HomeMy WebLinkAboutNatural Resources October 1 1996WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Natural Resources Committee
October 1, 1996
The meeting was called to order at 11 a.m. by Committee Chair Marlene Dawson in the
Council Committee Room, 311 Grand Avenue.
Also Present: Absent:
Tom Brown None
Kathy Sutter
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION ONLY
1. DISCUSSION REGARDING LAKE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT NO.1 (LAKE
SAMISH) AND THE EFFECT OF AN AUGMENTATION DAM ON LAKE
LEVELS (AB96 -012A)
Those also speaking included:
Mrs. Pat Whitney
Bruce Mills, Engineering
Herb Barker, Advisory Board Member
Bruce Harris, Lake Management District
Dave Jenkins, Advisory Board Member
Bruce Mills, Engineering, gave background information. He noted the dam has caused the
lake to rise more than it has in the past, as this Spring was wetter than normal. He explained the
operation of the dam and noted there are several beaver dams along Friday Creek. Mills stated
that Fisheries should be notified the timing of the dam should be left to Engineering, which should
be some time in May, 1997.
Topics for discussion included: the level of water; the seasons of the year; the flood gate;
and the history of the lake level. Mills suggested the dam should be installed when it gets to be
approximately the same level as last year.
Concerns included: shore land easements; other properties affected by the excess water
level; monitoring to ensure flow; water rights regarding a permanent augmentation program; and
a permanent water supply system.
Mrs. Pat Whitney responded to a question about bulkheads.
Natural Resources Minutes, 10/1/96, Page 1
I Dave Jenkins, Advisory Board Member, noted that the lake has no natural level; it is
2 possibly an average level. In the past, the Crescent Township supervisor annually cleaned the
3 Creek to the Nutley Road bridge in the fall of anything that interfered with the stream flow.
4
5 Dawson asked where the water level would be on the bulkhead on the Whitney property.
6 Mrs. Whitney read from her record, which stated it was over a foot lower than what it had been.
7 She thought it would be satisfactory to her to have the dam installed when the water level is raised
8 by 6 inches.
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10 Bruce Harris, chief coauthor of Lake Management District #1 proposal for the initiative
11 creating that District, explained the circumstances concerning the level of Lake Samish beyond the
12 control of the Lake Management District, which were the overly wet and overly dry seasons. He
13 is looking at maintaining the water level above where it has normally been in the summer.
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15 Mills noted that the dam will be pulled later this week or early next week.
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17 Other topics discussed included: the line of vegetation; assessment taxes; various costs;
18 and the need for an Interlocal Agreement or some type of agreement.
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20 Jenkins stated the hatchery management cleaned out the dams above and below the ladder.
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22 Harris noted there are two branches of Fisheries: one concerned with sufficient flows in
23 stream and the other with sufficient flows in the hatchery. He further stated that trapping and
'.4 removal of the beavers creates a vacancy for other beavers to move in. The best strategy is to try
25 to work with the beaver, which involves a weekly schedule of surveillance and removal of debris.
26
27 Dawson stated she wanted to follow up with contact with the Health Department
28 regarding clarification of the demands it is making on this District as far as future commitments.
29 She is satisfied that the District is making an effort to maintain those lines and that the agency will
30 follow its own dictates instead of Fisheries.
31
32 Sutter stated the purpose of the dam must be examined. It needs to be managed for the
33 purpose of keeping a sufficient flow in the Creek for fish habitat. The dam is the number one
34 focus. The limitation is the easements, to which Mills added that the winter level exceeds those
35 easements.
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37 Brown inquired if a letter is necessary regarding the dam. Bob Woods, Council Budget
38 and Program Analyst, noted that the purpose of the Citizens Advisory Board is to help manage
39 the Lake Management District, which would be an appropriate issue for them to recommend to
40 the Board of Supervisors (Council) if there are any further problems.
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Brown suggested the Citizens Advisory Board draft a letter to the Department of Game
requesting any basis allowed for ongoing trapping within that drainage basin to facilitate the
management of the water. Harris responded by stating this was attempted in the past but the
traps were purposefully damaged by persons unknown.
Mills noted the conditional water rights that the Whitneys, e.g., have call for permanent
augmentation unless public water supply is in place, which does not look promising by 2002.
Dawson stated Council can write a letter regarding long -range concerns regarding this and
question the basis of these requirements. Dawson stated she would draft a letter to Mr. Thielman
of the state health department.
ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.
�/'a/'vl
Eli eth B_
ennett, Recording Sec ary
ATTEST:
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
r
n -Da ' , o Marlene Dawson, Council Member
Natural Resources Minutes, 10/1/96, Page 3