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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Work Session Nov 15 2022Whatcom County Council Water Work Session COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Minutes - Final Tuesday, November 15, 2022 10:30 AM Civic Center Building Garden Room HYBRID MEETING - (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010) COUNCILMEMBERS Barry Buchanan Tyler Byrd Todd Donovan Ben Elenbaas Carol Frazey Kaylee Galloway Kathy Kershner CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final November 15, 2022 Call To Order Roll Call Council Chair Todd Donovan called the meeting to order at 10:32 a.m. in a hybrid meeting. Present: 5 - Barry Buchanan, Tyler Byrd, Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, and Carol Frazey Absent: 2 - Kaylee Galloway, and Kathy Kershner Announcements Water Resources Update Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, updated on the following: • Several technical studies including the: o The Groundwater Model o The Groundwater / Surface Water Interaction Study o A multi -purpose water storage study for flow protection, fish habitat, and water supply o An instream flow extrapolation study, looking at the flows that fish need • They are trying to wrap up a summary report for the work they did this past summer for the drainage -based management process • The regional water supply planning process is moving forward • The Whatcom Land Trust closed on phase one of the Stewart Mountain Community Forest Project • Engagement of the Forestry Advisory Committee to solicit feedback on the forest management planning process for the Stewart Mountain Community Forest • The Executive requested $1 million from the governor for the next biennial budget to continue water planning activities including the solutions table process • An upcoming Flood Control Zone District request for funding • The progress of the WRIA 1 data hub • Topics for the next Watershed Management Board meeting • The date for the next Water Work Session (January 17, 2023) He gave more details on the multi -purpose water storage study. River & Flood Program Update Paula Harris, Public Works Department, presented on "Flow Split Charrette Tradeoffs and Implementation Workshop Update" (presentation on file) and Whatcom County Pa$e i Printed on 1112312022 Council Water Work Session Minutes - Tinal November 15, 2022 answered questions about whether the new bathymetry included the depth of the entire Nooksack River, the freeboard requirements that the small cities are considering increasing so that people would build at least two feet above the base flood (or 100-year) elevation, whether people can currently still build below that two -foot threshold, and whether every city is considering increasing the requirement to two feet. Ingrid Enschede, Public Works Department, answered whether people know the areas that are going to be targeted for the acquisition buyouts. Harris and Enschede continued the presentation. Lake Whatcom Homeowner Incentive Program (HIP) Update Ingrid Enschede, Public Works Department, presented and answered when the first neighborhood native landscaping project might happen. Discussion with WRIA 1 Planning Unit Other Business Adiournment The following people updated the Councilmembers: • Dan Eisses, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District and WRIA 1 Planning Unit • Alexander Harris, RE Sources and WRIA 1 Planning Unit They updated Councilmembers on what took place at the last month's Planning Unit meeting and what they will be doing at the next meeting and answered whether the comments from the Planning Unit could be sent to the Council, and what the top priorities would be in the Resolution (RES 2022-036) regarding Comprehensive Plan priorities that the Council might start thinking about when they start the Comprehensive Plan Update. Chris Elder, Public Works Department, stated he was there to support the speakers and did not have anything additional to add. There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 11:47 a.m. The County Council approved these minutes on November 22, 2022. Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 1112312022 Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final November 15, 2022 ATTEST: , �',' , ; ; '! a WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL c 0 f� ° �� WHATCOM COUNTY, WA 9 ,,x Dana Brown- avis�' tSncil Clerk n 0. m ©e n a r Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription R 9 AIII Todd Donovan, Council Chair 91tateom County Page 3 Printed on IM312022