creek Reservoir would
total 65,000 acre-feet, of which a minimum pool of 10,000 acre-feet
would be maintained for sediment accumulation, recreation, and
fishery purposes.
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As discussed in Chapter I, the FWPCA prepared a report
on this development for the USAGE in December 1965.
b. Joe West Dam and Reservoir
Development of the Joe West storage site is being
investigated by the USER for irrigation, recreation, and fish and
wildlife purposes. Some flood control would be obtained by oper-
ating the reservoir on a rule curve or modified forecast basis.
Runoff from the 125 square mile drainage area above the Joe West
site averaged 162,000 acre-feet annually during the period 1930
through 1963.
Joe West Dam would be an earth and rock fill structure
about 260 feet high with a crest length of 3,400 feet. When full,
the reservoir would contain 108,000 acre-feet (13,000 acre-feet
inactive) and would have a surface area of 1,020 acres.
A fish hatchery would be constructed below the dam to
mitigate the existing steelhead fishery. A multi-gated outlet in
the dam would be used to control the water temperature for the
hatchery. Releases of 22 cfs June through December, and 32 cfs
January through May would be made for hatchery operation.
2. Irrigation Development
a. Marcus Whitman Division
Lands being considered for development in the Marcus
Whitman Division area consist of 21,500 acres of presently irrigated
land requiring a supplemental water supply and 15,700 acres of
presently dry land needing a full water supply. The 21,500 acres
of irrigated lands and about 1,800 acres of dry land scattered
throughout the irrigated areas would receive water through existing
irrigation facilities. The remaining 13,900 acres of dry land would
receive water through project-constructed facilities.
Major structures under consideration are Mill Creek Dam
and Reservoir (USAGE development), Mill Creek Diversion Dam,
Wallula pumping plant and relift pumping plants, and the low and
high Wallula-Gardena canals.
Mill Creek Diversion, 3 miles downstream from Mill Creek
Dam, would divert water into a buried pipe system to serve 5,000
acres on the Airport Bench.
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A pump-canal system, which would supplement the Walla
Walla River supply by lifting water from the Columbia River and
conveying it to the main irrigated area of the basin, is a key
feature of the plan. This system consists of the Wallula pumping
plant on the Columbia (400 cfs capacity), a relift pumping plant
(385 cfs capacity), a canal connecting the two plants, a main canal
up the Walla Walla Valley, several small relift pumping plants, and
many miles of smaller delivery canals and buried pipe distribution
systems.
The pump-canal system would pump 18,000 acre-feet to
Oregon lands in exchange for a full supply for 5,000 acres in
Washington which lie adjacent to the Spofford area of the Milton-
Freewater Division.
b. Milton-Freewater Division
Facilities under consideration to develop this Division
would provide supplemental water to 15,400 acres of presently
irrigated land and a full supply to 13,200 acres of presently dry
land. About 9,600 acres of the dry lands are in the Spofford area.
The remaining 3,600 acres are scattered throughout the existing
irrigated area.
Water for this development would come from Joe West
Reservoir. A tunnel from the reservoir (about 7,500 feet long) and
a buried pipe system would serve 9,600 acres in the Spofford area.
An extension of the Spofford system would serve 5,000 acres in the
Russel Creek area in Washington.
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IV. STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION
A. LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES
The study area includes portions of Walla Walla and Columbia
Counties in southeastern Washington, and Wallowa and Utnatilla
Counties in northeastern Oregon. This study, which considers all
the Walla Walla Basin except the louchet River drainage, covers an
area of about 1,070 square miles (see Location Map, inside back
cover). The Walla Walla River and its main tributaries originate
in the Blue Mountains and flow westerly to the Columbia River. The
basin is bounded on the north and east by the Snake River Basin,
and on the south by the Umatilla River Basin.
B. GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY
The elevation of the study area ranges from about 400 feet at
the confluence of the Walla Walla and Columbia Rivers near Wallula
to about 6,000 feet in the Blue Mountains. The Walla Walla Valley
is largely farms and range land whereas the upper portion of the
basin is forest-covered. The lower portion of the study area is a
part of the Columbia Plateau, where well-rounded hills with long,
steep slopes are characteristic. The soils of the plateau are of
a deep, loessial material which is susceptible to erosion. Soils
on the flanks of the Blue Mountains are coalesced fans of coarse
gravel and cobble deposited by the streams emerging from the
mountains. The present streams have cut channels in these fans.
Mill Creek originates on the western slopes of the Blue
Mountains in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington, about
21 miles east of Walla Walla. The stream, which is characterized
by steep slopes of 35 to over 100 feet per mile, flows in a westerly
direction through the city of Walla Walla to its confluence with
the Walla Walla River, six miles west of the city. The Mill Creek
watershed contains about 100 square miles, of which 87 square miles
lie above the dam site and 96 square miles lie above Walla Walla.
The chief contributory drainage to Mill Creek is Blue Creek,
which drains about 17 square miles of mountainous, forested terrain
and enters Mill Creek about 9 miles above Walla Walla. Yellowhawk
and Garrison Creeks are small delta alluvium branches of Mill Creek
which pass through Walla Walla and join the Walla Walla River
upstream from the mouth of Mill Creek.
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The North and South Forks of the Walla Walla River drain a
mountainous area of about 125 square miles which is poorly covered
with timber and grass. From this point, the location of Joe West
Dam site, the river flows 18 miles, through Milton-Freewater and
the surrounding agricultural bench land, to its confluence with
Mill Creek, thence another 16 miles to its confluence with the
louchet River.
C. CLIMATE
The climate of the study area is typically hot and dry during
the summer, and cold and wet in winter. The mean annual temperature
at Walla Walla is 53 degrees. Mean annual precipitation ranges from
about 15 inches in the valley to 50 inches in the mountains.
Approximately 75 percent of the total annual rainfall occurs between
November and May, while only 3 percent falls during July and August.
The frost-free growing season in agricultural areas averages about
220 days.
D. PRINCIPAL COMMUNITIES AND INDUSTRIES
The population of the study area is approximately 46,000.
Principal urban places and their populations (1960 census) are as
follows:
Walla Walla, Wn. 24,536
Milton-Freewater, Ore. 4,110
College Place, Wn. 4,031
Weston, Ore. 783
The basin economy is oriented primarily towards agriculture,
with most activity directed toward farming, stock raising, and food
processing, and providing services to an eight-county trading area.
Lumbering activities also contribute to the economy.
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V. WATER RESOURCES of the Study Area
A. SURFACE WATER
1. Existing Water Resource Development
Irrigation of the basin's flat river bottomland was practiced
on an individual farm basis by the earliest settlers. By 1900,
companies were being formed to promote development of land not
susceptible to individual development. Natural surface flows are
normally very low after the first of July, which requires most
irrigators to supplement their surface supply by pumping from
wells. A few irrigators with the earliest water rights obtain
surface water throughout the irrigation season.
Surface sources are used to meet over three-quarters of the
present average annual municipal and industrial water demand in the
study area. Walla Walla obtains most of its water from Mill Creek
and uses groundwater only as a supplemental supply, whereas Milton-
Freewater depends primarily on ground water sources and uses its
facilities on South Fork Walla Walla River only during periods of
peak demand.
Water rights in the Walla Walla Basin, adjudicated in 1927,
are largely committed to irrigation. The appropriation of water is
based on a prior rights doctrine. The Washington decree lists
irrigation rights to serve 15,130 acres, or 151 cfs, during July,
August, and September. In Oregon, irrigation rights total 157 cfs
for the same months.
The city of Walla Walla has a water right of 14.3 mgd from
Mill Creek for municipal supply purposes. Milton-Freewater has a
right to 5 mgd from the South Fork Walla Walla River. There are no
other rights for municipal or industrial water supply diversions in
the study area.
A 1930 decision by the U. S. Supreme Court gives the State of
Oregon a superior right to water originating in Oregon. Under
Oregon law, no waters located within the State shall be diverted,
impounded or in any manner appropriated for diversion or use beyond
the boundaries of the State except upon the express consent of the
Legislative Assembly. The Oregon Water Resources Board has set
aside 40,000 acre-feet of water a year for future livestock, irrig-
ation, domestic, municipal and industrial uses. This water is in
addition to present water rights or uses. Under these conditions,
assuming the necessary consent of the Oregon State Legislative
Assembly can be secured, only 20,000 acre-feet of water a year
would be available for downstream release from the proposed Joe
West Reservoir for fish and wildlife and water quality control.
14
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Existing flood protection facilities on Mill Creek include a
diversion works above the city of Walla Walla, an offstream flood
control reservoir (see Schematic Diagram, FIGURE 1), channel improve-
ments below the diversion works, and a concrete flood channel
through the city of Walla Walla. The Walla Walla River channel has
been improved to pass flood flows through the Milton-Freewater
reach.
22(1* Woter Righl
to WALLA WALLA
PROPOSED M/LL
CREEK PROJECT
LEGENO
O Community
^m D'version 0
( I River Mile
A Goging Stat
PROPOSED JOE
WEST PROJECT
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
Figure 1
Above Walla Walla, flood flows are diverted from Mill Creek
and stored in the offstream reservoir, which has a total capacity
of 6,700 acre-feet. About one-half mile downstream from the
diversion works, any remaining flows that exceed the Mill Creek
channel capacity through Walla Walla are divided between Garrison
and Yellowhawk Creeks.
Low head dams have been constructed across Mill Creek every
60 feet to provide channel stabilization in the improved reach
through Walla Walla. These barriers create pools which are conducive
to resident fish propagation and also cause stream turbulence which
induces aeration of the water.
