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Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissioners Meeting

WHA-CON-2025-04-02 April 02, 2025 Whatcom County Council Regular Whatcom County
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The 2025 annual Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissioners meeting brought together elected officials from three jurisdictions to review five years of collaborative watershed protection efforts and chart the course for the next five-year management cycle. The meeting highlighted both the scientific complexity of lake management and the significant financial investments being made to protect the drinking water source for over 120,000 people in Whatcom County. Dr. Angela Strecker from Western Washington University presented sobering data showing Lake Whatcom continues to face serious water quality challenges, despite decades of intervention. While some metrics have stabilized or slightly improved, dissolved oxygen levels remain critically low in the lake's deeper waters, and phosphorus from internal loading continues to cycle through the system. The data suggests management efforts may have prevented further deterioration, but recovery remains slow and uncertain. Staff reported substantial progress in implementing the 2020-2024 work plan, with over $50 million invested across ten program areas. The City of Bellingham has acquired 607 acres of watershed land, built innovative stormwater treatment systems, and is approaching its Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) reduction targets. Whatcom County has completed major stormwater projects and maintained extensive infrastructure, though progress toward phosphorus reduction goals has been slower than the city's efforts. The meeting revealed tensions around coordination, funding sustainability, and the pace of improvement. Several council members expressed frustration with the meeting format, arguing that two hours was insufficient for meaningful policy discussion among elected officials. Council Member Jon Scanlon called for more frequent inter-jurisdictional meetings and better advance scheduling, while Council Member Michael Lilliquist raised concerns about the financial burden on ratepayers as treatment costs continue

This was an information-only meeting with no formal votes taken. The session was structured as an annual briefing on the Lake Whatcom Management Program's 2020-2024 accomplishments and the newly adopted 2025-2029 work plan. All three jurisdictions had already approved the new five-year work pla…

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**Lake Water Quality Status:** Dr. Strecker's presentation revealed a complex picture of lake health. While surface water phosphorus levels have stabilized after decades of increases, internal loading from lake sediments continues to release significant phosphorus during low-oxygen conditions. Dissolved oxygen levels at monitoring sites have declined over time, with some summer measurements falling into ranges harmful to aquatic life. The six-year water residence time means the lake responds very slowly to management interventions. **TMDL Progress and Reassessment:** Staff reported the City of Bellingham is approaching its phosphorus reduction targets under federal Clean Water Act requirements, while Whatcom County has achieved approximately 25% of its reduction goals. Updated computer models submitted to the Department of Ecology in 2024 may lead to a reassessment of the TMDL requirements, though any changes would likely affect outer years rather than near-term targets. **Financial Sustainability:** Council Member Lilliquist raised pointed questions …
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**Joe O'Keefe** (Sudden Valley resident): Presented a dramatic scenario about landslide risks in Sudden Valley, comparing the area to historical tsunami and dam disaster sites. His time expired before completing his presentation. **Laura Weiss** (Bellingham resident): Praised the city's land acquisition and phosphorus reduction efforts while criticizing county performance. Noted that 80% of new dwelling units built 2018-2023 were in Sudden Valley, while the city has achieved much of its TMDL target and the county only about 25%. **Christina McGuinness** (Bellingham resident): Shared contrasting experiences with city and county responsiveness. Praised city staff for quickly providing information about land preservation, but reported months-long delays from county staff on stormwater violations in Sudden Valley, highlighting …
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**Dr. Angela Strecker, on the complexity of lake recovery:** "It's really only one of these [variables] that's changing with time, the rest of them are not. But it's worth knowing that even though the surface waters look promising, we're still getting a lot of phosphorus coming in from the bottom." **Council Member Michael Lilliquist, on financial sustainability:** "I think that is gonna be the very limiting factor. Just our ability to continue to invest resources if we have to keep doing it,…
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The 2025-2029 Lake Whatcom Management Program work plan is already being implemented across 12 program areas (expanded from 10). Key upcoming initiatives include: - **Climate Vulnerability Assessment** led by the city, targeting completion in 2025 - **Forest Management Plan** partnership between city and county for jointly owned watershed lands - **Rapid Response Plan** for aquatic invasive species, particularly quag…

