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Annual Joint Meeting of Lake Whatcom Management Program (Whatcom County Council, Bellingham City Council, Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District)

WHA-CON-SPC-2025-04-02 April 02, 2025 Committee of the Whole Whatcom County
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The 2025 annual joint meeting of the Lake Whatcom Management Program brought together three governing bodies to review five years of collaborative water quality protection efforts and preview the next phase of work. The meeting highlighted both progress and ongoing challenges in protecting Lake Whatcom, the sole source of drinking water for over 120,000 people in Whatcom County. Dr. Angela Strecker from Western Washington University's Institute for Watershed Studies delivered a comprehensive water quality monitoring report showing mixed results. While surface phosphorus levels have stabilized after decades of increases, dissolved oxygen continues declining at critical depths, and concerning spikes in bottom-water phosphorus from internal loading were observed in 2024. The six-year water residence time means improvements will be slow to materialize. Staff reported significant accomplishments under the concluded 2020-2024 work plan, including 40 land acquisitions by Bellingham totaling 607 acres, over 100 stormwater treatment facilities installed citywide, and development of innovative, cost-saving phosphorus treatment technology. The city is approaching its waste load allocation targets under the federal Clean Water Act, while the county has made progress but faces greater challenges given that 92% of the watershed lies in its jurisdiction. Public commenters praised city efforts while calling for enhanced county action, particularly in stormwater system maintenance and development code consistency. The newly approved 2025-2029 work plan adds climate action and forest management as distinct program areas, reflecting evolving threats and collaborative forest management planning between city and county. Council members expressed frustration with the meeting format, requesting more time for policy discussion among elected officials rather than primarily listening to staff presentations. Concerns were raised about financial sustainability as water treatment costs cont

No formal votes were taken during this joint meeting, which served as an informational session rather than a decision-making body. The meeting focused on receiving reports on completed and ongoing work under the Lake Whatcom Management Program. Key updates included: - 2020-2024 work plan completion with accomplishments across 10 program areas - 2025-2029 work…

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**Water Quality Monitoring and TMDL Progress** Dr. Strecker's presentation revealed complex water quality trends requiring nuanced interpretation. Surface phosphorus concentrations have plateaued after decades of increases, which staff characterized as positive given previous upward trajectories. However, dissolved oxygen continues declining at depths greater than 12 meters in Basin 1, with concerning low oxygen periods starting earlier in summer. Internal phosphorus loading from sediments during low-oxygen conditions creates ongoing challenges, with 2024 showing unexpectedly high bottom-water phosphorus levels. The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) progress shows Bellingham approaching its waste load allocation targets within the next couple years, while Whatcom County has achieved approximately 25% of its reduction goals. Updated phosphorus loading models submitted to the Department of Ecology may lead to TMDL reassessment, though changes wouldn't affect near-term work plans. **Stormwater Management Innovation** Bellingham's development of "POST" (Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment) media represents a significant innovation, saving over $400,000 on the Park …
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**Joe O'Keefe** (Sudden Valley resident) presented a dramatic scenario about potential landslide and tsunami risks to Lake Whatcom, referencing historical disasters at Lituya Bay and the Vajont Dam. His presentation was cut short but aimed to highlight catastrophic risk preparedness. **Laura Weiss** (Bellingham resident, seventh-time attendee) praised city efforts while criticizing county performance. She noted that 80% of new watershed development (123 of 154 units) occurred in Sudden Valley from 2018-2023, while the county has achieved only 25% of its TMDL target compared to the city's near-completion. She called for consistent, rigorous land use and stormwater management rules between jurisdictions. **Christina McGinnis** (Bellingham resident, private citizen) contrasted responsive city staff communication with delayed county follow-up on stormwater code violations she reported in Sudden Valley. She highlighted the need for post-installation stormwater system inspections, noting that residential alterati…
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**Dr. Angela Strecker, on the complexity of interpreting water quality trends:** "It's kind of a loaded question because it depends on what variable you choose to look at... If you only looked at one thing, then it would not be a true story. And lakes are complicated." **Dr. Strecker, on the lake's slow response time:** "What's called the water residence time of the lake is six years. Right. That's a really, really long time. So that's for all like every single drop of water to get replaced i…
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- Department of Ecology review of updated phosphorus loading models (approximately one year timeline) - Continued implementation of 2025-2029 work plan across 12 program areas - Completion of climate vulnerability assessment (targeted for 2025) - Joint forest management plan development between city and cou…