15
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2. Hydrology and Streamflow Frequency Analysis
The average annual discharge of the Walla Walla River below
the Touchet River confluence was 567 cfs (410,500 acre-feet per
year) during the 1952 through 1964 period. Estimates of flows in
Mill Creek at Walla Walla, in the Walla Walla River below the
Touchet River, and at the proposed damsites are shown in APPENDIX A,
Tables A-l. A-2. A-3, and A-4. These tables were prepared using
available surface water records published by the U. S. Geological
Survey and information furnished by the Bureau of Reclamation.
Gaging stations are shown on the Location Map (inside back cover).
Flows at the Mill Creek damsite averaged 112 cfs during the
1940 through 1964 period. Most of the runoff takes place in the
winter with only 10 percent of the annual yield occurring between
July and October. Streamflows at the damsite have averaged about
35 cfs during August and September. Irrigation diversions reduce
this flow to less than 4 cfs near the moutli of Mill Creek.
The combined flows of the North and South Forks of the Walla
Walla River, which make up the flow at the proposed Joe West site,
range from a low of 107 cfs during the months of August and Septem-
ber to a high of 430 cfs in April. Mean flow, as determined from
recorded flows for the period 1930 through 1963, is 225 cfs.
During the irrigation season, essentially all available stream-
flow is diverted to the Little Walla Walla River at Milton-Free-
water. The main stem is dry for several miles below this point,
although under normal conditions, flows increase north of the State
line as a result of irrigation return flows. If all existing water
rights in the basin were exercised, this dry-stream condition in
the Walla Walla River would prevail down to the vicinity of Mill
Creek.
In addition to irrigation withdrawals, considerable streamflow
is lost to an alluvial fan of permeable gravels which underlies
this area. These gravels are exposed throughout a 3/4-mile reach
located immediately downstream from Milton-Freewater. It has been
estimated that up to 60 cfs is lost to this ground water aquifer,
resulting in a dry stream as early as May and extending into the
month of November.
Low flow frequency analyses, with recurrence intervals of 5,
10, and 20 years, were performed for Mill Creek at the damsite and
at Walla Walla, and for the Walla Walla River at the Joe West dam-
site and below the mouth of the Touchet using the mean monthly
flows of record at each of the locations. These estimated flows
are presented in APPENDIX A, Tables A-5. A-6. A-7. and A-8. The
16
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mean annual low flows, on a one-in-ten year frequency basis, at the
Mill Creek and Joe West damsites are 74 and 176 cfs, respectively.
The minimum monthly one-in-ten year low flow for Mill Creek at
Walla Walla and for Walla Walla River below the mouth of the
Touchet are 2 and 6 cfs, respectively. These flows normally occur
in August.
3. Quality of Water Available
Surface water quality problems in the upper Mill Creek Water-
shed are limited to excessive turbidity and vegetative color during
short periods of high runoff in the early spring. Water above the
site is generally low in mineral content and essentially free of
man-caused bacterial pollution. About 35 square miles of National
forest land in the upper basin have been closed to livestock and
trespassing to protect Walla Walla's municipal supply. Water im-
pounded in the proposed reservoir, therefore, is expected to be of
adequate quality for all planned uses, including domestic supply.
During the past few years, the water quality of lower Mill
Creek has received considerable attention, as excessive industrial
wastes discharged during the summer at Walla Walla have caused
oxygen deficiency and algae problems. Despite attempts to improve
the waste treatment provided at Walla Walla, this reach has been
characterized by offensive odors and by heavy slime growths which
interfere with irrigation use of the waters. Even with improved
treatment of the high summertime waste loads, periods of zero
dissolved oxygen still occur in lower Mill Creek. In addition, a
substantial diurnal fluctuation in the dissolved oxygen is caused
by profuse algae.
The watershed above the proposed Joe West Dam is similar in
nature to the upper reaches of Mill Creek. Surface water is low
in hardness, low in dissolved solids, and generally suitable for
municipal supply
with minimal treat-
south Fork Walla Walla River, Washington-Oregon ment. Analytical
sS^TS \aximun - results presented
Concentration Xeconmcndod .. - _ TAHTTT W 1 nf a
St.bsea-.cc _ (ms/1) _ Concentration^' ln LAOU!' V L OI *
-,.., ..ardncss as caco.. 27 soft^ sample collected in
a^.ics.i-T as caco3 i? July 1962 from the
ro.ai alkalinity as CaCO, 33 . , _
ciiondos as ci 3 2 250 Mil ton-Freewater
:,. :> j:U!, as so 9 250 water supply demon-
silica as S.O, 30 -- rr J
roi as To * Trace 0.3 StratC the gOOd
ca"on *Mldt (C(V 2 5 ~ quality of these
~ waters.
S. Public Health Service, Drinking Water Standards, 1962.
rgos of less than SO mg/1 as CaCO. defined as soft.
17
-------
TO WALLA WALLA
CITY CENTER
Location of Sampling Stations-Walla Walla Stream Survey, '1966
Figure 2
SEWAGE TRHTMEHT PLMIT.
»T*TIOH g^
Notf
Somplti ceiitcttd On
Junt 22-29.1966
Diurnal Variation
in Dissolved Oxy-
gen, % Saturation
Figure 3
Stream surveys on Mill
Creek and lower Walla Walla
River were conducted in
1966. The location of
sampling points, and the
results of the survey are
shown on FIGURES 2. 3. and
4.. In June, organic waste
loads caused a maximum
recorded 5-day bio-chemical
oxygen demand (BOD) of 325
mg/1 (see Table B-l, APPEN-
DIX). Additional water
quality data is included in
APPENDIX B.
18
-------
It is apparent from FIGURE 4 that wastes discharged at Walla
Walla have a profound effect on the water quality of Mill Creek.
The dissolved oxygen (DO) is rapidly depleted below the sewage
treatment plant and usually drops to a concentration of less than
2 mg/1. In the 5-mile reach of Mill Creek between the treatment
plant and Station No. 7, however, self-purification creates suffi-
cient oxidation of organic wastes to prevent adverse effects further
downstream in the Walla Walla River. The sizable oxygen demand
experienced in Mill Creek occurs to some extent throughout the
season of greatest irrigation withdrawals (April-September), but
especially during the pea-processing season (June and July) as a
result of increased waste loadings. Mill Creek normally has enough
streamflow during the winter and spring months (November-May) to
maintain adequate water quality.
Walla Walla River
5s-
§3-
Mill Creek
-30O
O| Not« curvet Sho* average
"I Of Five Ooily Mrf-
I Day Samplaa
June Z0to30, 1966
Point Of Woit«_
Discharge
a
o
oo
765 43
STATIONS ON MILL CREEK AND WALLA WALLA RIVER
Quality of Waste Receiving Waters
Figure 4
The phosphate and nitrate concentrations shown in Table B-2
(APPENDIX) are in excess of threshold limits for prevention of the
overstimulation of nuisance aquatic organisms.
Table B-3, APPENDIX, presents data collected on the lower
Walla Walla River near Touchet from 1962 to 1965. The chemical
composition of the water remained reasonably uniform during periods
of high and medium stages of discharge. Specific conductance
19
-------
ranged from 83 to 836 micromhos per cm. The river transported
49,000 tons of dissolved solids past the sampling point during the
1960 water year.
In terms of sanitary quality, surface waters in the upper
portion of the study area are considered to be relatively unpol-
luted. The only significant source of contamination is the waste
treatment plant at Walla Walla. Treated municipal and industrial
wastes discharged to Mill Creek in 1964 were reported to contain
coliform and enterococcus bacteria in quantities sufficient to
render the stream undesirable for several uses including (1) drink-
ing water, (2) stock watering, especially milk cows, (3) irrigation
of vegetables, berries, or fruits that may be eaten raw, and
(4) swimming or bathing (see Table B-4, APPENDIX).
Bacterial pollution of the Walla Walla River near Touchet is
variable but often reaches serious levels. For 11 samples collect-
ed near Touchet at approximately monthly intervals beginning in
July 1959, the most probable number of coliform bacteria (MPN) per
100 ml ranged from 430 to more than 150,000. These values exceed
the limit for safe swimming, and the higher values represent a
potential health hazard to fishermen. For domestic supply purposes,
water from this source would require the treatment of coagulation,
sedimentation, filtration and disinfection.
Headwater streams in the Walla Walla Basin have relatively
cool water in the summer. Short-term thermograph observations
near Milton-Freewater indicate maximum temperatures of 63, 62 and
56°F in July, August and September, respectively. Mill Creek
stream temperatures below Walla Walla were found to be as high as
78°F (25.5°C) in June 1966 (Table B-l. APPENDIX). A three-year
record of daily afternoon water temperatures near Touchet is
summarized in the APPENDIX (Table B-5). The highest and lowest
values recorded are 94°F and 31°F, respectively. The highest
average monthly temperature was 80°F and occurred in July.
B. GROUNDWATER
1. Quantity
Walla Walla and Milton-Freewater are located at the head of
large alluvial fans where Mill Creek and the Walla Walla River
flow out of the Blue Mountains. These fans, composed mostly of
coarse gravels, are recharged by precipitation, by surface streams,
and by irrigation waste water. Groundwater levels rise materially
during the irrigation season.
The study area is underlain at depth by the Columbia River
Basalt Formation. The basalt aquifer is recharged by rainwater
20
-------
and snowmelt in mountainous areas where the formation is exposed
to the surface, and by percolation from overlying sedimentary
deposits. Most groundwater obtained from the basalt is used for
municipal and industrial purposes.
