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Whatcom County Council Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee

WHA-CON-CNR-2025-07-08 July 08, 2025 Public Works Committee Whatcom County
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Whatcom County Public Works Director Paula Harris delivered a comprehensive presentation reviewing 25 years of flood mitigation projects completed since the 1999 Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan (CFHMP). The presentation showcased eight major projects totaling over $30 million in flood protection investments, demonstrating the county's systematic approach to reducing flood risks across the Nooksack River watershed. Harris highlighted successful collaborations with federal agencies, tribes, and local landowners that leveraged outside funding to complete projects including setback levees, fish passage improvements, and innovative self-regulating tide gates. The presentation emphasized how projects evolved from the original 1999 plan while addressing new challenges like aging infrastructure and changing regulatory requirements for fish habitat protection. Council members raised concerns about ongoing drainage district challenges and the need to integrate flood mitigation planning with comprehensive plan updates and future growth patterns. The discussion revealed tension between agricultural drainage needs and fish habitat protection requirements that continue to impact local farming operations.

**AB2025-496 - Flood Mitigation Projects Presentation:** PRESENTED - No formal votes taken - Informational presentation only - Staff recommendation: Information only - Council action: Received pres…

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**Flood Mitigation Project Review:** Paula Harris provided detailed analysis of eight major flood mitigation projects completed since 1999, including Bertrand Creek levee setbacks ($340,000 with Corps funding), Canyon Creek restoration ($5.6 million with 10% county match), and Jones Creek debris flow protection ($5.5 million with 25% county match). Projects demonstrated successful leveraging of federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Floodplains by Design, and Corps of Engineers funding. **Aging Infrastructure Challenges:** Discussion focused on systematic replacement of 75-year-old culvert systems with new self-regulating tide gates that provide better fish passage while improving agricultural drainage. Harris explained how new technology allows gates to remain open most of…
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**Paula Harris (Public Works Director):** Emphasized successful grant funding strategies and collaborative approach with tribes, land trusts, and federal agencies. Noted evolution from reactive damage repairs to proactive flood risk reduction through strategic levee setbacks and habitat restoration. **Council Member Stremler:** Questioned relationship between current projects and original 1999 flood plan, seeking understanding of how priorities evolved over 25 years. **Council Member Scanlon:** Advocated for better integration bet…
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**Paula Harris, on project timeline challenges:** "These larger scale projects with many people impacted, much land acquisition and a lot of property impacted take some time." **Paula Harris, on the 2021 flood response:** "I was somewhat fortunate that I was late in my career and could jump on that 21 flood and really focus our energy to get to the point that, you know, I feel like in the last three, four years, we've done more to get to this solution than we had in the last 20." **Council M…
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- July 22, 2025: Committee of the Whole presentation compiling flood risk maps with comprehensive planning data - Ongoing Sumas overflow and Everson area flood mitigation projects in development - …

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The presentation established a comprehensive baseline of completed flood mitigation work since 1999, documenting successful leveraging of $27+ million in outside funding with relatively small county matches. The county demonstrated evolution from reactive flood damage repairs to proactive watershed-scale flood risk reduction strategies. Council discussion revealed growing recognition of n…
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Environmental Transportation & Infrastructure Land Use & Planning Government Operations Corps Of Engineers Drainage Improvement Districts Fema Nooksack Tribe Whatcom Land Trust Aly Pennucci Barry Buchanan Ben Elenbaas Jon Scanlon Kaylee Galloway Mark Stremler Paula Harris Todd Donovan Agricultural Policy Climate Resilience Comprehensive Planning Environmental Regulation Fish Habitat Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Water Resources