A river runs through our community, sustaining salmon, agriculture, and families for generations. Now, as we face increasing flooding in winter and drought in summer, collaborative action is more urgent than ever. Legal solutions may take years, but partnerships to begin the work can start now.

Please share this newsletter to help spark dialogue in your community. Start a conversation with your family, friends and community leaders.

We are a group of concerned citizens who seek a collaborative & open-minded approach to water resource issues in our county.

Our primary focus is the management of water resources within Whatcom County. We seek a multilateral approach, emphasizing compromise and shared outcomes. Our goal is to gather local community leaders to establish an effective forum for collaborations that will complement the adjudication process.

These concerns are exacerbated by escalating effects of climate change, heightened seasonal weather extremes, statutory and regulatory limitations, and ongoing watershed development.

We will explore solutions within the following broad categories with additional ideas added as discussions progress

Water Use Efficiency and Conservation
• Agricultural efficiency improvements
• Residential conservation programs
• Industrial water efficiency

Habitat Improvements and Watershed Management
• Tree planting to increase stream shading
• Levee setbacks to slow flows and expand sidechannel refuges
• Engineered woody debris to increase pools and salmon refuges
• Forest management practices that may enhance watershed hydrology

Flood Water Storage, Banking, Sharing
• Water banking, sharing, and voluntary transfers
• Surface water storage opportunities
• Groundwater storage and recharge (ASR and MAR)

Development of New Water Sources
• Untapped aquifers
• Inter and intra basin transfers and transport
• Water reuse

Land use and zoning enforcement is also a critical category that should be scrutinized for efficiencies.

What is next for Water for Whatcom?
Our docket for next month includes updates on current members and future participants, further development of our committees with activity reports, and information on the prospect of an Office of the Nooksack to serve as a dedicated, basin-wide entity responsible for turning plans into action and aligning the many interests that depend on the Nooksack River. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!