About 48,000 acre-feet of groundwater from the gravel and
16,000 acre-feet from the basalt is pumped annually for irrigation,
industrial, domestic, and public use. Annual recharge of aquifers
underlying the basin is estimated to be about 300,000 acre-feet,
much greater than the present groundwater withdrawal, although
local overdrafts do occur. An estimated 500,000 acre-feet of water
is stored in the old gravel and in the saturated top 100 feet of
the basalt. Pumping lifts are commonly less than 200 feet.
2. Quality
The groundwaters of the Walla Walla River Basin generally are
of excellent chemical quality. With few exceptions, the sources
sampled yield water that is low in dissolved solids, soft to moder-
ately hard, and relatively free of troublesome trace elements (see
Table B-6. APPENDIX).
It has been recommended by local health officials that water
from shallow wells in the study area should not be used for domestic
purposes without first receiving proper disinfection. A survey by
the Umatilla County Health Department in the winter of 1962-63
disclosed bacteriological contamination of the shallow wells along
Dry Creek northwest of Milton-Freewater. Individual samples over
a period of years indicate that the shallow wells in this entire
area are either contaminated or in danger of contamination. The
sources of contamination are judged to be feed lots, barnyards,
septic tanks, etc.
Because of the faulting and jointing characteristics of the
Columbia River basalt, even deep wells in the Milton-Freewater area
are endangered by contamination from seepage of polluted surface
water into the aquifers. For this reason, all water drawn from
deep wells should also be disinfected before use.
21
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VI. THE ECONOMY
A. GENERAL
The demand for water for municipal and industrial purposes, and
the amount and character of waste waters resulting from such uses
are determined largely by the activities associated with a region's
economic base. The purpose of this section is to present economic
and demographic data for use in projecting the water needs for
municipal and industrial purposes and for estimating the future
amounts and types of waste material that may be expected to enter
stream waters of the Walla Walla River system.
The economic base study area for this report includes all of
Walla Walla County, Washington, and that part of the northeastern
portion of Umatilla County, Oregon, included in the 1960 U. S.
Census County Divisions of Athena, Umapine, Crockett, Upper Walla
Walla, and Weston. These political divisions correspond very
closely to the physical boundaries of the Walla Walla River Basin.
B. PRESENT
1. Economic Activities
The economy of the study area depends largely on agriculture
and food processing. Although grains occupy the greatest acreage,
the most important crop is green peas, upon which a substantial food
processing industry in Walla Walla is based.
Development of agriculture in the study area in recent years
has been uneventful. Farm consolidation was apparent, with the
total number of farms reduced 10.9 percent between 1954 and 1959 in
Walla Walla County. The amount of land in farms and of crop land
harvested remained almost unchanged between 1954 and 1959, with
greater per-acre output providing increased production without any
reduction in fallowing. The amount of pasture land was essentially
unchanged, and the number of acres irrigated increased by 4,300 or
13.2 percent.
In terms of crop patterns, grain plantings declined, with some
increase for barley failing to offset the lesser acreage devoted to
oats and wheat. Cattle populations of the two counties were stable
from 1954 to 1959, and the number of sheep roughly doubled.
22
-------
TABLE VI-1 summarizes agricultural data for Walla Walla County.
TABLE VI-1
AGRICULTURE AND LAND USE PATTERNS
WALLA WALLA COUNTY, 1959 i'
Number of Farms 981
Land in Farms (acres) 822,729
Average Size of Farms (acres) 838.7
Land Irrigated (acres) 37,296
Crop Land Harvested (acres) 279,538
Not Harvested & Not Pastured (acres) 239,328
Crop Land Pastured 29,061
All Other Pasture (acres) 234,625
ACRES DEVOTED TO PRINCIPAL CROPS
Winter Wheat 152,893
Barley 62,554
Green Peas 16,286
Spring Wheat & Other Grains 17,513
Hay 15,186
Field Seeds 5,119
Sugar Beets 4,214
Vegetables (incl. Potatoes) 5,122
Dry Peas 4,234
Orchards & Berries 237
LIVESTOCK POPULATIONS
Cattle & Calves 26,829
Hogs & Figs 7,238
Sheep & Lambs 23,263
£' U. S. Census of Agriculture.
A vigorous food processing industry is dependent on the
agricultural output of the Walla Walla Basin. Six large plants in
the basin freeze or can peas and other vegetables grown in the
area, and at the peak of the season over 4,000 people are employed
by the food processors.
23
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Food processing is highly seasonal, with activity beginning to
rise in the second quarter of the year and peak employment occurring
during June and July, near the harvest time for peas. Introduction
of other vegetable products creates a second, but more limited
focus of activity in the early fall.
Service industries have reached an unusual level of develop-
ment for a resource-oriented region. At Walla Walla, the Veterans'
Hospital, State Penitentiary, and Whitman College are responsible
to a considerable degree for the high ratio of service employment.
Both transportation and retail trade provide employment at levels
somewhat beyond what would appear to be required by the population
of the area. This may probably be ascribed to relative inefficien-
cies of distribution in an area of relatively low population density,
as well as the need to transport a large amount of bulk materials
originating in the agricultural and food processing sector of the
economy.
Pulp and paper production is of importance to Walla Walla
County, but is centered at Wallula, Washington, outside the study
area. Forest lands of the region are utilized by local sawmills
in Mill Creek Watershed area to produce merchantable timber and
pulp logs for rail shipment to mills.
2. Population
As shown in TABLE VI-2, population in the study area rose
rapidly between 1940 and 1950, but growth slowed sharply in the
next decade. Between 1950 and 1960 there was a decline in the
number of rural residents and population growth slowed perceptibly
in the towns.
TABLE VI-2
POPU1ATION GROWTH, 1940-1960£'
STUDY AREA
Region
Walla Walla Area
Rural Washington
Milton-Freeuater
Western
Rural Oregon
Population
1940
19
4
2
5
,381
,903
,569
489
,377
1950
27
5
2
5
,276
,800
,843
679
,405
I960
31
4
4
5
,765
,550
,110
783
,015
Annual
1940-50
3
I
0
3
0
5
6
9
3
Growth Rate (7.)
1950-60
1
-2
3
I
-0
6
5
8
4
.8
1940-60
2 5
-0 4
2 4
2 4
-0 4
Study Area 32,719 42,003 46,223 25 1.0 17
Oregon Slate . . 3.3 1 6 2 3
Washington State 31 18 25
a/ U S Census of Population, 1950 and 1960
24
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3. Land Uses
The level of irrigation development in Walla Walla and Umatilla
Counties is not high compared to other Pacific Northwest agricult-
ural areas.
Irrigation practices in the two counties differ, to some extent,
from one another. For example, in 1959, about 40 percent of the
irrigation in Umatilla County was accomplished by use of sprinklers,
whereas in Walla Walla County 65 percent was by sprinklers. In
1959, Umatilla County organizations provided water to 24,700 acres
and cooperated with other farm supplies to irrigate another 12,200
acres. An additional 8,000 acres in Umatilla County were irrigated
with farm groundwater, 6,700 acres were irrigated with farm surface
water, and 4,700 acres were irrigated by a combination of ground
and surface water. In Walla Walla County, irrigation organizations
provided water for only 7,100 acres, while 8,000 acres were irrigated
with farm groundwater, 4,600 acres with farm surface water, and
8,800 acres with a combination of ground and surface water from farm
sources.
C. FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH
The future expansion of the economic base of the study area is
presumed to follow trends already in effect. Agriculture is expected
to provide a significant portion of the region's total output.
Greater use of land of less than highest agricultural capability,
more intensive utilization of crop land presently in fallow, and
additional irrigation in the future is expected to make large scale
increases in agricultural output possible. Crop patterns are
expected to demonstrate increasing attention to vegetables and
forage, with decreasing acreage in food grains. A marked increase
in potato growing, for which the area is well suited, is a distinct
possibility.
Based on the area's ability to increase agricultural output,
further expansion of food processing is anticipated. Growth in the
output of food products in this area relates to national population,
since the bulk of regional production is sold in national markets.
On this basis, gross output is predicted to rise at a rate in excess
of the rate of national population growth (i.e., about 1.8 percent
per year, based on U. S. Census Bureau projections of population).
Production is expected to continue to stress the same types of
vegetables now produced in the area, with mora attention in the
future to later-maturing vegetables to balance out the seasonal
production pattern enforced by peas. Additional irrigation, inship-
25
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merits, cold storage of raw materials, continuing shift of food
production from urbanizing California to the Pacific Northwest
regions are all calculated to enter into the equation suggesting
output growth at a rate greater than that of population increase
and over an extended processing season. The appearance of potato
processing is possible. Employment is forecast to increase at the
same rate as production.
Growth of other manufacturing is not expected to be substantial,
since the study area lacks other natural resources and is distant
from major market areas.
Construction employment, abnormally high for several decades
as a result of a series of major public works, must be expected to
come closer to levels which the local economy can maintain. How-
ever, the relatively undeveloped nature of the region suggests a
level of construction somewhat higher than the national average.
It appears that services are adequately represented in the
study area and that the service ratio is not likely to rise in the
immediate future. Increased population and urbanization, together
with the national trend to greater concentrations of services, is
expected to increase the service ratio slightly in the 1980-2020
period.
These production factors are summarized, in terms of their
projected impact on the labor force, in TABLE VI-3.
