HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Work Session Jan 17 2023Whatcom County
Council Water Work Session
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360)778-5010
Minutes - Final
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
10:30 AM
Civic Center Building Garden Room / Hybrid Meeting
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 January 17, 2023
Call To Order
Roll Call
Council Chair Barry Buchanan called the meeting to order at 10:32 a.m. in a
hybrid meeting.
Present: 5 - Tyler Byrd, Barry Buchanan, Ben Elenbaas, Carol Frazey, and Kaylee Galloway
Absent: 2 - Kathy Kershner, and Todd Donovan
Announcements
Water Resources Update
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, gave the following updates:
• The Department of Ecology (DOE) requested $2.7 million in the
next budget through the Governor's budget request for adjudication
activities for the next two years and that made it into the budget. The
$1 million in funding requested for the Solutions Table and technical
studies did not make it into the Governor's budget.
• The Public Utility District (PUD) has completed Phase II of the
Regional Water Supply Plan and the County has reviewed that and
submitted some comments.
• Technical studies - They are continuing to work on the last phase of
the Groundwater Modeling Project and were able to find some grant
funding that will offset part of that. The Groundwater/Surface-Water
Interaction Study is underway and they only have $100,000 of the
needed $432,000.
• Council approved a contract with a consultant to start a water storage
study.
• Council approved the first phase of the instream flow extrapolation
study.
• There are updates on the South Fork property acquisition but that
will be presented later in this meeting.
• Watershed Management Board meeting topics of the last meeting
included recreational impacts to salmon and feedback on the Yakima
Integrated Plan.
• The main topic of the next Watershed Management Board meeting in
March will be the 2023-2028 Five -Year Work Plan.
• The County has hired Lauren Clemens as the new Climate Action
Manager.
• The next Water Work Session is scheduled for February 14, 2023.
Whatcom County Page I Printed on 21812023
Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
Acme Floodplain Project Update
Chris Elder, Public Works Department, presented (attached to meeting) an
overview, status update, and next steps for the Acme Floodplain Acquisition
Project, and answered where Acme Elementary School is on the
presentation slide "Overview Map Showing the Concept Zones A-F."
Discussion with WRIA 1 Planning Unit
The following people reported:
• Chris Elder, Public Works Department
• Dan Eisses, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District and WRIA 1
Planning Unit
• Alexander Harris, Land and Water Policy Manager at Re Sources and
WRIA 1 Planning Unit
They updated the Councilmembers about the following:
• For the January Planning Unit meeting, Sue Sullivan from the Health
Department is going to come talk about the Coordinated Water
System Plan.
• For the February meeting, the Planning Unit will be discussing the
Comprehensive Plan update. They will discuss better integrating
climate change planning with land use planning and also better
coordinating land use planning and water resources planning.
December Flood Event Report
Other Business
Gary Goodall, Public Works River and Flood Division, presented on the
Christmas Eve ice jam flood and the Marine Drive levee damages
(presentation attached to the meeting).
Frazey thanked Goodall and everyone who worked on this and worked
through Christmas.
Gary Stoyka, Public Works Department, spoke about all the damage repair
that needs to be done from the last couple years and stated they have
wrapped it all into one big damage repair, redesigned their project to
include it all, hired a consultant to do some updated design work, and are
working hard to try to do all three damage repairs this summer.
There was no other business.
Wiialcom County Page 2 Printed on 21812023
Council Water Work Session Minutes - Final January 17, 2023
Adiournment
The meeting adjourned at 11:17 a.m.
The County Council approved these minutes on February 7, 2023.
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Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
'ABa hana , Council Chair
Wkatcom County Page 3 Printers on 21812023