Heppner gazette-times., August 13, 1997, Page SEVEN, Image 7

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Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 13,1997 - SEVEN
CHAMBER CHAT LINE
MAIN STREET NEWS
WEEK OF AUGUST 11, 1997
Local wells tested
brought to you by The Heppner Cham ber o f Commerce (541)
676-5536
for nitrate levels
MAIN STREET WEEKLY REPORT
Vision: During this week of'cow boy dreams' remember
what Main Street will look like next year....ornate light posts,
four varieties o f trees, brick pavers along the utility strip,
landscaped bubbles on the com ers, flow ers., shrubs, and the
city logo in the center o f the intersection o f Willow and
Main. Heppner will be known for this unique emblem.
Bubbles\bumpouts: we have been assured that there will be
nearly 12 feet on each side o f the center line between the
landscaped bumpouts. They will slow traffic and make
crossing at intersections safer.
New paving should be ready for traff ic by Tuesday or
Wednesday. The specs must be met before traffic is allowed.
A cylinder break will be made to test for compression
strength.
E astside will be tom out this week, that includes the street
and most o f thesidewalk with the exception o f vault areas.
Hitching posts were suggested to handle the horses during
Saturday's parade.
Westside driveways will be poured this week. W eaver had
them ready to go as promised last week, however, there was
a sub-contractor hold up. With so many projects all over the
state, this can be expected.
city responsibilities are completed and three feet o f concrete
is poured adjacent to the curb.
Drivers may now use the west side of Main Street in Heppner Oregon Department of Transportation
workers will now begin construction of the east side. Construction has begun on both sides of May
Street.
Line dance dem o added for fair
A line dance demonstration has
been added to the Saturday enter­
tainment schedule at the Morrow
County Fair, beginning at 2 p.m.
April Dyntera of Pilot Rock and
a group of her intermediate line
dance students will demonstrate
their skills and, time permitting,
will offer interested onlookers a
chance to participate.
Dyntera teaches a variety of
country dance classes in Pendle­
ton and Pilot Rock for Blue
Mountain Community College.
She will offer a line dance and
western couples class this fall
term in the Heppner area begin­
ning in late September.
Combine "watermelon" and
"water testing"for a festive and
educational event. More than 45
private wells were tested for
nitrate contamination at the 1997
Watermelon Festival in Irngon.
O f the wells tested, five had
levels of 10 or higher milligrams
nitrate-nitrogen per liter (mg/L)
of water. Levels of 10 mg nitrate
(or higher) exceed the state and
federal health limit standard, and
should not be consumed by
infants, pregnant or nursing
women, according to Carol
Michael, Oregon State University
Extension agent.
The majority of wells tested had
nitrate levels of 0 -2 mg/L, which
is within the naturally occurring
nitrate level. According to
Michael, many private well
owners participating in the free
tests are new residents of the
Columbia Basin. "I am glad to
see new residents learning the
importance of testing private
water wells annually for nitrate
contamination," she said. "If
high nitrates were detected at our
testing activity,
owners were
advised to get the well tested
again at a testing lab certified by
the state of Oregon. Owners of
wells within the normal range
received educational material, '12
Simple Things You Can Do To
Protect
Your Well,'
and
encouraged to have the well
checked annually."
The
nitrate testing was
conducted by Oregon State
University Extension Service
Master Gardeners and other
volunteers. Louis Knaak and
Katherine
Anderson
of
Hermiston; Mary Ellen Coleman
of Imgon, and others conducted
the testing under the supervision
of Rich Topeliek, Master
Gardener coordinator. Water
collection bottles and testing
chemicals were provided by
Oregon
State
University
Home*A*Syst
Groundwater
Education program.
The Umatilla River Basin has
long been noted for nitrate
contamination in groundwater,
said Michael.
Natural soil
nitrogen may be the source of
some
nitrate,
although
concentrations greater than three
parts per million usually indicate
sources such as septic tank
effluent,
fertilizers,
animal
manure, industrial waste or
sewage sludge, she said. OSU
Extension Service has been
offering free baseline indicator
nitrate tests in the Umatilla Basin
at the Watermelon Festival since
1995.
For information on protecting
private drinking water wells from
contamination,
contact
the
Morrow County office of Oregon
State
University
Extension
Service. 676-9642 or (800) 342-
3664 outside Heppner.
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Closure to begin
in John Day Unit
A regulated closure on all
protected lands in the John Day
Unit of the Central Oregon
District of the Department of
Forestry will go into effect on
Thursday, August 14, at 12:01
am .
The lands include all private,
county and state lands in
Morrow, Grant, Gilliam, Harney
and Wheeler counties.
Regulated closure requirements
include: no smoking except in
vehicles or buildings; open fires
prohibited, including campfires,
charcoal fires, cooking fires and
warming
fires,
except at
designated locations. Portable
cooking stoves using liquified or
bottled fuels are allowed; full
size shovel, axe/pulaski and one
gallon of water or 2-1/2 pound
tire extinguisher are required
while traveling except on state
and county roads; no motorized
vehicles off improved roads;
cutting, grinding and welding of
metal is prohibited after 1 p.m.;
non-industrial chain saw use is
prohibited after 1 p.m. and there
must be at least a one-hour fire
watch; fireworks are prohibited.
For more information, contact
the Oregon Department of
Forestry office at Fossil, 763-
2575; John Day, 575-1139; or
Monument, 934-2300.
We Print
Business Cards
Gazette-Times
676-9228
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