TABLE VI-3
DISTRIBUTION OF LABOR FORCE
WALLA WALLA STUDY AREA, WASHINGTON-OREGON
Industry Number Employed (thousands)
1960 1980 2000 2020
Agriculture, Forestry,
Fisheries & Mining 2.6 2.4 2.3 2.3
Construction 1.8 1.6 2.0 2.6
0.7 0.9
0.6 0.7
2.9 3.9
1.6 2.0
23.0 30.8
1.3 1.7
34.4 44.9
26
Manufacturing:
Lumber & Products ....
Pulp & Paper
All Other
Labor Force
. . . 05
. . . . 00
08
20.9
0 6
0 4
2 0
I I
16 3
1 0
25.6
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D. FUTURE POPULATION
TABLE VI-4 shows the present and projected distribution of
population in the study area. The rural portion of the study area
population was forecast to remain constant on the strength of the
number of employment opportunities to counter declining agricultur-
al employment--notably the pulp and paper mill at Wallula. The
projection of population is based on the assumption that the ratio
of the area's labor force to total population will be the same as
the national ratio in 1960.
TABLE VI-4
DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION
WALLA WALLA STUDY AREA. WASHINGTON-OREGON
Population
Location 1960 1980 2000 2020
Mill Creek Watershed Area:
Walla Walla 24,536 34,920 50,670 67,350
Suburban Walla Walla 3,200 4,550 6,610 8,780
College Place 4,031 5,730 8,320 11,070
Upper Walla Walla Basin Area:
Milton-Freewater 4,110 4,900 8,400 12,500
Weston 783 1,100 1,800 2,700
Rural Area 9,000 8,000 8,000 8,000
TOTAL 45,660 59,200 83,800 110,400
27
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VII. WATER REQUIREMENTS
Municipal & Industrial
A. GENERAL
Data on past and present municipal and industrial water use
and projections of future needs are included in the "Mill Creek
Project" report prepared by this office for the USAGE in December
1965. The information contained in that report has been summarized
and is presented in this chapter in a condensed form.
B. PRESENT WATER USE
In 1962, the cities of Walla Walla, College Place, Milton-
Freewater, and Weston were served by municipal water systems.
These systems also provided water for industrial use.
Walla Walla and Milton-Freewater use both surface and ground-
water sources for their M&I supply. For Walla Walla, Mill Creek
furnishes the primary supply which is supplemented by pumping from
wells during peak use periods or when the quality of Mill Creek
water does not permit its use. In Milton-Freewater, wells furnish
the primary supply, which is supplemented by surface flows from
South Fork Walla Walla during peak demand periods. The cities of
College Place and Weston obtain their supplies from wells only.
Municipal and industrial water use in the study area in 1962
(see TABLE VII-1) averaged about 18 mgd (20,150 acre-feet annually),
TABLE VII-1
AVERAGE MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WATER USE, 1962
WALLA WALLA STUDY AREA, WASHINGTON-OREGON
(mgd)
Location Municipal Industrial Total
Mill Creek Watershed Area:
Walla Walla 9.1 3.0 12.1
College Place 0.7 0.0 0.7
Upper Walla Walla Basin Area:
Milton-Freewater
Weston
TOTAL 12.15 5.81 17.96
28
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C. FUTURE WATER REQUIREMENTS
Projections of future municipal and industrial water demands,
summarized by service areas, are summarized in TABLE VII-2.
TABLE VII-2
PROJECTED MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WATER DEMAND
WALLA WALLA STUDY AREA. WASHINGTON-OREGON
1980
2000
2020
Location
mgd Ac-Ft. mgd Ac-Ft. mgd Ac-Ft.
Mill Creek Watershed Area:
Walla Walla 17.1
College Place 1.2
Upper Walla Walla Basin Area:
Milton-Freewater 6.8
Weston 1.6
19,150 24.3 27,200 32.6 36,500
1,350 1.7 1,900 2.2 2,460
7,620 10.6 11,870 14.6 16,350
1,790 2.5 2.800 3.8 4.250
TOTAL
26.7 29,910 39.1 43,770 53.2 59,560
The groundwater supplies at College Place, Milton-Freewater,
and Weston are considered adequate to meet the M&I needs of these
cities throughout the study period. The developed sources at
Walla Walla; however, are inadequate to meet future needs of that
city. The city of Walla Walla has expressed interest in obtaining
supplemental water from the Mill Creek Reservoir.
29
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VIII. WATER QUALITY CONTROL
A. NEED FOR CONTROL
1. General
Surface waters, in addition to being used consumptively for
municipal and industrial supply, irrigation, and stock watering,
are used instream for fish and game propagation, recreation, and
the disposal of wastes from various sources. Stream waters in
lower basin areas receive, and at times consist almost entirely of,
M&I waste effluent, return flows and drainage water from irrigated
lands.
2. Irrigation
More water is used for irrigation in the basin than for any
other purpose, although the demand is not high compared to other
agricultural areas in the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 46,000
acres are presently being irrigatedabout 60 percent of which lie
within the Milton-Freewater Division. The net consumptive use in
the basin has been estimated to be between 1.9 and 2.6 acre-feet
per acre, or a total average annual consumptive use of about 104,000
acre-feet.
Essentially all of the natural summer flow of streams in the
area is allocated to, and presently used for, irrigation. In
addition, groundwater use exceeds 50,000 acre-feet per year. At
present, sprinkler irrigation is practiced on more than half of
the irrigated acreage. This ratio is expected to increase in the
future, resulting in more efficient use of the available water.
According to agricultural standards, the mineral quality of water,
including irrigation return flows that are available in lower
portions of the basin, is suitable for irrigation use.
3. Municipal and Industrial Water Supply
Water from surface sources in the study area serves about
28,000 persons and a number of food processing industries. The
chemical quality of water used for M&I supply is generally within
the limits of the U. S. Public Health Service Drinking Water
Standards.
4. Fisheries
Steelhead trout are the only anadromous fish presently in
the Walla Walla Basin. It has been estimated that a total of
30
-------
5,000 steelhead return to the basin each year. Formerly, spring
chinook, fall chinook, and coho salmon were present; however, low
flows and degraded water quality have eliminated these species.
Steelhead survive because their migrations occur during high river
flows.
Resident game fish include rainbow and Dolly Varden trout,
mountain whitefish, smallmouth bass and catfish. Fish habitat in
the lower parts of the basin is poor because of high turbidity,
high water temperatures, low summer flows, and excessive waste dis-
charges to the stream.
Fishery agencies have stated that the Walla Walla River could
support additional steelhead and other salmonid fish runs if water
of satisfactory quality and quantity were available and if facilities
were provided to pass fish over the existing Mill Creek diversion
dam and over any new dams to be constructed. Full development of
the basin's capabilities for fish propagation would increase the
estimated steelhead spawning population to a total of 6,500 fish.
Spring chinook and coho salmon populations would reach a total of
approximately 900 fish.
5. Recreation
Except for sport fishing, riverside recreational activities
have limited development potential in the Walla Walla Basin. Most
waters in the lower portion of the basin are not suitable for wading
due to high bacterial concentrations, murkiness of the water, and
excessive aquatic growths. Boating, swimming, and similar water-
oriented activities take place in the Columbia River near Wallula.
The construction of the proposed storage reservoirs may stimulate
these activities in the upper basin. The condition and aesthetic
attractiveness of Mill Creek and the Walla Walla River are import-
ant assets to the setting of Whitman National Monument, which is
located near the Mill Creek confluence.
B. MUNICIPAL, INDUSTRIAL, AND AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION
1. Present Municipal
At the present time, all communities in the basin provide
secondary treatment of their waste waters and all except Milton-
Freewater discharge to surface streams (see TABLE VIII-1). Part
of the effluent from Walla Walla, College Place and Milton-Freewater
is discharged to irrigation systems during summer months. The
total population served by the municipal plants in the basin is
over 36,000, with an estimated overall treatment efficiency above
85 percent.
31
-------
TABLE VIII-1
PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF MUNICIPAL WASTES
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON-OREGON
Communi ty
Estimated
Sewered
Population
1960
Mill Creek Watershed Area:
Walla Walla
27,700
College Place
4,000
Upper Walla Walla Basin Area;
Milton-Freewater 4,100
We ston
800
Type of Treatment
Secondary treatment (two stage,
high and standard-rate trickling
filters), chlorination, and dis-
charge to Mill Creek and/or irri-
gation systems.
Secondary treatment (two stage,
high rate trickling filter) and
chlorination. Effluent discharged
to Walla Walla River December-
April and to irrigation systems
May-November.
Secondary treatment (single stage,
standard rate trickling filter),
chlorination, and discharge to
irrigation system.
Secondary treatment (single stage,
high rate trickling filter), chlori-
nation, and discharge to Pine Creek.
For the purpose of computing flow requirements for quality
control, a factor of 1.25 was applied to the urban population to
approximate the total municipal waste load reaching the river.
This increase accounts for wastes which are difficult to measure,
such as those emanating from domestic garbage grinders, commercial
and light industrial plants, uncontrolled domestic sources located
near the streams, and urban drainage.
32
-------
2. Future Municipal
In projecting waste loads for the area, it is assumed that all
municipal wastes would continue to receive secondary treatment or
its equivalent for 85 percent BOD removal. This treatment require-
ment is considered reasonable for the Walla Walla Basin. It is
further assumed that the present pattern of using treated waste
water for irrigation purposes would continue throughout the study
period.
TABLE VII1-2 shows projected waste loads for each major com-
munity during the critical summer months. Wastes at Walla Walla are
assumed to receive adequate treatment (85 percent BOD removal)
before discharge to Mill Creek. Also, because streamflow in Pine
Creek is usually less than one cfs during the summer, Weston's
treated municipal waste waters will soon be used for spray irrigation.
