HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Work Session Jun 23 2020Whatcom County
Council Water Work Session
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Minutes - Final
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
10:30 AM
Virtual Meeting
COUNCILMEMBERS
Rud Browne
Barry Buchanan
Tyler Byrd
Todd Donovan
Ben Elenbaas
Carol Frazey
Kathy Kershner
CLERK OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final June 23, 2020
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:33 a.m. in a
virtual meeting.
Present: 7 - Rud Browne, Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas,
Absent: None
Carol Frazey and Kathy Kershner
Floodplain Integrated Planning (FLIP) update
Paula Harris, Public Works Department, gave a presentation and updated the
Councilmembers. She and Councilmembers discussed flood proofing
buyouts, whether a stream or ditch can be buried, whether someone can
look at the channels where the river splits to see if there is an opportunity
to dredge part of it to pull out the gravel and deepen it enough so that it can
be filled with flood water, and only taking gravel from dry reaches so that
habitat is not affected.
NPDES and Lake Whatcom TMDL Update
Cathy Craver, Public Works Department, updated the councilmembers. She
highlighted accomplishments from the last permit cycle and spoke about
some of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements that are part
of their new permit.
Water Resources Update
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, briefed the Councilmembers on
the March Watershed Management Board meeting which was cancelled and
rescheduled for June 24, 2020 at 9 a.m. The main topics for the meeting are
a summary of where the board is on the 5-year work plan and a presentation
from the Department of Ecology (DOE) about adjudication and how they
will select the next adjudication basin.
Satpal Sidhu, County Executive, updated the Council on resolution of water
issues and recent meetings with several stakeholders regarding the water
adjudication process, what a good settlement looks like to all the parties
involved, and the role he sees the Council playing. He also spoke about the
Council engaging with the Planning Unit with leadership coming from
Council.
Sidhu and Stoyka answered questions about when they would know whether
the County is placed in the queue for the adjudication process, a suggestion
that the parties come together and agree on what they would mutually like to
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Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final June 23, 2020
achieve including shared goals toward a common objective, and whether
there could be a moderator who is not invested in water issues to direct
water meetings.
Stoyka continued his update on the following items:
WRIA 1 Planning Unit
Adiournment
• Continuing work on water use efficiency projects
• A report from RH2 Engineering on using water banks or a trust water
rights program in Whatcom County
• The next Planning Unit Meeting on June 24, 2020 at which there will
be an update on their efforts to update the Watershed Management
Plan and an attempt to come up with a unified position on
adjudication
• A Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissions meeting to
approve the next five-year work plan which got cancelled because of
the COVID-19 crisis (Each jurisdiction is taking it to their individual
councils for approval and that will then come to the Council for
approval)
• The Lake Whatcom Stewardship guide which is almost ready
• The start of the Lake Whatcom 2020 aquatic invasive species
inspection program
• The completion of the Natural Resources Division of Public Works
annual report
Kathy Sabel, Planning Unit member, gave an update on Planning Unit
meetings from February, March and June of 2020. She spoke about a memo
sent to the Council on March 26, 2020 and stated that the Planning Unit is
requesting the Whatcom County Council specify what efforts they wish the
Planning Unit to perform. The Planning Unit would like to address any
possible miscommunications and would appreciate hearing any questions
and comments on that memo.
She answered questions about resending information regarding Council
requests of the Planning Unit, updating the Planning Unit caucus
representation questionnaire online, whether the Planning Unit's as well as
individual caucus' decisions about whether they are for or against
adjudication will be in an informal or formal meeting, requiring the
questionnaire and making sure caucuses still exist and are still meeting and
active before acting as representatives in decisions and advice.
The meeting adjourned at 12:11 p.m.
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Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final June 23, 2020
The County Council approved these minutes on July 21, 2020.
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