Graduate Student

Robert Brent (Bob) Whittier



A Hydrologic Study of the Pahsimeroi Basin in East-Central Idaho

Goals and Objectives

The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive hydrologic model of the Pahsimeroi
River Basin. This will include an assessment of the feasibility of connecting the mountain
streams to the valley river, and the impact of such action on the wetlands in the river bottom. In
addition, various land use and irrigation technique scenarios can be simulated to optimize water
utilization to provide adequate stream flow for fish migration and adequate water for crop
irrigation. Specifically this study will:
  • Review and consolidate the data gathered by past and on-going studies of the Pahsimeroi Basin into a single comprehensive database;
  • Use this data, and groundwater and surface water models, to develop a water budget for the Pahsimeroi Basin; and
  • Characterize the dynamics between the ground and surface water in the Pahsimeroi Valley.
Accomplishment of these goals will substantially increase the understanding of the hydrologic
processes in the Pahsimeroi River Basin, providing a planning tool to the Bureau of Land Management in making land management decisions.
 
Statement of Work

This study will be divided into five different phases. The execution of these phases will generally
be sequential, but significant overlap between the phases will occur.
 These phases are: 
  1. Data consolidation and review;
  2. Development of a preliminary groundwater model;
  3. Assessment of the groundwater model results to identify data gaps, to design field tests to fill the data gaps, and to select the optimum modeling software;
  4. Field reconnaissance to identify the Pahsimeroi Valley Aquifer geometry, fill to data gaps  identified in phase 3, and to perform a comprehensive survey of the infiltration characteristi of the dry stream beds and existing diversion channels; and Development of a final comprehensive hydrologic model of the Pahsimeroi River that includes an assessment of the impact of reconnecting mountain streams to the Pahsimeroi River, different land use scenarios, and the impact of the such actions on the wetlands that border the river.


Hard work!