TABLE VIII-2
MAXIMUM MONTHLY MUNICIPAL WASTE LOADINGS
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON-OREGON
(1,000 Population Equivalents)
Area
Walla Walla
College Place
Milton-Freewater
Wes ton
TOTAL
Raw
1980
49.3
7.2
6.1
1.4
64.0
Load
2000
71.6
10.4
10.5
2.2
94.7
Treated Load
2020
95.2
13.8
15.6
3.5
128.1
1980
7.4
0
0
0
7.4
2000
10.7
0
0
0
10.7
2020
14.3
0
0
0
14.3
3. Present Industrial
Industrial wastes in the study area result mostly from food
processing and are highly variable in strength and volume. Except
at Walla Walla, essentially all of these wastes are used for spray
irrigation or discharged to non-overflowing lagoons.
In 1962, a separate industrial sewer and treatment plant was
constructed at Walla Walla to serve three local food processors.
The plant consists of two high-rate trickling filters operated in
parallel. Some of the industrial wastes are treated in the municipal
plant. Effluents from both plants discharge to Mill Creek and/or
33
-------
to irrigation systems. There are no major industries at College
Place.
At Milton-Freewater, three food processing plants discharge
untreated wastes to an irrigation system which also receives the
municipal treatment plant effluent. No wastes are discharged
directly to the Walla Walla River in this area. At Weston, cooling
water and food processing wastes are distributed over 230 acres
of land just west of town. Excess flow and runoff drain into
several lagoons near Fine Creek. It is estimated that daily loads
to Fine Creek from this source presently amount to about 180 PE.
The total raw waste production in the study area fluctuates
widely from year to year, depending on the volume of peas harvested.
Average monthly waste production during the pea-processing season
(mid-June through July) has averaged 450,000 PE in recent years,
although daily peaks of 600,000 to 800,000 PEs have been recorded.
At Walla Walla, where about 50 percent of this industrial load is
generated, an overall efficiency of about 75 percent BOD removal,
in terms of waste received in Mill Creek, can be achieved with
present waste treatment and with partial disposal of effluents
to land. Irrigation districts in the vicinity of the treatment
plant have the right, but are not obligated, to utilize up to 11
cfs (7.1 mgd), or about half, of the total treatment plant efflu-
ent.
4. Future Industrial
Future industrial waste projections, presented in TABLE VIII-3
are seasonal averages. These loads fluctuate widely and during
some years will be double the averages used herein for design
purposes. It is anticipated that industrial waste treatment methods
will be progressively improved to the point that a BOD reduction
efficiency of at least 85 percent will be achieved within the study
period at Walla Walla. Continued disposal of waste waters to land
is indicated in the Milton-Freewater and Weston areas.
5. Agricultural
Agricultural wastes contribute a recognizable portion of the
organic and mineral pollutants to surface waters of the study area.
Numerous livestock facilities such as feedlots, dairies, sheds and
pastures are located adjacent to the basin's streams and drainage
canals. The 60,000 cattle, hogs, and sheep presently in the area
produce an estimated waste load of 200,000 PE. An estimated five
percent, or 10,000 PE, of this agricultural waste reaches the
waterways. Return flow from irrigation is another source of
quality degradation that cannot be overlooked, especially during
the season of low natural streamflow. Studies on return flow in
34
-------
TABLE VIII-3
MAXIMUM MONTHLY INDUSTRIAL WASTE LOADINGS*
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON-OREGON
(1,000 Population Equivalents)
. Raw Load Treated Load
1980 2000 2020 1980 2000 2020
Walla Walla 380 570 835
lilton-Freewater 210 315 460
Weston 140 210 310
TOTAL 730 1,095 1,605 28.5 42.8 62.6
* Waste production during pea-processing season (between mid-June
and end of July).
Note: One half of the waste load at Walla Walla is assumed disposed
of by means of spray irrigation and the balance given adequate
treatment (85 percent BOD removal).
other areas show that significant BOD concentrations occur in these
drains. Nutrients are suspected of promoting excessive aquatic
growths.
In estimating future stream loadings originating from agri-
cultural sources, these wastes are considered proportional to, and
are accounted for in, the municipal waste projections.
C. WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
The quality of stream waters can be described in terms of
temperature, turbidity, chemical constituents, bacteriological
quality, DO-BOD relationships, and others. The significance of
several of these quality indicators was discussed in Chapter V.
For the purpose of this report, consideration has been given prim-
arily to those aspects of water quality which could be improved
and maintained most effectively by streamflow regulation. On the
basis of the several present and anticipated water us'es noted in
Section A, dissolved oxygen is selected as the governing criteria
to determine the need for and value of storage for quality control
purposes.
The highest uses of the basin's streams would be protected by
35
-------
maintaining a minimum DO concentration of 6 mg/1. This level of
control would insure conditions suitable for complete multiple use
of the basin's streams, including quality requirements for passage
of anadromous fish and for the propagation of resident fish. Main*
tenance of 6 mg/1 in critical stream reaches would result in higher
DO concentrations further upstream and would thereby promote a
more suitable environment for fish spawning and rearing. Flow
regulation for maintenance of DO at 6 mg/1 would also control
stream temperatures to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, a condition favorable
for the re-establishment of the salmonid fishery.
An objective of 2 mg/1 is generally recognized to be the
minimum DO concentration necessary to prevent gross nuisance,
health hazards, or degradation of the stream's aesthetic values.
This level will not guarantee the support of desirable fish and
aquatic life within the critical stream reach, but it will shorten
this critical reach and provide more rapid recovery of the stream
through the natural process of self-purification. Such waters
could become septic when diverted to irrigation ditches where
reaeration would probably be less than in the stream.
Streamflows for maintenance of dissolved oxygen at 4 mg/1
would provide significantly greater protection and control of
aesthetic conditions and other values along the stream. Additional
capacity to control day-to-day fluctuations in waste treatment
efficiencies and to receive uncontrolled urban and rural runoff
would be provided. Control at this level would also provide short-
term benefits in terms of added protection during lag periods when
waste treatment efficiencies are being brought up to design stand-
ards. Recreational opportunities and a put-and-take fishery
program might also be made possible, particularly during interim
years. Stream temperatures would be more favorable for fishlife
(less than 70 degrees Fahrenheit) and the present steelhead run in
the Touchet River would be assured greater protection.
For purposes of this study, a minimum DO objective of 5 mg/1
in Mill Creek and the lower reaches of the Walla Walla River has
been adopted. This objective agrees with the Washington Pollution
Control Commission's program for maintenance of water quality in
the Walla Walla River Basin. Although full benefit will not be
realized by establishing a DO objective of 5 mg/1, with advancement
in waste treatment technology, it may be possible at some time in
the future to achieve a quality suitable for development of a more
widespread resident fishery or an anadromous fishery.
D. FLOW REGULATION
The "Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 466b(b))"
provides that storage for regulation of streamflow for the purpose
36
-------
of water quality control shall not be provided as a substitute for
adequate treatment or other methods of controlling waste at the
source. Adequate treatment is considered by the FWPCA to mean
effective waste collection and secondary treatment for domestic
wastes and equivalent reduction of industrial waste loads by a
combination of process control, internal waste savings, water reuse
and effluent treatment. At the present time, efficiently operated
trickling filter plants, widely used in intermediate size communities,
are considered capable to 80 to 90 percent BOD removal, while acti-
vated sludge is considered capable of 85 to 95 percent removal.
Despite the effect of diurnal fluctuations in waste loads, problems
of efficient operation to maintain such high removals, probability
of lags in plant construction to keep abreast of growth in waste
loads, and urban storm water and/or combined sewer overflows, it is
considered reasonable to expect that well-operated treatment systems
will maintain an overall BOD removal efficiency of at least 85
percent.
Regulation necessary to achieve the specified quality objectives
in the Walla Walla River Basin is based on streamflows required to
assimilate projected organic waste loads to be discharged to basin
streams. The provision of adequate treatment of all collectible
wastes has been assumed in establishing the waste loads to be
assimilated by these streams. The projected waste loads are
summarized in TABLE VII1-4 and, as indicated, only the community of
Walla Walla discharges treated wastes to the basin's surface waters.
TABLE VIII-4
MAXIMUM MONTHLY M&I WASTE LOADS
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON-OREGON
(1,000 Population Equivalents)
Raw Load
Area
Walla Walla
College Place
Milton-Freewater
We s ton
TOTAL
1980
429.3
7.2
216.1
141.4
794.0
2000
641.6
10.4
325.5
212.2
1189.7
2020
930.2
13.8
475.6
313.5
1733.1
Treated Load
1980
35.9
0
0
0
35.9
2000
53.5
0
0
0
53.5
2020
76.9
0
0
0
76.9
The load projected to be discharged at Walla Walla is based on
attaining on 85% reduction of BOD in both domestic and industrial
wastes, and disposing of one half the treated industrial wastes
through spray irrigation.
-------
Streamflows required to maintain the desired objectives under
1980, 2000, and 2020 conditions were computed by means of a tech-
nique for balancing the oxygen supply with oxygen consumed in the
stream.
300
250
o
o
UJ
a:
200
150
100-
50-
0J
MILL CREEK B LOWER
WALLA WALLA RIVER
MILL CREEK
23456
DISSOLVED OXYGEN, m.g /I.
