### Meeting Overview The Lake Whatcom Joint Councils and Commissioners held their annual 2025 meeting on April 2nd, bringing together the Bellingham City Council, Whatcom County Council, and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District Board to review five years of watershed protection work. The meeting highlighted major accomplishments from 2020-2024 and previewed initiatives for the new 2025-2029 work plan, focusing on water quality monitoring results and phosphorus reduction progress. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL):** A federal Clean Water Act requirement setting limits on phosphorus pollution entering Lake Whatcom, with a 50-year cleanup timeline beginning in 2016. **Phosphorus Loading:** The amount of phosphorus entering Lake Whatcom from stormwater runoff, which causes excessive algae growth and oxygen depletion that threatens aquatic life and water treatment costs. **Eutrophication:** The process where excess phosphorus promotes algae growth, which then dies and decomposes, consuming oxygen and leaving little available for fish and other aquatic life. **Lake Whatcom Watershed:** The 56-square-mile area surrounding the lake where all surface water eventually drains into the lake, including portions within both city and county jurisdiction. **Stormwater Treatment Facilities:** Infrastructure designed to capture and filter runoff from developed areas before it enters the lake, removing phosphorus and other pollutants. **Effective Developed Acres Reduced:** A TMDL measurement unit representing phosphorus reduction equivalent to treating one acre of developed land to forest-level pollution output. **Internal Loading:** Phosphorus that gets released from lake sediments during low-oxygen conditions, creating a cycle that perpetuates water quality problems even after external sources are reduced. **POST System:** Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment system developed by Bellingham that provides enhanced phosphorus removal at 60% less cost than similar proprietary systems. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Todd Citron | Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District Board President | | Kim Lund | City of Bellingham Mayor | | Satpal Singh Sidhu | Whatcom County Executive | | Justin Clary | Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District General Manager | | Dr. Angela Strecker | Western Washington University Institute for Watershed Studies | | Jason Porter | City of Bellingham Surface and Stormwater Manager | | Gary Stoyka | Whatcom County Staff | | Barry Buchanan | Whatcom County Council Chair | | Michael Lilliquist | Bellingham City Council President | ### Background Context Lake Whatcom serves as the sole drinking water source for over 120,000 people in Whatcom County while also providing recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat. However, decades of development have transformed the watershed, replacing forests that naturally filtered rainwater with hard surfaces that collect pollutants and carry them into the lake. This has led to declining water quality, particularly excess phosphorus that fuels algae growth and reduces dissolved oxygen levels. The Lake Whatcom Management Program was established in 1998 through an interlocal agreement between three jurisdictions, responding to federal requirements for a cleanup plan. The program operates on five-year work plans that coordinate efforts across land preservation, stormwater management, monitoring, and education. The 2020-2024 work plan just concluded, with over $50 million invested in watershed protection efforts. ### What Happened — The Short Version Dr. Strecker presented monitoring results showing mixed progress: surface water phosphorus levels have stabilized or declined in most areas, but dissolved oxygen continues declining and concerning amounts of phosphorus are being released from lake sediments during low-oxygen periods. Nitrogen levels are also declining, which could favor more toxic algae species. Staff reported significant accomplishments including purchasing 607 acres of land for preservation, building innovative stormwater treatment systems, and completing 335,000 square feet of residential property improvements. The city is nearing its TMDL phosphorus reduction goals, while the county has achieved about 25% of its target. Both modeling updates and a potential TMDL reassessment are under review with the Department of Ecology. ### What to Watch Next • Department of Ecology's review of updated phosphorus loading models, which could lead to a TMDL reassessment affecting future requirements • Implementation of the new 2025-2029 work plan featuring expanded forest management and climate action program areas • Development of a joint city-county forest management plan for watershed lands to address wildfire risks and climate resilience ---

**Q:** What is Lake Whatcom's role as a drinking water source? **A:** It provides drinking water for over 120,000 people in Whatcom County and is the sole source for this population, making its protection critical for public health. **Q:** How long has the Lake Whatcom Management Program been operating? **A:** Since 1998, when three jurisdictions signed an interlocal agreement. It operates on five-year work plans, with 2024 marking the end of the fifth work plan period. **Q:** What are the three partner jurisdictions in the Lake Whatcom Management Program? **A:** City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District. **Q:** How much money was invested in the 2020-2024 work plan period? **A:** Over $50 million across all program areas and jurisdictions. **Q:** What is the main water quality problem facing Lake Whatcom? **A:** Excess phosphorus pollution that causes algae growth and oxygen depletion, threatening aquatic life and increasing water treatment costs. **Q:** How many acres of land did the City purchase for preservation from 2020-2024? **A:** 607 acres across 40 properties, removing 86 potential development units from the watershed. **Q:** What percentage of the city's TMDL phosphorus reduction goal has been achieved? **A:** The city is very close to meeting its goals and should achieve them within the next couple of years. **Q:** How does Whatcom County's TMDL progress compare to the city's? **A:** The county has achieved about 25% of its TMDL reduction target, significantly behind the city's near-completion status. **Q:** What is the POST system and why is it significant? **A:** Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment system developed by Bellingham that removes 64-87% of phosphorus at 60% less cost than proprietary alternatives, and is available as open-source technology. **Q:** What concerning trend did Dr. Strecker report about dissolved oxygen? **A:** Dissolved oxygen levels continue declining over time, with summer months increasingly falling into the anoxic zone where very few organisms can survive. **Q:** What is internal loading and why is it problematic? **A:** Phosphorus that gets released from lake sediments during low-oxygen conditions, creating a cycle that continues even after external pollution sources are reduced. **Q:** How much residential property improvement was accomplished through homeowner programs? **A:** Over 335,000 square feet of existing lawns and landscaping were converted to native plant gardens and runoff filtering infrastructure. **Q:** What new program areas were added to the 2025-2029 work plan? **A:** Climate Action and Forest Management, which were previously embedded in other program areas but are now standalone focus areas. **Q:** What is the significance of the declining nitrogen trend? **A:** While it seems positive, declining nitrogen can favor toxic algae species that can produce their own nitrogen from the atmosphere. **Q:** When will the Department of Ecology complete its review of the updated models? **A:** The review is anticipated to take about a year and could lead to a TMDL reassessment that might change phosphorus reduction requirements. **Q:** What was a major concern raised during public comment? **A:** The need for better coordination between jurisdictions and more consistent development codes and stormwater management standards between city and county. **Q:** How many boats were inspected for aquatic invasive species in 2024? **A:** 12,304 boats were inspected, with zero new invasive species found during lake surveys. **Q:** What forest management initiative is being developed? **A:** A joint city-county forest management plan for over 12,500 acres of public land in the watershed to improve forest health and wildfire resilience. **Q:** Why did several elected officials request more meeting time? **A:** They felt the format didn't allow sufficient time for discussion and policy coordination between jurisdictions on these critical cross-boundary issues. **Q:** What is the water residence time of Lake Whatcom and why does it matter? **A:** Six years for all water to be replaced, meaning it takes a long time for water quality improvements to show results in such a large lake system. ---