HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session July 20 20101
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Whatcom County Council
Special Surface Water Work Session
July 20, 2010
Council Vice -Chair Bill Knutzen called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the
Whatcom County Civic Center Garden Level Conference Room, 322 N. Commercial,
Bellingham, Washington.
Present: Barbara Brenner, Kathy Kershner, Bill Knutzen, Ken Mann, L. Ward Nelson
and Carl Weimer
Absent: Sam Crawford
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (AB2010 -024)
Jon Hutchings, Public Works Department, discussed the schedule for future water
resource work sessions and reminded the councilmembers of recent past meetings.
1. PRESENTATION ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SEDIMENT IN THE NOOKSACK
RIVER SYSTEM
Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, gave a staff report and update on the
Hovander Park trail project, Guide Meridian project, and the Acme Phase II project to add to
large woody debris on the revetment. All of these projects are regarding repair and
maintenance.
Regarding the flood hazard reduction program, focus has been on Marietta land
acquisition with grant funding and Swift Creek. They will do bank work and channel
excavation this year on Swift Creek.
She submitted a handout (on file) and introduced Hamish Weatherly regarding the
sediment management program.
Discussion included changing State regulations for vegetation management on dikes.
Hamish Weatherly, BGC Consulting, described his background and read from a
presentation (on file) on his experience working on the Frasier River and what they've done
and may do on the Nooksack River regarding gravel management.
Discussion included the active channel width, as shown on one of the presentation
slides; whether the gravel removal of the Frasier River affected the temperature of the
river; the politics of gravel removal; whether there is a way to install water level meters
instead of doing big surveys; the fish species that spawn in the main stem of the Nooksack
River below Deming; whether they have to protect habitat for spawning; whether the British
Columbia government and Canadian federal government built habitat when it removed
gravel from the Frasier River; impacts of gravel management on the Frasier River to
juvenile fish, and; doing selective scalping during certain favorable times.
The following person answered questions:
John Thompson, Public Works Department
Surface Water Work Session, 7/20/2010, Page 1
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2. REPORT ON SUMMER 2010 STORMWATER CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE LAKE
WHATCOM WATERSHED
Kirk Christensen, Public Works Department, gave a staff report and update on the
Lottie Drive bio- filtration swale project and the rehabilitation of Silver Beach Creek between
Brownsville Road and 16th Street project.
Discussion included whether the Conservation District or property owners could have
done any of the work on Silver Beach Creek; whether the County has management plans
when the Silver Beach project is complete; extending the season in Lake Whatcom for
constructing the Silver Beach project to prevent any damage from not doing the project
until next year; having a future policy discussion about providing neighborhood retrofit
projects and their ongoing maintenance in private developments, and; bringing in grant
money to help with construction in the next three years.
Brenner asked for more specific information on what ongoing management entails,
so residents of the area can take ownership.
3. CONTINUED DISCUSSION ABOUT 2011/2012 WATER RESOURCE PROGRAM
BUDGET
Hutchings read from a presentation (on file, distributed at the previous work session)
about budget goals and sideboard discussions from the last meeting.
Paula Cooper, Public Works Department, submitted handouts (on file) and gave a
staff report on the 2010 year -end projection and proposed 2011 and 2012 budget request
for the River and Flood Division. She read the principal changes from the current budget to
the next budget.
Discussion included property acquisition in Marietta; planning projects and budgeting
around funding and staff limitations; whether staff are being fully utilized in the order of
importance as established on the countywide resource integration project ( CWRIP) list;
using the CWRIP database to develop the budget; whether the subzones have reviewed and
approved the proposed budget; whether a subzone could come up with the money to pay
for a project the community deems necessary; having a discussion with the Flood Control
Zone District Advisory Committee about the possibility of allowing the subzones to
contribute to the cost of a County full time equivalent (FTE) employee who would be
assigned to work on their localized projects; long -term strategies for Swift Creek; using
flood tax monies on special projects rather than flood prevention projects, and; how much
local subzones contribute to funding local projects.
Hutchings gave a staff report and update on Swift Creek project and funding and
protecting a fund balance for flood response. He will bring forward a draft resolution at the
next meeting. Also create a reserve for the 2012 or 2013 construction of the Deming
project.
Knutzen stated he would like to see documentation on how much flood tax money is
spent on flood prevention and how much is spent on special projects.
Kirk Christensen, Public Works Department gave a staff report and status update on
the stormwater program and planned projects and capital investments for 2011 and 2012.
Keep in mind the increasing mandates from the national pollutant discharge and elimination
system (NPDES) permit and total maximum daily load (TMDL) study.
Surface Water Work Session, 7/20/2010, Page 2
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ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 12:35 p.m.
Please contact the Council Office to obtain an
official, signed copy:
360- 676 -6690 or council &o.w hatcom .wa.us
Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk
Bill Knutzen, Council Vice -Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 7/20/2010, Page 3