REQUIRED FLOW vs. DO
FIGURE 5 shows the
increasing flow required
to meet dissolved oxygen
objectives of 2 mg/1
through 6 mg/1 in the
critical reach of Mill
Creek and the downstream
portion of the Walla
Walla River. These curves
are based on average waste
loads discharged to the
stream after adequate
treatment during July of
each design year. Flow
requirements are less in
other months. During
winter and spring, when
requirements are minimal,
a flow of 10 cfs is
needed to maintain ade-
quate quality.
FIGURES
Storage volumes to provide flow regulation for quality control
throughout the specified range of DO objectives are presented in
FIGURES 6 and 7_, on the following page. These are the annual
drafts-on-storage needed to augment the unregulated streamflow
available on an average monthly one-in-ten year low-flow frequency
basis.
The one-in-ten year frequency, which would assure meeting
quality goals in nine out of ten years, would be expected to pro-
vide adequate protection of stream uses. When minimum flows of
lesser frequency occur, flow regulation will substantially decrease
water quality degradation. Because nearly all of the basin runoff
is consumed during July and August, the difference between stream-
flows expected to occur once-in-ten years (average 10 cfs) and
once-in-twenty years (average 7 cfs) is not significant compared to
the flow required for quality control (see FIGURE 5). For this
38
-------
50
LU
UJ
5 <»o
u.
o
o-
o
o
£20-1
cc
Z 10-
o
g
MILL CREEK a LOWER
WALLA WALLA RIVER
3456
DISSOLVED OXYGEN, m.g/l
STORAGE vs DO
FIGURES
LjJUJ
OUJ
-------
TABLE VIII-5
REQUIRED STREAMFLOW REGIMEN FOR QUALITY CONTROL PURPOSES
WITH DISSOLVED OXYGEN OBJECTIVE OF 5 mg/1*
MILL CREEK AND LOWER WALLA WALLA RIVER, WASHINGTON
YEAR 2020
Required
Streamflow
Month (cfs)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
ANNUAL AVERAGE
ANNUAL TOTAL
10
13
13
25
23
91
205
205
112
69
38
13
68
Base
Flow**
(cfs)
350
605
570
560
385
87
13
6
14
46
97
335
255
Estimated
Release Schedule
(cfs)
0
0
0
0
0
5
195
200
100
25
0
0
(mgd)
0
0
0
0
0
3
126
129
65
16
0
0
Draft-on-
Storage***
(Acre-Feet)
300
11,600
11,900
5,950
1,490
31,240
* Based on adequate treatment of organic wastes discharged to stream.
** Streamflow available at the mouth of the Walla Walla River on an
average monthly one-in-ten year low flow frequency basis.
*** This is the additional quantity needed in the lower Walla Walla
River and does not include storage and transmission losses.
40
-------
lower reaches of the Walla Walla Basin. For this purpose TABLE
VIII-6, which shows the flow regulation storage required (4,200
acre-feet) to maintain a DO concentration of 5 mg/1 in Mill Creek,
is included. Accordingly, storage to yield as much as 27,100
acre-feet may be included for quality control in the Joe West
Project. The Oregon Legislative Assembly, however, may not permit
such releases. Storage releases from either reservoir would be
expected to produce the same degree of control in the lower Walla
Walla River downstream from the Mill Creek confluence.
Municipal and industrial wastes in Milton-Freewater and
Weston areas are adequately handled by treatment, lagoons and land
disposal resulting in little, if any, residual waste discharge to
stream waters. With continued future handling of wastes in this
manner, no need for storage in Joe West Reservoir is foreseen for
control of water quality in the Walla Walla River at Milton-Free-
water. On the other hand, operation of the reservoir to provide
water for the proposed irrigation project is not expected to have
any significant effect on downstream water quality.
1. Stream Temperature Evaluation
Preliminary studies of the reservoirs' potentials for regula-
ting stream temperature indicate that significant temperature con-
trol would accompany storage releases made to maintain a dissolved
oxygen objective of 6 mg/1. Mill Creek Reservoir has the capability
of supplying water at a temperature of approximately 55°F during
July of an average year. Releases of 100 cfs from the reservoir
may attain a temperature of 70°F at the mouth of Mill Creek.
Releases of 200 cfs would probably maintain temperatures below 65°F
in this reach. Similar releases would exercise a greater degree of
thermal control in August, September and October.
A reservoir at the Joe West site could discharge water to the
Walla Walla River at about 50°F during July. A 100 cfs release would
hold Walla Walla water temperatures below 70°F to the confluence
of Mill Creek. Releases of 200 cfs would maintain downstream water
temperatures below 70°F to the mouth of the Touchet River. These
temperature estimates are preliminary and should be taken only as
indications of approximate thermal conditions. A more complete
evaluation would be required to substantiate these findings.
41
-------
TABLE VIII-6
REQUIRED STREAMFLOW REGIMEN FOR QUALITY CONTROL PURPOSES
WITH DISSOLVED OXYGEN OBJECTIVE OF 5 mg/1*
MILL CREEK AT WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON
YEAR 2020
Required
Streamf low
Month (cfs)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
ANNUAL AVERAGE
ANNUAL TOTAL
10
10
10
10
10
12
26
26
15
10
10
10
13
Base
Flow**
(cfs)
55
78
63
80
47
15
2
2
2
3
20
47
35
Estimated
Release Schedule
(cfs)
0
0
0
0
0
0
24
24
13
7
0
0
(mgd)
0
0
0
0
0
0
15.5
15.5
8.4
4.6
0
0
Draf t-on-
S to rage***
(Acre-Feet)
1,480
1,480
780
430
4,170
*
Based on adequate treatment of organic wastes discharged to stream.
** Streamflow available at Walla Walla on a one-in-ten y*ear low flow
frequency basis.
*** This is the additional quantity needed in Mill Creek at Walla
Walla and does not include storage and transmission losses.
42
-------
IX. BENEFITS
Storage releases for control of water quality are needed in
Mill Creek and in lower Walla Walla River to protect fish and
wildlife, maintain recreational opportunities, safeguard public
health, and preserve the aesthetic attractiveness of stream waters.
Monetary benefits applicable to all improvements or damages avoided,
however, are impossible to thoroughly evaluate at this time. Econ-
omic waste and land treatment methods capable of complete control
of all waste materials are not presently known. Many benefits, such
as those resulting from temperature reduction, decreased concen-
trations of dissolved solids, maintenance of the aquatic habitat,
increased land values along the stream, and general protection of
aesthetic values, are particularly difficult to completely assess
in monetary terms.
Because of the multiplicity of improvements that would be
realized through the control of water quality by flow regulation,
the minimum value of storage for this purpose is considered to be
at least equal to the cost of an equivalent alternative which would
accomplish similar results. Examination of several alternatives
to flow regulation disclosed that, except for single-purpose storage,
no other alternative would provide equivalent control--that is,
maintenance of a live stream within which waste effluents and un-
controlled urban and rural runoff wastes would be diluted and
assimilated.
The major water quality problems in Mill Creek could be solved
by transporting wastes from the Walla Walla area to mains tern Walla
Walla River. However, discharge of waste effluents to the Walla
Walla River would merely transfer the problem downstream since
extremely low flows also occur in the Walla Walla River. Also,
waste waters transported to the Walla Walla River would be unavail-
able for reuse for irrigation in areas adjacent to Mill Creek.
Consideration is also given to the disposal of waste waters under-
ground and to additional disposal on land. Underground disposal
would be expected to interfere with groundwater supplies and add-
itional surface disposal, particularly of pea processing wastes on
the limited land areas available, could promote nuisance odor
conditions objectionable to residents in the surrounding areas.
A single-purpose reservoir at the Mill Creek site is found to
be the most likely alternative means of providing the necessary
storage for control of water quality. Based on costs provided by
the Corps of Engineers for the water quality control study report
43
-------
on Mill Creek Project, the unit annual acre-foot alternate value of
storage for quality control in Walla Walla River Basin is $15.50.
This $15.50 per acre-foot value would apply to storage that would
maintain downstream DO levels between the 2 mg/1 and 6 mg/1 estab-
lished as the range within which water quality benefits would
accrue. Flow releases to maintain DO concentrations above 2 mg/1,
the level at which it is felt nuisance conditions would be averted,
would require about 17,300 acre-feet of storage space. To maintain
DO concentrations above 6 mg/1, the point at which the highest
level of stream uses, including the re-establishment of the salmon-
id fishery, could be accommodated, would require about 48,000
acre-feet of storage. At $15.50 per acre-foot, the minimum value
of the benefit assignable to an annual draft-on-storage of 31,300
acre-feet (storage required by 2020 to maintain DO levels above
the 5 mg/1 objective selected for Mill Creek and Walla Walla
River) in the proposed project is $485,000. For an annual draft-
on-storage of more or less than 31,300 acre-feet, the annual value
would be increased or accordingly reduced at the rate of $15.50
per acre-foot. No benefits would accrue to project regulation
maintaining DO concentrations below 2 mg/1 or above 6 mg/1.
Controlled water quality will have an important impact on
the area for which regulation would be provided. The riparian
owners, downstream water users, and surrounding area population
(projected to 100,000 persons) would be the recipients of the
benefits of this control. Benefits, therefore, are both tangible
and intangible and are widespread both in area and type of bene-
ficiary. In the Walla Walla River Basin, the lower six miles of
Mill Creek and 40 miles of the Walla Walla River would be affected
by this control.
After the project is in operation, a system of water quality
and waste monitoring and stream forecasting will be needed in
order to fully utilize flow regulation for water quality control.
44
-------
X. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Review Report on Mill Creek, Washington and Oregon; U. S. Army
Engineer District, Walla Walla Corps of Engineers, June, 1963.
