HomeMy WebLinkAboutPacket Water Work Session Jan 19 2021Whatcom County
Council Water Work Session
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
10:30 AM
Virtual Meeting
VIRTUAL MEETING - VIEW ONLINE
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 Meeting Agenda January 19, 2021
Call To Order
Roll Call
Water Resources Update
Lake Whatcom Monitoring and Modeling Update
Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) Farm Incentives and Cost Share Program
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 21612024
WHATCOM COUNTY
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
JON HUTCHINGS
Director
NATURAL RESOURCES
322 N. Commercial Street, Suite 110
Bellingham, WA 98225
Telephone: (360) 778-6230
FAX: (360) 778-6231
www. whatcomcounty. us
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Satpal Singh Sidhu, Whatcom County Executive, and
Honorable Members of the Whatcom County Council
THROUGH: Jon Hutchings, Director
FROM: Gary S. Stoyka, Natural Resources Program Manager
DATE: January 12, 2021
RE: January 19, 2021 Council Water Work Session
Please refer to the proposed agenda below for the next Water Work Session. Additional supporting
documents may be distributed at or before the meeting.
AGENDA
Date:
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Time:
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Place:
Virtual Meeting. For instructions on how to watch or participate in this meeting, please visit us
at www.whatcomcounty.us/ioinvirtualcouncil or contact the Council Office at 360.778.5010.
View meeting schedules, agendas, minutes, videos, and archives at
www.whatcom.Iegistar.com.
Time
Topic
Council Action
Background Information
Requested
Attached
10:30 AM —
Water Resources Update
Informational
None
11:00 AM
11:00 AM —
Lake Whatcom Monitoring & Modeling Update
Discussion
None
11:30 AM
11:30 AM —
Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC)
Discussion
WCD handout
12:00 PM
Farm Incentives and Cost Share Program
If you have questions, please feel free to call me at (360) 778-6218.
cc: Mike McFarlane Jim Karcher Paula Harris
Beth Bushaw Jeff Hegedus John Thompson
Tyler Schroeder Josh Fleischmann Karen Frakes
George Boggs Roland Middleton Dana Brown -Davis
Mark Personius Cathy Craver Lonni Cummings
John Wolpers
Kraig Olason
Jennifer Schneider
Atina Casas
Kristi Felbinger
Doug Ranney
Erika Douglas
Jill Nixon
Learn what opportunities exist in addition to our FREE and
confidential Whatcom CD farm planning services.
Equipment Share
Rent our manure
spreader and poultry
processing equipment
Soil Testing
Improve pasture health
with sample assistance
and interpretation
Manure Link
Use our new online
resource to find or
share manure
VOO r
Free Manure Tarp
Protect your nutrients
from runoff and
improve composting
Grants and Rebates
Fund your farm goals to
improve animal health
and chore efficiency
Workshops & Events
Learn from local
professionals and
your peers
Take advantage of Whatcom CD
programs to improve your chore
efficiency, animal health, and
pasture productivity!
Small Farm Rebate Program
Recieve $200 back on your purchase
of barn gutters or heavy use area
footing. Attend a workshop or
complete a site assessment with
Whatcom CD to start the eligibility
process.
Small Grants Program
Recieve up to $3000 to install best
management practices on your farm.
Common projects include manure
storage, fencing, and heavy use area
footing. To apply, complete a farm
plan with Whatcom CD.
Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program (CREP)
CREP pays landowners to establish
buffers of native trees and shrubs
along fish bearing streams and
rivers. In addition, the program
covers fencing, removal of invasive
plants and annual rental payments.
Laka� whatcvm �M(n)H,�tNn)nng Lc5A
mooda 'dRs upoa�aj
Background
Lake Whatcom Water Quality Monitoring
2009 to present: Tributary Monitoring Program to fill in
data gaps in loading model for phosphorus
characterization.
Joint effort between Whatcom County, City of Bellingham,
and Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District.
Brown & Caldwell has been the ongoing consultant for the
project.
Institute for Watershed Studies
Contracted with City of Bellingham for storm event and lake
monitoring.
Lake Whatcom Tributary
Monitoring
Current contract ends spring aozi.
Whatcom County and City of Bellingham will
coordinate on next round of monitoring efforts for the
2021-2024 water years.
Results of the Lake Response Model Update may
inform future monitoring plans.
Lake Models
Lake Loading Model (HFAM)
Updated model from original model used for the Lake
Whatcom TMDL, utilized for phosphorus loading
characterization.
Managed by the City of Bellingham.
Incorporated data from Tributary Monitoring Program
as well as lake monitoring data from Institute for
Watershed Studies.
Accepted by Department of Ecology; third -party
reviewed.
Lake Models., cont.
Lake Response Model (CE-QUALW2)
Requirement of the LW TMDL is to update the model by
March 31, 2024.
Results determine modeled water quality in the lake,
informing the phosphorus reduction goals. (i.e. potentially
new total pounds of phosphorus to mitigate for over the 50-
year timeframe.)
Whatcom County lead for update.
Initiated contract with Brown & Caldwell for Phase 1 of
the update in February 2020.
Phase 2 contract is scheduled to go for Council approval
February 9th.
Lake Models,, cont.
Contract expected to finish in October 2022.
Results will determine if the TMDL targets will be
formally adjusted for Whatcom County and City of
Bellingham.
Any steps or determinations regarding TMDL targets
will be a coordinated and collaborative effort with the
City of Bellingham and Department of Ecology prior to
the March 2,02,4 deadline.
Brown & Caldwell contract includes budget to address
various levels of public outreach necessary as update
to the model is completed.
QUP_StIC
4
Ak