HomeMy WebLinkAboutSurface Water Work Session July 16 20191
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
Whatcom County Council
Surface Water Work Session
July 16, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Rud Browne called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the Civic
Center Garden Level Conference Room, 322 Commercial Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Barbara Brenner, Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd
Donovan, and Carol Frazey.
Absent: Satpal Sidhu
SURFACE WATER WORK SESSION (AB2018-024)
1. WATERSHED PLANNING UPDATE
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, updated the Council and answered
questions:
• Watershed Management Board schedule and agenda, including the five-year
work plan and discussion of adjudication of the Nooksack Basin
• Natural Resources Committee discussion next week on revisions to the five-
year plan
• Water use efficiency projects
• Regional water supply plan scope of work
• Groundwater modeling project and peer review
Henry Bierlink answered questions about water banking.
Councilmembers and staff discussed open sourcing the groundwater model,
Nooksack Tribe water rights adjudication, and providing the Council timely information.
2. COUNTY FISH BARRIER CULVERT UPDATE
John Thompson, Public Works Department, read from a presentation, gave a staff
report, and answered questions on the recovery plan for Chinook, the history of fish culvert
barrier litigation, culvert replacement schedule, and other fish habitat projects.
Jim Karcher, Public Works Department, answered questions.
Councilmembers and staff discussed monitoring the number of fish using the
streams, the State's arguments against culvert replacement requirements, problems with
creosote, who is responsible for non -County culverts, the need for a bridge at Slater Road
over Jordan Creek, new culvert technology, and implementing temporary fixes until a
culvert can be replaced.
Kathey Sabel spoke about a watershed update on drought planning and a Birch Bay
water district deep water project.
Surface Water Work Session, 7/16/2019, Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Ellen Baker spoke about measuring fish barrier water velocity rates and the lifespan
of culvert designs.
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 11:32 a.m.
The Colwr► ill`��p�bmjed these minutes on August 7, 2019.
ATTESTS
f:
Dana Brown-bgv1&`,
Jill Nixon, Minutes Transcription
WHAT M C UNTY COUNCIL
WH CO C N , WASHINGTON
Rud Browne, Council Chair
Surface Water Work Session, 7/16/2019, Page 2