HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Resources May 26 1992WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WATER RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Tuesday, May 26, 1992
The meeting was called to order in the Council chambers, 1000 N. Forest, 2nd floor,
at 12:00 noon by Barbara Brenner, Chairperson.
Also present: Absent:
Larry Harris Bob Imhof
(Note: the pause button on the tape recorder was pushed down for the first ten minutes of
the meeting; item 2 was taken first with Sue Blake still introducing the subject when the
tape was turned on.)
1. PROPOSAL TO RESTORE THE LAKE WHATCOM WATERSHED TO ITS
#2 RANKING UNDER THE RANKING PROCESS INITIATED BY WAC
400 -12 (AB92 -230)
Topics discussed: Explanation of WAC 400 -12;. Lake Whatcom as the future water
source for the County's growth; Ferndale as a source of water; water quality; results of the
water quality studies in Drayton Harbor; water quality study results for fecal coliform in
Lake Whatcom; residential area contamination results vs. non - residential area contamination
results; reason Lake Whatcom was not, priority ranked earlier; Executive's desire to have
Lake Whatcom listed as #1; method and steps for changing the ranking; ways of instituting
a management plan for the watershed; difference in philosophy between changing the
ranking and continuing the current work of the Health Dept.; timeline for implementing
changes; pros and cons of re- ranking all the watersheds in the County; source of funds for
the program; 1986 Management Plan; need for Council to set policy; lack of enforcement
action.
Persons speaking: Sherilyn Wells; Dr. Robin Matthews, principal investigator on
water run -off into Lake Whatcom and into Drayton Harbor; Brenner; Sue Blake, Water
Resource Manager; Tom Anderson, Manager, PUD; Becky Peterson, Council of
Governments; Fred Miller, 3229 North Shore Rd.
HARRIS MOVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT LAKE WHATCOM
BE RETURNED TO ITS NUMBER TWO RANKING.
The committee directed Blake and Peterson to work together to determine what
would be the speediest way to begin the work on Lake Whatcom, whether or not changing
the ranking would affect this, and then report back in writing; committee discussion with
Blake on the 23rd of June.
HARRIS WITHDREW HIS MOTION.
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2. NOOKSACK. VALLEY BASIN DISCUSSION BY SUE BLAKE, WATER
RESOURCE MANAGER, HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Topics discussed: Nooksack Basin Study; needs for water quality and quantity;
Comprehensive Nooksack Regional Basin Plan; flood management in the Nooksack Basin
which includes methods of working with the Army Corps of Engineers, local diking districts,
and the CounWs flood control program; resource protection programs; major users of water
within the County such as the tubes, the cities, etc.; timeline for receiving and distributing
results of the studies; efforts to coordinate the various groups; funding sources; plan to serve
as a model for other areas; DOE's interest in the plan; appreciation to Blake and Galvin
for the helpful information; areas in which Council guidance will be needed.
Persons speaking: Blake; Brenner; Fred Nowicke, 3341 Berg Rd., Everson; Terry
Galvin, Planning Dept.; Harris.
A
Because there was no other business, the meeting was adjourned.
WATER RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Nancy C Assistant Clerk Barbara Brenner, Chairperson
c\nancy\waters26
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