### 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 ---