2. Report on a Reconnaissance Study of the Feasibility of Partic-
ipation in the Mill Creek Storage Project by the City of Walla
Walla, Washington; Cornell, How1and, Hayes & Merryfield,
Consulting Engineers, February, 1961.
3. Experimental Treatment of Food Processing Waste Waters of Walla
Walla, Washington, in 1959; Skrinde, R. T., Washington State
University, Sanitary Engineering Section, Report No. 19,
November, 1959.
4. Cooperative City-Industry Treatment Facilities at Walla Walla;
Zickafoose, C. S. and Boydston, J. R.
5. Treatment of Pea Processing Waste Waters at Walla Walla, Wash-
ington, 1962; City of Walla Walla Report, August, 1962.
6. Biological Treatment of Pea Processing Waste, Walla Walla,
Washington,'1963; Kramer, G. F., August, 1963.
7. Biological Treatment of Pea Processing Waste, Walla Walla.
Washington, 1964; Kramer, G. F.
8. Engineering Report on a Water System Investigation; City of
Walla Walla, Washington, Parts I and II, 1952-53; Cornell,
Rowland, Hayes & Merryfield, Consulting Engineers.
9. Report of Survey, Walla Walla River Watershed, Washington &
Oregon; U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service, October, 1950.
10. Municipal Water Facilities Inventory; U. S. Department of
Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, 1963.
11. Artificial Recharge of a Well Tapping Basalt Aquifer, Walla
Walla Area, Washington; State of Washington, Department of
Conservation, Water Supply Bulletin No. 7, 1960.
12. Studies on the Control of Slime in Cannery Waste Water in the
Walla Walla Area; Institute of Technology, State College of
Washington, Pullman, Washington, 1958, 24 pp.
45
-------
13. Quality of Surface Waters in the Lower Columbia River Basin;
Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 1784, U. S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, 1965, 78 pp.
14. Geology and Groundwater Resources of Walla Walla Basin; Wash-
ington Division of Water Resources, Water Supply Bulletin No.
21, 1965, 151 pp.
46
-------
APPENDIX A
HYDROLOGICAL DATA
-------
1960
TABLE A-l
ESTIMATED MEAN MONTHLY STREAM FLOWS
AT MILL CREEK DAMSITE
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON
(cfs)
Water Yr.
1940
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
1950
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
Oct
21
31
41
28
44
28
33
52
68
40
42
62
117
40
39
41
38
40
40
38
Nov
26
67
106
118
52
36
115
160
195
91
55
166
117
38
55
45
96
56
58
114
Dec
42
104
138
240
62
37
182
278
178
137
76
208
150
41
182
50
243
146
158
256
Jan
57
100
67
133
37
128
218
205
205
70
112
212
100
267
168
67
185
50
182
314
Feb
248
60
122
200
83
158
180
133
232
208
340
300
228
226
176
81
100
164
318
175
Mar
210
52
123
162
172
162
240
176
142
320
380
190
170
222
106
93
223
240
118
186
Apr
198
52
122
278
188
214
218
212
248
326
265
180
312
210
188
208
258
235
340
202
May
84
96
132
185
92
180
164
88
382
223
250
110
170
162
93
200
178
180
195
154
Jun
35
102
125
100
50
95
92
54
132
77
184
124
80
104
138
92
63
55
60
78
Jul
29
41
50
44
28
34
55
38
57
48
62
46
64
48
44
41
37
40
40
43
Aug
28
28
25
30
26
29
35
32
43
40
48
42
40
40
40
30
33
36
34
37
Sep
31
31
24
28
30
33
34
35
42
37
46
41
38
38
38
31
31
35
35
50
76
125
82
77
172
182
182
146
70
36
42
42
Drainage Area: 90 square miles (approximately)
Average Discharge: 112 cfs=81,000 acre-feet per year
Period of Record: 25 years (1939-1964)
Maximum Day: 3335 cfs
Minimum Day: 16 cfs
-------
TABLE A-2
ESTIMATED MEAN MONTHLY STREAM FLOWS
WALLA WALLA RIVER AT JOE WEST DAMSITE
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, OREGON
(cfs)
Water Yr.
1940
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
1950
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
1960
61
62
Oct
97
95
115
89
112
95
100
132
180
141
130
151
186
125
127
124
121
112
125
113
218
122
122
Nov
93
144
194
198
124
108
188
220
352
184
145
910
200
126
145
133
170
130
140
204
241
198
122
Dec
128
201
306
374
140
118
270
516
275
207
161
336
227
130
250
125
362
302
224
374
191
150
184
Jan
160
174
171
264
116
233
238
312
312
147
198
315
173
365
232
141
302
152
244
410
177
160
218
Feb
433
144
230
306
180
275
210
280
297
255
348
355
277
372
276
170
225
267
396
300
260
446
190
Mar
392
174
212
260
308
368
322
314
261
402
405
282
264
336
236
170
283
358
223
295
337
383
241
Apr
450
176
344
617
413
394
438
430
455
535
402
404
572
420
390
310
437
478
528
406
402
381
452
May
248
233
296
467
312
525
508
308
818
594
520
360
495
410
312
457
470
530
560
376
360
386
350
Jun
102
235
250
368
162
302
276
178
556
270
502
316
252
307
315
335
225
202
220
216
216
205
197
Jul
80
108
138
148
101
106
140
124
187
145
181
144
182
153
144
145
127
120
127
130
125
122
113
Aug
77
84
80
96
91
87
107
115
140
124
140
128
130
131
125
110
112
107
115
123
117
109
102
Sep
85
96
78
94
93
95
112
120
140
124
133
126
124
125
122
106
107
109
114
177
114
116
105
Drainage Area: 125 square miles (approximately)
Average Discharge: 225 cfs=162,000 acre-feet per year
Period of Record: 33 years (1930-1963)
Maximum Day: 4410 cfs
oo Minimum Day: 73 cfs
-------
TABLE A-3
ESTIMATED MEAN MONTHLY STREAM FLOWS
MILL CREEK AT WALLA WALLA
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON
(cfs)
Water Yr.
1940
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
1950
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
1960
61
62
Oct
6
7
11
18
6
4
7
17
4
7
14
96
3
6
2
4
5
1
1
22
2
3
Nov
35
44
62
24
6
45
89
147
20
11
137
47
4
12
7
51
9
8
64
56
51
18
Dec
70
91
190
35
5
157
131
112
47
33
155
112
5
142
13
247
110
120
205
42
41
101
Jan
90
82
116
16
64
208
130
144
53
87
212
60
261
122
26
180
34
170
277
45
51
90
Feb
60
118
210
62
158
180
16
120
206
330
332
187
227
153
30
84
170
295
152
150
296
49
Mar
40
98
112
140
148
240
3
115
320
337
167
115
208
60
46
234
243
75
180
154
307
172
Apr
30
55
240
157
190
110
10
247
248
190
134
276
160
143
180
193
194
293
167
148
130
179
May
50
72
130
40
113
83
15
344
153
108
72
97
123
33
160
107
125
121
97
96
97
72
Jun
35
65
34
7
37
27
7
88
21
118
88
12
67
114
26
23
9
25
17
13
14
8
Jul
6
9
4
3
3
6
3
6
5
4
5
10
8
5
6
7
3
4
1
3
4
2
Aug
3
6
5
3
2
5
5
6
5
1
5
1
6
4
3
1
2
2
1
4
4
2
Sep
10
8
4
3
5
6
8
4
5
2
4
2
6
4
3
1
2
2
8
3
4
2
Drainage Area: 96 square miles
Period of Record: 23 years (1941-1964)
Maximum Day: 2760 cfs
Minimum Day: zero flow
Remarks: Several diversions upstream.
sewage treatment plant.
These records reflect stream flows available at the
-------
TABLE A-4
ESTIMATED MEAN MONTHLY STREAM FLOWS
WALLA WALLA RIVER DOWNSTREAM FROM TOUCHET RIVER
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON
(cfs)
Water Yr.