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After this meeting: - Three governing bodies received comprehensive status update on Lake Whatcom Management Program - Formal transition completed from 2020-2024 to 2025-2029 work plan implementation - Enhanced coordination framework established between city and county for forest managem…
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# Lake Whatcom's Annual Health Check: Science, Progress, and Growing Concerns On the evening of April 2nd, 2025, representatives from three jurisdictions gathered at what has become the most important annual meeting in Whatcom County's environmental calendar. The Lake Whatcom Joint Council and Commission meeting brought together the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District for their yearly assessment of the massive collaborative effort to protect the region's sole drinking water source. The meeting, called to order at 6:30 PM by Todd Citron, President of the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Board, represented more than just another government gathering. It was the culmination of a five-year work plan that has directed tens of millions of dollars toward protecting water quality for over 120,000 residents, and the launch of an even more ambitious plan for the next five years. ## Opening Reflections: A Quarter-Century of Collaboration The evening began with opening comments from the three agency leaders, each reflecting on different aspects of the monumental task at hand. Paul Sidhu from Whatcom County emphasized the completion of the 2020-2024 work plan, highlighting two major accomplishments: implementation of new stormwater projects and the completion of updated phosphorus loading models that were recently submitted to the Department of Ecology. "One of my top priorities over the last several years has been forest management," Sidhu noted. "The county in partnership with the city is in the midst of forest management planning process for the watershed. This plan will guide management actions on the forest lands owned by the city and the county to ensure we are protecting the health of the lake and reducing the risk of fires." Mayor Kim Lund spoke to the broader significance of the work, emphasizing that Lake Whatcom "is the sole source of drinking water for over 120,000 people in Whatcom County and beyond." She noted the city's progress toward meeting its waste load allocation for phosphorus reduction while acknowledging the need for continued vigilance. "Protecting Lake Whatcom requires a unified and robust effort across the entire watershed," Lund said, signaling the city's desire for enhanced county participation in development code revisions and other protective…
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### Meeting Overview The Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District, City of Bellingham, and Whatcom County held their annual joint meeting on April 2, 2025, to review the 2020-2024 Lake Whatcom Management Program accomplishments and present the new 2025-2029 work plan. The meeting featured water quality monitoring reports from Western Washington University and highlighted collaborative efforts to protect Lake Whatcom as the region's drinking water source. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL):** A federal Clean Water Act requirement that sets limits on the amount of phosphorus that can be discharged into Lake Whatcom to protect water quality. **Effective Developed Acres Reduced:** A TMDL measurement unit representing developed land where stormwater treatment has reduced phosphorus runoff to forest-level amounts. **Eutrophication:** The process where excess phosphorus promotes algae growth, which then decomposes and consumes oxygen, creating harmful conditions for aquatic life. **Internal Loading:** When phosphorus stored in lake sediments releases back into the water column during low-oxygen conditions, continuing the cycle of nutrient pollution. **Stratification:** Summer lake conditions where warm water floats on top of cold water, preventing mixing and creating oxygen-depleted bottom layers. **POST System:** Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment - an open-source, cost-effective stormwater treatment system developed by the City of Bellingham. **Lake Whatcom Management Program:** A collaborative effort between three jurisdictions established in 1998 to protect and improve lake water quality through coordinated five-year work plans. **Home Ignition Zone:** A 150-foot buffer around structures where vegetation and fuels are managed to reduce wildfire risk. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Todd Citron | President, Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District | | Kim Lund | Mayor, City of Bellingham | | Paul Sidhu | Whatcom County Executive | | Dr. Angela Strecker | Director, Western Washington University Institute for Watershed Studies | | Justin Clary | Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District | | Gary Stoyker | Whatcom County Public Works | | Jason Porter | City of Bellingham Surface and Stormwater Manager | | Hannah Stone | Bellingham City Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | Bellingham City Council Member | | Barry Buchanan | Whatcom County Council Member | ### Background Context Lake Whatcom serves as the sole drinking water source for over 120,000 people in Whatcom County. The l…
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Environmental Utilities Government Operations Department Of Ecology Lake Whatcom Water Sewer District Re Sources Western Washington University Whatcom Conservation District Whatcom Environmental Council Angela Strecker Christina Mcginnis Gary Stoyker Jason Porter John Scanlon Justin Clary Kaia Hayes Kim Lund Kyle Bickel Laura Weiss Mark Stremler Michael Lilliquist Paul Sidhu Rick Eggert Todd Citron Aquatic Invasive Species Budget Finance Climate Action Forest Management Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Acquisition Phosphorus Reduction Stormwater Management Tmdl Compliance Water Quality Monitoring Water Resources