City looks at pumping more water from lake

The City of Whitefish is looking to add to its water rights and secure future water usage for residents.

The city currently gets its municipal water from Whitefish Lake and from First, Second and Third creeks. The city would like to obtain additional rights to pump water from the lake.

The total amount the city is allowed to draw from those current sources is covering the city’s current population, but wouldn’t be able to serve future growth. The city has rights to use 1,454 acre feet per year of water, which can serve 6,400 people. The Census 2010 estimate puts the city’s population at 6,357.

“We’re obviously right there (for population),” said City Manager Chuck Stearns. “What we’re trying to do is apply for a new permit to pump additional water out of the lake.”

The city council Feb. 4 held a work session on the city’s water rights.

Montana’s 1972 Constitution declared all surface and ground water to be the property of the state. The next year, the Legislature passed the Montana Water Use Act, which required that all water rights existing prior to July 1, 1973, be recorded with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Any additional use of water or change in place of use or point of diversion since July 1, 1973, requires permission from DNRC. The city can’t expand its water flow usage on its current permits beyond the amount of water used prior to 1973.

The city expects to soon file a permit application for additional water to be pumped from Mountain Harbor on the lake. The permit would allow 1,911 acre feet per year of water and serve 8,424. If approved, the additional water rights from the lake is expected to bring the city’s total service capacity up to 16,400 people.

“That’s how we expect to accommodate some future level of growth,” Stearns said. “With that we should be set for a while. The lake is a huge water vessel.”

A water study in 2009 by Water Right Solutions Inc. recommended that the city amend its claims to more accurately reflect conditions and obtain more water rights to Whitefish Lake to meet future demands. In addition to the municipal water rights, the city also has water rights for golf course irrigation, power generation and well rights for irrigation at the Roy Duff Memorial Armory.

Public Works Director John Wilson said there is a financial impact if the city draws more water from the lake.

“We’ll have to upgrade the treatment plant the more we take out of the lake,” he said.

Wilson presented the council with cost estimates if the water is drawn just from Haskill Creek basin, is a mixture between creek and lake water, and finally the cost if the city were to draw all its water from the lake. If the water comes only from Haskill basin, the treatment operation cost is $712 per million gallons. If the water is taken solely from the lake its cost is $1,804 per million gallons.

“The fact is with lake water there is a lot more organics in it,” he said. “You have to apply a lot more chemicals to remove those and the additional energy to pump it up the hill.”

Stearns said the concern with getting additional water from Haskill Creek is that there might not be actual water to draw even if the city hold the rights.

“If we acquire another water right on the creek how useful is it?” said Stearns. “And is there water available at the times when we need it. We estimated that it would be useful at most four to six weeks.”