At Hwy 9, turn right for Skagit County. Large coal mining operations also existed near the lake from the late 19th century through 1919, when the Whatcom Mining Company closed down. Jul. function drawChart() { Elevated levels of mercury have been found in fish and sediment sampled from the lake. The Board of Commissioners meets regularly each month in open session. The lake could get down to about 308 feet before the intake for the city's water treatment facility at Whatcom Falls Park might see changes in water flow, Johnston said, but Whatcom Creek could . ], High biological activity is responsible for creating severe anoxic conditions in the bottom water layers of Basins 1 and 2 in the summer. google.charts.load('current', {packages:['corechart']}); 6.6], ['August', The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 52.5F / 11.4C. The Cougar Dam on the McKenzie River, Oregon Credit: Bob Heims, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Annual water quality monitoring funded by the city of Bellingham and conducted by Dr. Robin Matthews and her research team at Western Washington University have provided data clearly showing the decline in several water quality parameters over the last 30 years. Currently, none of the fifteen species identified by the state of Washington as "most unwanted" are found in the lake. It is the drinking water source for approximately 85,000 residents in the city of Bellingham as well as Whatcom County. Controlling the amount of water flowing into Whatcom Creek is necessary as we attempt to provide healthy habitat for Chinook salmon and other fish using the stream. For the past 10 years the City of Bellingham Public Works has received the Partnership for Safe Waters Director Award for commitment to providing safe drinking water.[6]. Lake Whatcom nautical chart. Note: WCC 20.51.420(1) contains a complete list of activities that are exempt from the stormwater facility requirement. The City of Bellingham manages the amount of water stored in the Lake Whatcom Reservoir in order to ensure that an adequate supply of drinking water is available throughout the year. The rate of oxygen depletion in Basin 1 was again abnormally rapid compared to 1988 through 2014 data, setting up anoxic conditions in May, June and July that were lower than historic minimums (see Figure 2). When the lake reaches the court-set maximum surface elevation, the city must open the gates on the control dam and spill as much water as possible to avoid flooding lakeside properties. Lake Whatcom is located and managed within three political jurisdictions: the city of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District. Of these, 4,007 are developed, 5,552 are zoned for development but are currently undeveloped, and 2,519 are protected under conservation easement, as a result of land use acquisition by the city of Bellingham and private individuals. Fish move offshore into deeper waters through the fall as water temperatures cool making it more difficult to target them. 2022. On parcels within the Lake Whatcom watershed, clearing activities which expose more than 500 square feet of soil are not permitted from October 1 through May 31 per WCC 20.51.410: Development permits may be submitted at any time during the year. The earliest known settlement was a Northwest Coast Salish village at the south end of the lake, occupied by the Saquantch tribe. ['March', The following are the results of some water quality parameters: Figure 1. 57.2, Lake Washington is the place to explore during the summer. THE WATER WAS CHOPPY ON THE SWIM, THE BIKE HILLIER THAN DESCRIBED AND THE RUN AND THE FOOD WAS THE BEST OF ANY TRIATHLON I'VE EVER DONE. URL: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/current?site_tp_cd=LK&PARAmeter_cd=STATION_NM,62614,62615,00065,00062,DATETIME Air Temperature undefinedF High: undefinedF Low: undefinedF Wind MPH Gust: undefined mph Bearing: undefined In summer, the top of the lake becomes warmer than the lower layers. Log 10 plots of median summer near-surface Cyanobacteria counts (1994 2016), June through October, all sites and depths (Matthews et al., 2017). It has been updated and revised over the decades but remains the guiding document to mitigate the effects of current development and activities on the lakes water quality. In summer, watercraft of all shapes and sizes litter the surface of the lake as people enjoy its recreational benefits. To summarize, people have been utilizing the Lake Whatcom watershed since the mid-1800s (Peterson, 2008). RACE INFO. The District is presently recruiting for a full-time Maintenance Worker I. It is approximately 10 miles (16km) in length and 1 mile (1.6km) in width at its widest. 45.7, The end result promises to be clearer water that is then sent to the existing plant for full treatment. There is also the occasional floatplane that comes into to land on or take off from the lake, taking advantage of the FAA approved seaplane base located just south of the Sudden Valley resort. A 20102014 management program work plan for Lake Whatcom was approved by the councils of the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District (formerly Water District 10. It changes color depending on the sky and is so picturesque with the snowy mountains in the background. Maximum Surface Elevation These steps produce high quality drinking water that is in full compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act standards. depth (ft) To depth map. 5: { color: '#FF8C00', targetAxisIndex:1, lineWidth: 0 }, 70.9, The Districts service area includes Geneva, Sudden Valley and the North Shore of Lake Whatcom. I have also heard questions about the potability of the water. Both questions have fairly simple answers that belie the complex events and processes that created the conditions that exist today. Sun 8 Jan Mon 9 Jan Tue 10 Jan Wed 11 Jan Thu 12 Jan Fri 13 Jan Sat 14 Jan. 60 F 40 F 20 