Washington State Department of Ecology

Nooksack Watershed Planning (WRIA 1)

Lead agency contact:

Jeff Chalfant
Whatcom County Planning Department
(360) 676-6707
JChalfan@co.whatcom.wa.us

Ecology contact:

Doug Allen
Department of Ecology
(360) 715-5217
doua461@ecy.wa.gov

Implementation phase: Detailed implementation plan completed July 2007.

Planning phase: Phase1-3 completed

Plan adopted: June 2005

Optional elements: Water quality, habitat, instream flows

Grants awarded: 1,248,600 through June 2008

Initiating governments: Whatcom County, City of Bellingham, Public Utility District No. 1, Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe

Plan website: Nooksack Watershed Management Project

Progress

Whatcom County adopted the Nooksack Watershed Plan in June 2005, and signed the Nooksack Watershed Phase 4 Implementation Grant in June 2006. They completed their detailed implementation plan and water monitoring plan in July 2007.

Instream Flow Status

Existing instream flows were set in 1985 (Chapter 173-501 WAC). As a part of the Watershed Plan, the WRIA 1 Instream Flow Action Plan was developed. This plan describes a basin-by-basin approach to examine instream flow needs and consider treaty reserve water rights for the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe. The planning group began negotiations in the Bertrand Creek and Middle Fork Nooksack River basins, in spring 2006. In 2008, these pilot negotiations were combined and expanded to include the entire Nooksack drainage. By expanding the area of consideration, water managers can better utilize regional resources and address water needs more holistically. The goal is to recommend amendments to the existing instream flow rule in about five years.

Publications

Lake Whatcom Total Maximum Daily Load Groundwater Study

Documents prepared by the planning unit

Memorandum of Agreement (11 kilobytes)

Studies or data relevant to planning for this area

Quilcene-Snow (17)

Other resources

Nooksack Watershed Management Project

Washington State Department of Ecology home page

Please send additions or corrections to Chris Anderson, (360) 407-6634.