1952
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
Oct
392
63
78
103
139
103
164
65
336
88
64
226
46
Nov
447
124
172
171
528
215
184
436
531
384
150
416
107
Dec
873
295
924
287
1807
805
711
1317
490
427
658
820
139
Jan
1048
1555
964
484
1576
334
963
1888
470
642
782
435
312
Feb
1836
1509
1300
593
861
1177
1872
1389
1069
2096
590
1411
247
Mar
993
1173
770
518
1686
1730
737
1287
1157
1843
1224
662
282
Apr
1525
1076
974
1134
1539
1559
2165
1154
1076
932
1217
912
478
May
800
766
298
1048
1052
1217
1147
687
761
699
845
309
325
Jun
137
385
471
296
189
142
166
207
162
148
190
26
189
Jul
95
36
41
46
36
16
27
28
10
7
21
19
60
Aug
23
18
35
12
23
13
7
17
12
5
11
10
39
Sep
59
23
71
4
49
21
29
181
36
14
31
14
42
Drainage Area: 1,657 square miles
Average Discharge: 567 cfs=410,500 acre-feet per year
Period of Record: 13 years (1951-1964)
Maximum Day: 16,300 cfs
Minimum Day: 1.9 cfs
U1
o
-------
TABLE A-5
MEAN MONTHLY LOW FLOW FREQUENCIES BASED UPON
ESTIMATED STREAM FLOWS
AT MILL CREEK DAMSITE, WASHINGTON
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Percent of
Annual Mean
122
161
160
191
144
79
38.2
30.4
31.3
40.0
78
124
Recurrence
Five
(cfs)
107
142
141
168
127
70
34
27
28
35
69
109
Interval
Ten
(cfs)
90
119
118
141
107
58
28
23
23
30
58
92
- Years
Twenty
(cfs)
78
103
102
122
92
51
24
19
20
26
50
79
ANNUAL MEAN
88
74
64
51
-------
TABLE A-6
MEAN MONTHLY LOW FLOW FREQUENCIES BASED UPON
ESTIMATED STREAM FLOWS
WALLA WALLA RiVER AT JOE WEST DAMSITE, OREGON
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Percent of
Annual Mean
97
110
137
187
182
110
55
46
47
52
81
99
Recurrence
Five
(cfs)
184
209
260
355
346
209
105
87
89
99
154
188
Interval
Ten
(cfs)
171
194
241
329
320
194
97
81
83
91
143
174
- Years
Twenty
(cfs)
160
182
226
308
300
182
91
76
77
86
134
163
ANNUAL MEAN
190
176
165
52
-------
TABLE A-7
MEAN MONTHLY LOW FLOW FREQUENCIES BASED UPON
ESTIMATED STREAM FLOWS
MILL CREEK AT WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Percent of
Annual Mean
160
226
183
232
136
43.5
5.8
5.8
5.8
8.7
58
136
Recurrence
Five
(cfs)
78
104
84
107
62
20
3
3
3
4
27
62
Interval
Ten
(cfs)
55
78
63
80
47
15
2
2
2
3
20
47
- Years
Twenty
(cfs)
44
62
50
64
37
12
2
2
2
2
16
37
ANNUAL MEAN
46
35
28
53
-------
TABLE A-8
MEAN MONTHLY LOW FLOW FREQUENCIES BASED UPON
ESTIMATED STREAM FLOWS
WALLA WALLA RIVER DOWNSTREAM FROM TOUCHET RIVER, WASHINGTON
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
Novsmber
December
Percent of
Annual Mean
136
237
223
219
151
34
5.2
2.3
5.7
18.2
38
131
Recurrence
Five
(cfs)
530
925
870
855
590
133
20
9
22
71
148
510
Interval
Ten
(cfs)
350
605
570
560
385
87
13
6
14
46
97
335
- Years
Twenty
(cfs)
230
405
380
370
255
58
9
4
10
31
65
223
ANNUAL MEAN
390
255
170
54
-------
APPENDIX B
WATER QUALITY DATA
-------
TABLE B-l
SURFACE WATER QUALITY DATA
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON
June 1966
DATE
20
22
24
28
30
TIME
1330
-1515
1430
-1545
1000
-1200
1515
-1700
1330
-1530
ITEM
Temp.
PH
D.O. ,
BOD.,
Temp.
PH
D.O. ,
BOD5,
Temp.
PH
D.O. ,
BOD5,
Temp.
PH
D.O. ,
BOD5,
Temp.
PH
D.O. ,
BOD,,
STATION
, °C
mg/1
mg/1
, °c
mg/1
mg/1
, °c
mg/1
mg/1
, °c
mg/1
mg/1
, °c
mg/1
mg/1
1
23.5
8.6
12.7
3
24.0
8.2
12.7
6
14.5
6.1
9.3
3
22.0
7.6
10.0
3
23.5
8.0
11.2
2
2
22.0
6.2
6.4
269
22.0
6.2
7.4
148
18.5
6.1
7.1
325
23.0
6.1
5.4
290
24.0
6.4
6.2
305
3
24.0
5.1
1.3
218
25.5
6.2
3.9
200
15.5
5.8
3.5
142
24.0
5.6
1.3
204
25.0
6.6
3.6
64
4
23.5
5.3
0.8
156
25.5
6.3
4.9
134
16.0
5.5
1.4
214
24.0
5.4
0.6
197
25.5
6.7
1.9
53
5
24.0
6.7
2.5
42
23.0
6.7
2.9
54
15.5
6.3
3.2
37
22.0
6.6
1.1
44
22.0
6.8
7.0
11
6
24.0
7.4
7.4
12
23.5
7.0
0.9
35
15.0
6.4
4.2
27
22.0
6.9
2.3
18
22.0
7.6
10.9
11
7
24.0
8.6
15.9
14
24.0
6.8
8.4
8
16.0
6.8
11.2
8
22.0
7.5
11.4
6
24.0
8.5
13.0
6
8
24.0
8.3
11.0
9
24.0
8.1
11.4
4
14.5
7.3
11.6
2
22.0
8.3
11.2
3
24.0
-
11.7
4
9
23.5
8.3
11.2
10
24.0
8.2
11.4
4
14.5
7.3
11.6
2
22.0
8.4
10.7
3
24.0
8.4
11.7
4
NOTE: Stations refer to Figure 2 . Samples were collected during the pea-processing season by
Walla Walla Sewage Treatment Plant personnel in cooperation with the FWPCA. Stream flow
averaged 8 to 10 cfs at confluence with Walla Walla River (which averaged about 20 cfs).
1/1
-------
TABLE B-2
SURFACE WATER QUALITY DATA
WALLA WALLA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON
July 1963
Miles
Station Downstream
from STP*
Water
Temp.
<°C)
Concentration in mg/1
PH
DO
5 -Day
BOD
Phosphates
COD
Ortho
Soluble
Insoluble
Nitrogen
Organic
Ammonia
MILL CREEK:
2
2A
3
4
5
6
7
0.1
0.3
0.6
1.2
3
4
5
21
20
19.5
19
17
17
17.5
6.5
6.5
6.5
6.6
6.9
7.0
7.3
5.6
3.0
1.2
0.6
0.6
0.5
4.4
216
237
211
210
103
104
12
423
378
359
329
171
175
36
0.8
2.8
5.2
4.0
3.9
4.7
2.5
1.9
4.4
6.0
5.0
4.2
5.1
2.4
6.9
2.7
1.9
3.9
0.0
0.3
0.3
31.3
33.9
30.1
19.2
17.8
18.3
5.4
18.9
18.7
20.5
10.0
10.4
11.4
5.1
Confluence 6
WALLA
8
9
WALLA RIVER:
0.5 mi. above
Mill Creek
0.5 mi. below
Mill Creek
17.5
18
7.9
7.9
10.5
9.6
2
4
8
6
0.5
0.7
0.4.
0.5
0.0
0.0
0.9
1.0
0.3
1.3
* Walla Walla Sewage Treatment Plant
01 Source: FWPCA survey, July 3, 1963 (6 to 8 a.m.)
-------
TABLE B-3
SURFACE WATER QUALITY DATA
I'if. IB'jOO
WALLA WALLA K NR TOUCHFT WASH
1660.
SO. MILES
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7
b
H.
9
7
58
47
.62
.
.
»
m
.
»
46
41
34
30
30
31
30
80
28
36
49
35
44
38
25
21
35
35
2^
30
23
45
48
31
37
36
T!
29
37
3H
46
B
. 7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
7
8
7
930 2.0 7
7
.06 7
12.2 240 9.0 7
7
7
8.6. 1 IQOO_ 2 2_. 5_7
rt
.10 -fl
9.7 11000 20.0 8
7
.7
.01 13.5 2400 3.0 7
7
7
11.4 2400 .1.6 7
7
.12 H.7 1500 20. 3 7
7
. U 7
8.2 2 30 17. 9 7
.
*
.
.
»
g
CLk
a
9
2
a
4
9
3
7
7
9
9
2
5
4 5
2 3
2 10
3 21.
6 5
1 a
5 5
5 5
2 5
0 5
6 '
3 '>
7 10
1 'j
2 I',
.6 lw_
.
*
0 2w
4 5
7 ..!_
.7 ',
7 i
Ol
Source: Washington Pollution Control Commission - Basic Data Station
-------
TABLE B-4
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS
WALLA WALLA SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT, WASHINGTON
1964
Sample
Date
Industrial
June 30
July 8
July 15
July 21
July 28
Chlorine
Residual
(mg/1)
Plant Effluent
1.75
1.75
2.0
1.5
0.75
Colonies per
Enterococcus
200
200
500
400
2025
100 ml -'
Coliform
3500
2900
1700
1600
1700
Sanitary Plant Effluent
June 30
July 8
July 15
July 21
July 28
1.75
1.6
2.0
1.5
1.0
200
0
100
50
50
19200
17100
200
1000
5200
\j Membrane Filter Technique
Source: Reference No. 7
58
-------
TABLE B-5
WATER TEMPERATURE DATA
WALLA WALLA RIVER NEAR TOUCHET, WASHINGTON
(Degrees Fahrenheit)
Year
1959
1960
1961
1962
Daily
Temperature
High
Low
Average
High
Low
Average
High
Low
Average
High
Low _
Average
Jan Feb
53 60
32 32
37 42
48 52
34 39
40 46
49
35
43
Mar
52
31
44
56
44
49
52
37
45
Apr
59
45
51
62
49
54
64
48
54
May
65
50
56
69
53
62
59
43
52
Jun
70
54
65
89
68
77
70
48
59
Jul
76
65
71
88
71
80
81
48
62
Aug
76
59
65
85
59
68
94
69
79
89
62
74
Sept
77
60
66
70
57
62
73
60
64
79
58
69
Oct
78
64
68
60
45
53
69
45
58
Nov
70
61
-
50
37
42
48
34
42
Dec
50
35
39
40
33
38
49
35
41
Source: WPCC - measurements taken once-daily during afternoon.
Ul
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PAGE NOT
AVAILABLE
DIGITALLY
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