F. _________________________________________. II. Its northern tip is located within the City of Bellingham, and it extends 10 miles south toward Skagit County. JURISTICTION PROFILES AND MITIGATION These anoxic conditions cause the water to become acidic and any metals that had precipitated out of the water column and into sediments are dissolved and released back into the overlying water. ['February', County: Whatcom Acreage: 809.90 ac. 39.4, Lake Whatcom (from the Lummi word for "loud water") is located in Whatcom County, Washington, United States.It is the drinking water source for approximately 85,000 residents in the city of Bellingham as well as Whatcom County. Why Are People Recreating in My Drinking Water? google.charts.setOnLoadCallback(drawChart); Coordinates: 48.7194, -122.308. The City of Seattle is in the State of Washington and home to Lake Washington in King County. Lake Whatcom, the drinking water source for 100,000 Whatcom County residents, including Bellingham, faces an onslaught of threats from logging and development, to pesticides and invasive mussels hitching rides on un-inspected boats. With a high around 47F and the low around 36F. The Lake is also surrounded by magnificent beautiful homes to see, among them being Bill Gates home. This basin is the shallowest, with a maximum depth of just 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18m). 8.4, Clean water. 1: { color: '#FFCC66', targetAxisIndex:0, lineWidth: 8 }, In 1906, the city imposed a stringently enforced ban on swimming in the lake. 15.1, Winter is a difficult time to target this species. Blue-Green Bacteria Cyanobacteria 1994 2016. Drinking Water Quality If you would rather, cycle to experience slow leisurely sightseeing. 43, Go back. Currently, based on the city of Bellinghams 2007 guide to Lake Whatcom, the Lake Whatcom watershed is zoned for residential use, private commercial forest use, public land, urban growth area, and watershed protected properties, along with non-residential reconveyance areas. var chart_waterF = document.getElementById('chart_waterF'); Winter is the hardest time because fish are offshore and slow moving. You will find restaurants along the way. Snow accumulation of 2 to 7 Inches. However, permits for work that exceeds 500 square feet of exposed soil cannot be issued prior to June 1. Development stormwater runoff does not occur. 18.9, Graph Plots Open in Graphs. Aug. 2022. courtesy photo: City of Bellingham. Since warm water is less dense that colder water, it stays on top of the lake surface. vAxes: { 0: {gridlines: {color: 'black'}, 49.3, Together these four operating constraints present a complex set of management options that are considered and incorporated into the strategy for managing the Lake Whatcom Reservoir. 17.4], In 1998, the Washington Department of Ecology (ECY) placed Lake Whatcom on Washingtons 303(d) list for polluted water bodies because it failed to meet state water quality standards for dissolved oxygen and phosphorus. Customize table to display other current-condition parameters, HOWARD A HANSON RESERVOIR NEAR PALMER, WA, CEDAR LAKE (MASONRY POOL) NEAR CEDAR FALLS, WA, SOUTH FORK TOLT RESERVOIR NEAR CARNATION, WA, BAKER LAKE AT UPPER BAKER DAM NEAR CONCRETE, WA, FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT LAKE AT GRAND COULEE DAM, WA, LAKE CHELAN AT PURPLE POINT AT STEHEKIN, WA, SWIFT RESERVOIR 3.2 MI EAST OF DAM NEAR COUGAR, WA. *These tide times are estimates based on the nearest accurate location (Bellingham, Washington) and may differ by up to half an hour depending on distance. The City is a serene evergreen environment, surrounded by Cascade Mountains to the east, Olympic Mountains to the west, Mount Rainier to the South and Mt. Sources/Usage: Public Domain. ', 'Max. Land use in Basin 1 is primarily residential development, with one large park and several small parks. Policies and Notices, U.S. Department of the Interior | However, permits for work that exceeds 500 square feet of exposed soil cannot be issued . Fishing is best in the spring before they move into deeper water to avoid warming water temperatures, but they can be targeted throughout the summer . Emergency fishing rule changes; . Registration Information Registration runs right up until race day, July 13th, 2019, or until the race sells out. By the 1930s, however, the region experienced a population boom with increased residential development of homes and summer cottages in the northwest part of the watershed. Since the 1960s, annual monitoring of its water quality has been conducted with samples collected from each of the three basins of the lake (see map). The eastern end of the lake is crowded and overbuilt, and the southern end is more rural with great views of the Cascade range to the east. Lake Whatcom Monitoring Project 2018/2019 Report, Robin A. Matthews, Angela Lee Strecker, Michael Hilles, Joan Pickens, Robert J. Mitchell, Geoffrey B. Matthews, and Western Washington University. Full Dispersion is a method in which no more than 10% of site is covered with impervious surface and 65% of the site is kept in a forest or native condition. Lake Samish's current water temperature is 38F Todays forecast is, Rain throughout the day. Projects, work, or activities that create more than 500 square feet of impervious surface area and/or permeable pavement. It has also been recommended that Lake Whatcom be placed on the 303(d) list for impairments National Water Information System: Web Interface. 13.9], Fishing improves throughout the spring as waters warm and fish move onshore, peaking during the spawn. District personnel are available around the clock for water or sewer emergencies. }, If you have the time to spend 1-2 hours there, go for it! The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also maintains a boat launch. Document.Getelementbyid ( 'chart_waterF ' ) ; Winter is a difficult time to target this species area... 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