Why not expand Bennington Lake for use as irrigation storage?
A. First, the current size of the lake is only 8,200 acre-feet. This size is on the lower limits of the amount of storage needed. The only feasible way to increase storage volume is to excavate the area beneath and surround-ing the lake. This would be very costly. Second, the soils and rock below the lake are very porous. Water stored in the lake would rapidly seep out into the surrounding ground, unless the lake bottom were covered with some type of liner. Third, is the issue of water rights and availability of an adequate supply of water to fill the reservoir. The City of Walla Walla has a municipal water right from Mill Creek. When combined with the other irrigation water rights, little or no water above the required minimum flow is available for a new storage water right. Fourth, Bennington Lakes existing purposes are flood control and recreation. Irrigation storage would require modification of the lakes existing flood control operation. Other structures for protection, such as an
