Water Resources Advisory Board

**Academy Street Stormwater Facility Partnership Model** Porter detailed the innovative partnership structure where the City of Bellingham purchased the property for $600,000, while Whatcom County designed and built the initial facility for approximately $750,000. This model represents a significant commitment to inter-jurisdictional cooperation for watershed protection. **Technical Challenges and Solutions** The presentation revealed multiple design flaws discovered after the 2015 construction, including: the facility receiving water from over 100 acres instead of the designed 76 acres; excessive sediment loading that clogged treatment media; lack of operational flexibility with no ability to shut down for maintenance; and…

**Jason Porter, Storm and Surface Water Manager:** Emphasized the value of persistence in making facilities work properly rather than abandoning failed projects. Praised Whatcom County's commitment to investing additional resources to fix problems rather than walking away from the project. **Michael Linger, Deputy Director of Pub…

**Jason Porter, on inter-agency cooperation:** "It was a really one of the more cooperative agreements that I've experienced with the county. They really stepped up with this they hired great consultants, and they wanted this facility to work it just. It shows a strong commitment from the county." **Jason Porter, on project timelines:** "When we do these stormwater projects, you know, we call them capital projects. That's what we own the city want to maintain them. It's about 4 years, maybe e…

Board members gained comprehensive understanding of the Academy Street facility's history, technical specifications, and lessons learned. The meeting established this facility as a model for future inter-jurisdictional partnerships and adaptive management approaches. Staff emphasized the shift from quantity-foc…

### Meeting Overview The Water Resources Advisory Board met on June 24, 2025, for a tour of the Academy Street Water Quality Facility. The meeting focused on a detailed presentation about this unique stormwater treatment facility, which is a partnership between the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County designed to remove phosphorus from Lake Whatcom runoff. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Best Management Practices (BMPs):** Stormwater treatment systems approved by the Washington State Department of Ecology for removing pollutants from runoff water. **Phosphorus Removal:** The primary goal of Lake Whatcom stormwater facilities, as phosphorus causes algae growth that degrades water quality in the lake. **Treatment Media:** Specialized soil mixtures designed to filter pollutants from stormwater as it passes through filter beds or "bathtubs." **Base Flow:** Continuous low-volume water flow that occurs even during dry periods, typically cleaner groundwater seepage that doesn't require intensive treatment. **Pretreatment Devices:** Swirl chambers that remove large debris and sediment before water enters the main treatment system. **Bypass System:** Engineering feature that allows facility shutdown for maintenance while routing water around treatment areas. **POST System:** City of Bellingham's proprietary Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment system with primary and secondary treatment layers. **Contributing Area:** The total acreage of land that drains to a particular stormwater facility, originally estimated at 76 acres but discovered to be over 100 acres. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Bret Beaupain | Board Member (Chair) | | Carl Benson | Board Member | | Martin Kjelstad | Board Member | | Fiona McNair | Board Member | | John Peppel | Board Member (virtual) | | Francesca White | Board Member | | Jason Porter | Storm and Surface Water Manager | | Mike Olinger | Deputy Director of Public Works | | Rush Duncan | Secretary, Water Resources Advisory Board…