The Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer is finally reaching celebrity status as a natural resource. Over the past five years, the aquifer – sole source of fresh drinking water for more than 400,000 residents of North Idaho and Eastern Washington – has attracted a huge and diverse fan base.

Environmentalists love the aquifer because they understand how irreplaceable it is. They have heard stories from other communities where aquifers have been sucked dry. It’s called “mining,” and it’s always bad news. Scientists love the aquifer because its unique biological formation and dynamic processes combine math, physics and geology. Municipalities love it because it provides clean drinking water for residents.

In 2001 in Idaho, two proposed power plants filed for rights to pump 17 million gallons a day out of the aquifer. It was a wake-up call for all the aquifer’s fans, because little was known then about how the aquifer’s supply would meet future demand.

Community leaders and environment- alists pursued a comprehensive, two-state study of the aquifer. The $3.5 million study, paid for by state and federal funds, was designed to answer some questions. What does the aquifer look like? How much water does it hold? How much can be taken from it without destroying it?

The study is done. It’s technical, complicated and hard for the average citizen to understand. Some good news is hidden in the scientific report, however. The aquifer is not yet being mined, for instance.

“We’re not taking out more water – yet – than is being replenished. That doesn’t mean we have an endless supply of water,” said Jani Gilbert, of Washington’s Department of Ecology.

And there is now a complete model of the aquifer, a computer simulation that provides an essential tool to measure the effects of the demands placed on the aquifer.

Tuesday and Wednesday, scientists, ecologists and community leaders will gather in Spokane Valley to discuss the technical and policy implications of the study.

The two-day Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer summit is a sort of “Aqua-palooza” for die-hard aquifer fans, but people new to the region, and new to the wonders of the aquifer, should consider attending the public meeting Tuesday evening. The study will be interpreted for a more mainstream audience at that meeting.

Why should busy people set aside time to learn about the aquifer? Well, the health of the aquifer will determine the health of the entire region.

One of Tuesday evening’s presenters, Jonathan Coe, president and general manager of the Coeur d’Alene Area Chamber of Commerce, explains: “It is the most important natural resource in the region. Without the water, no other activity is possible.”