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**Organizational Structure:** The management program expanded from 10 to 12 program areas, elevating forest management and climate action from embedded activities to standalone focus areas. **TMDL Modeling:** New phosphorus loading and lake response models were completed and submitted to the Department of Ecology in 2024, representing the first major update since the original 2016 TMDL was established. **Land Acquisition:** The city acquired 607 acres over the five-year period, bringing total protected watershed land to 12,649 acres. **Stormwater Innovation:** …
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# Lake Whatcom's Future in Question: Annual Summit Reveals Troubling Water Quality Trends On a chilly April evening, political leaders from across Whatcom County gathered at City Hall for what has become an annual ritual of sorts — the Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissioners Meeting. What unfolded over two hours was a sobering assessment of the region's most precious natural resource, a frank discussion about the limits of current protection efforts, and a growing recognition that the challenges facing Lake Whatcom may be outpacing their solutions. ## Meeting Overview The April 2, 2025 meeting brought together three governing bodies that share responsibility for protecting Lake Whatcom: Bellingham City Council, Whatcom County Council, and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Board of Commissioners. Hosted at Bellingham City Hall, the meeting drew dozens of community members both in person and online, underscoring the public's deep investment in the lake's future. The gathering marked a transition point — the conclusion of a five-year management plan and the launch of a new one spanning 2025-2029. But the presentations and discussion revealed that after decades of effort and tens of millions of dollars invested, Lake Whatcom remains in a precarious state, with some water quality indicators showing worrying trends. Todd Citron, president of the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District board, called the meeting to order, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the work ahead. "We take serious our obligation to ensure that our management of our water and sewer systems are done in a proactive manner that ensures that impacts to the lake's water quality are mitigated," he said. ## The Stakes Couldn't Be Higher Mayor Kim Lund set the tone early with a reminder of what's at risk: "Lake Wacom is more than just a beautiful natural asset. It is the sole source of drinking water for over 120,000 people in Wacom County and beyond." Whatcom County Executive Satpal Singh Sidhu highlighted the significance of the moment, noting …
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### Meeting Overview The Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissioners held their annual 2025 meeting on April 2nd, bringing together the Bellingham City Council, Whatcom County Council, and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Board to review five years of watershed protection work. The meeting highlighted major accomplishments from 2020-2024 and previewed initiatives for the new 2025-2029 work plan, focusing on water quality monitoring results and phosphorus reduction progress. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL):** A federal Clean Water Act requirement setting limits on phosphorus pollution entering Lake Whatcom, with a 50-year cleanup timeline beginning in 2016. **Phosphorus Loading:** The amount of phosphorus entering Lake Whatcom from stormwater runoff, which causes excessive algae growth and oxygen depletion that threatens aquatic life and water treatment costs. **Eutrophication:** The process where excess phosphorus promotes algae growth, which then dies and decomposes, consuming oxygen and leaving little available for fish and other aquatic life. **Lake Whatcom Watershed:** The 56-square-mile area surrounding the lake where all surface water eventually drains into the lake, including portions within both city and county jurisdiction. **Stormwater Treatment Facilities:** Infrastructure designed to capture and filter runoff from developed areas before it enters the lake, removing phosphorus and other pollutants. **Effective Developed Acres Reduced:** A TMDL measurement unit representing phosphorus reduction equivalent to treating one acre of developed land to forest-level pollution output. **Internal Loading:** Phosphorus that gets released from lake sediments during low-oxygen conditions, creating a cycle that perpetuates water quality problems even after external sources are reduced. **POST System:** Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment system developed by Bellingham that provides enhanced phosphorus removal at 60% less cost than similar proprietary systems. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Todd Citron | Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District Board President | | Kim Lund | City of Bellingham Mayor | | Satpal Singh Sidhu | Whatcom County Executive | | Justin Clary | Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District General Manager | | Dr. Angela Strecker | Western Washington University Institute for Water…
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Environmental Government Operations Department Ecology Institute Watershed Studies Lake Whatcom Water Sewer District Re Sources Sudden Valley Community Association Western Washington University Whatcom Conservation District Whatcom Environmental Council Angela Strecker Cathy Craver Christina Mcguinness Gary Stoyka Jason Porter Joe Okeefe Jon Scanlon Justin Clary Kaya Hayes Kim Lund Kyle Bickle Laura Weiss Michael Lilliquist Rick Eggworth Satpal Sidhu Todd Citron Aquatic Invasive Species Budget Finance Climate Action Comprehensive Plan Forest Management Inter Jurisdictional Cooperation Lake Watcom Watershed Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Acquisition Monitoring Data Phosphorus Reduction Stormwater Management Sudden Valley Tmdl Compliance Water Resources Water Treatment Wildfire Risk