Lake Whatcom Policy Group

### Meeting Overview The Lake Whatcom Policy Group met on December 3, 2025, to discuss project updates and plan their 2026 meeting schedule. The meeting focused on completed work including the invasive mussel response plan, ongoing forest management planning, and administrative improvements for the coming year. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Lake Whatcom Policy Group:** A collaborative body with representatives from Bellingham City Council, Whatcom County Council, and Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District that coordinates policy decisions affecting Lake Whatcom watershed management. **SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act):** Washington state's environmental review process that requires analysis of potential environmental impacts before major projects or policy decisions. The forest management plan will undergo this review. **Invasive Freshwater Mussel Rapid Response Plan:** A coordinated emergency response strategy to detect and respond to invasive zebra or quagga mussels if they are discovered in Lake Whatcom, which could devastate the lake ecosystem. **Forest Management Plan:** A comprehensive strategy for managing forests in the Lake Whatcom watershed using ecological principles to protect water quality while allowing for some recreation and forest health activities. **ICT (Interjurisdictional Coordinating Team):** A staff-level working group that coordinates technical work between the three jurisdictions and develops agenda items for the Policy Group meetings. **Climate Vulnerability Assessment:** An upcoming study to evaluate how climate change may affect Lake Whatcom and the surrounding watershed, informing future management decisions. **Sudden Valley Association:** A homeowner association representing a large residential development within the Lake Whatcom watershed that has a designated seat on the Policy Group. **TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load):** Federal water quality standards that set limits on pollution entering water bodies. New phosphorus modeling for Lake Whatcom is under review by the state Department of Ecology. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Donovan Walker | Whatcom County Council (outgoing) | | Hannah Stone | Bellingham City Council | | Skip Williams | Bellingham City Council | | Mike Kan | City of Bellingham Staff | | Morgan R | City of Bellingham Staff | | Gary Stoika | Whatcom County Public Works | | Justin Clary | Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District General Manager | | Jeff Nackel | Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District | | Eli Mackwood | City of Bellingham Stormwater | | Michael Kircher | Whatcom County Planning Department (online) | | Nancy Alienapp | Sudden Valley resident | | Various other staff | Communications and support roles | ### Background Context The Lake Whatcom Policy Group was created to coordinate management of the Lake Whatcom watershed, which serves as the primary drinking water source for over 100,000 people in Bellingham and surrounding areas. The watershed faces ongoing challenges from development pressure, climate change, invasive species threats, and balancing water quality protection with recreational access. The group brings together elected officials from three jurisdictions to make unified policy decisions rather than having each entity work separately. This meeting occurred at the end of 2025 as the group prepared to transition some members and plan their work for 2026, with several major planning documents nearing completion after years of development. ### What Happened — The Short Version The meeting covered three main project updates. First, staff reported that the invasive mussel response plan was successfully adopted by all three jurisdictions and will move into practical testing phases in 2026. Second, the forest management plan completed public comment (84% support) and will now go through state environmental review before coming to councils for final adoption in early 2026. Third, the climate vulnerability assessment is still being scoped but should launch soon with innovative visual tools. The group then spent significant time discussing administrative improvements, agreeing to rotate meeting chairs in advance and have chairs work with staff on agendas beforehand. They approved a six-meeting schedule for 2026 focusing on orientation, project updates, joint meetings, field tours, and year-end planning. The meeting concluded with thanks to outgoing members and staff. ### What to Watch Next • Forest management plan environmental review results and council adoption scheduled for first quarter 2026 • Launch of the climate vulnerability assessment with new visual modeling tools • New Policy Group membership appointments following election transitions • First 2026 meeting in February featuring new member orientation and annual invasive species program report ---