FYI: Lake Whatcom Water Alert November 16, 2021 Community Announcements , Weather Alerts Sudden Valley Administration Lake Whatcom Water & Sewer District has issued an alert regarding water quality for residents who pull water directly from Lake Whatcom. Total phosphorus (TP) levels increased in all basins (see Figure 3). This data is unofficial. The data also have revealed, however, that warmer summer temperatures with longer warmer seasonal periods accelerate biological productivity causing severe deleterious chemical changes to water quality. Time of day and wind direction may have a temporary local effect as can water flows from neraby rivers. 12.4, Meetings Customers are encouraged to attend meetings and share their views with the Commissioners on the second and last Wednesday of each month. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Policies and Notices, U.S. Department of the Interior | 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]. The committee developed a draft management plan in 1992, outlining goals and policies to guide all future management actions in the watershed. Winds are out of the N at 12mph, with wind gusts of 30mph. Winter is the most difficult season to catch Pumpkinseed, but persistent anglers can find nice-sized schools offshore. 2: { color: '#FF8C00', targetAxisIndex:0 }, Successful fishing for Yellow Perch in the winter involves either targeting schools in deep water from boats or through the ice. Lake Whatcom basin was carved by a glacier over a mile thick. The City works closely with the Western Washington University Institute for Watershed Studies (IWS) to monitor water quality trends in Lake Whatcom. 71.1, 5. To cope, they hide in the coolest water of the river. Lake Whatcom is the drinking-water source for nearly 100,000 county residents. The more degraded the lake water, however, the more treatment is needed to clean it to levels safe for drinking. Figure 4. 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 in deeper offshore areas near the thermocline. 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. Lake Whatcom, our community's primary drinking water source, is already showing the effects of climate change as evidenced by increasingly common summer temperature extremes. The views are similar to being in the SW Alaska area! 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. This phenomenon is important to the hydrology of the lake. Coordinates: 48.7194, -122.308. Fishing is best in the spring and summer, peaking during the spawn in June. Drive over Alabama Hill to the Silver Beach area. Emergency fishing rule changes; . Four degrees doesn't seem like much difference to us, but fish can be sensitive to even a 0.1C difference. 4.9, The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife also maintains a boat launch. Chlorophyll (Chl) concentrations increased in all three basins. Temperature Figure 1. Windfinder specializes in wind, waves, tides and weather reports & forecasts for wind related sports like kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, sailing, fishing or paragliding. 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. Fishing is best in the summer after they finish spawning in April-May. 40.8, County: Whatcom Acreage: 4755.30 ac. Lake Samish's current water temperature is 38F Todays forecast is, Rain throughout the day. If this [] There is a summer lull as fish move offshore into deeper waters to escape the summer heat in July and August. Data in the 2015/2016 Lake Whatcom Monitoring Program Annual Report by Matthews et al. 6, [3], As a drinking water source, Lake Whatcom Reservoir's quality is in compliance for all tested chemicals, bacteria and turbidity. 9.6, However, permits for work that exceeds 500 square feet of exposed soil cannot be issued . The Lake Whatcom Reservoir is the drinking water source to over 100,000 Whatcom County residents, which is about half the county's population. In 1946 J.H. All but the most ardent watersports enthusiasts will be thinking of packing up for the winter. 18.7, Please note, the tide times given are not suitable for navigational purposes. 17.4], The health of this tremendously important resource is declining, and at a pace that is faster than expected. Fishing improves throughout the spring, peaking before the spawning period in May and June. By the late 1800s, logging, timber production and mining were the primary activities in the watershed, with most of the workers who supported those industries building houses and living nearby. The end result promises to be clearer water that is then sent to the existing plant for full treatment. Local politics and human behavior also played contributing roles. Elevation: 312 ft. Center: 48.740296, -122.346516 Open in Google Maps View larger map Powered by Esri Fishing resources Emergency fishing rule changes Sportfishing rules pamphlet Fish stocking reports Fish Washington mobile app Buy a fishing license Discover Pass Catchable fish plants We really enjoy walking/biking the Interurban Trail from downtown Bellingham to Boulevard Park and along the water to Fairhaven. Yes, it is possible to have both. The health of this tremendously important resource is declining, and at a pace that is faster than expected. The lake holds around 250 billion gallons of water which it receives from 36 different tributaries. In the 1850s came the first known settlement of Westerners on Lake Whatcom. Bloedel donated 12.5 acres to the city for what would eventually become Bloedel Donovan Park. [11] Of these units, 1,595 are zoned within the city of Bellingham, 1,551 are zoned within the urban growth boundary, 2,566 are zoned in the Sudden Valley neighborhood, and 1,165 are zoned as rural. With a high around 53F and the low around 46F. Please contact the Water Quality Specialists at the CitysLab at (360) 778-7870 for more information. 54.3, WATERTEMPERATURE.NET - Wordwide Water Temperatures. Winds are out of the undefined at undefinedmph, with wind gusts of undefinedmph. Warning: Javascript must be enabled to use all the features on this page! The Kokanee fishery typically lasts from April-October before the adults leave the lake to spawn in tributaries starting in late-October and early-November. If asked, they may guess that it comes from an underground aquifer or is piped in from some distant source. High biological activity is responsible for creating severe anoxic conditions in the bottom water layers of Basins 1 and 2 in the summer. Turn left and follow Lake Whatcom Blvd along the lake to the dead end. This lake is, from what I could see, totally surrounded by private residences so I'm not sure what the point of visiting it would really be. Figure 2. By 1948, all logging and mining activities in the watershed had ended, only to be replaced by increasing residential development and recreational activities which continued unabated into the 1990s. air temperature is around 65.8F / 18.8C, August is the month with the highest temperature. 6.6], County: Whatcom Acreage: 809.90 ac. The earliest known settlement was a Northwest Coast Salish village at the south end of the lake, occupied by the Saquantch tribe. This is a big lake that is popular with the people. 70.9, Lake Whatcom nautical chart. Log 10 plots of median summer near-surface Cyanobacteria counts (1994 2016), June through October, all sites and depths (Matthews et al., 2017). FOIA . Page Contact Information: Washington Water Data Maintainer 7.6, This was a fun break for the kids from the intense hiking days, we just hung out on the beach and swam in the water. The Board of Commissioners meets regularly each month in open session. 4920 surface area (acres) 336 max. Basin 3 is the southernmost basin and is the most remote. 61.3, A soils assessment prepared by a professional soil scientist, a locally licensed on-site sewage designer, professional engineer, professional geologist, hydrogeologist or engineering geologist registered in the State of Washington must be submitted to use Full Infiltration. A control dam at the head of Whatcom Creek, (the only stream flowing out of the Lake Whatcom Reservoir), provides a mechanism for managing the surface level of the lake and therefore the amount of water stored in the lake. Drive through the Geneva area, past Sudden Valley and keep going. Go back. Growing concern about the decline in water quality as evidenced by monitoring data collected since the 1960s eventually led to the formation of the Lake Whatcom Management Committee made up of the county executive, the Bellingham mayor and the manager of the Sudden Valley water district (now the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District). If you would rather, cycle to experience slow leisurely sightseeing. Other activities you can involve yourself in while there include, driving on the Floating Bridge, the longest in the world, over Lake Washington, sail on the lake in a rental boat or cruise in a speedboat and watch salmon swim upstream at the Fish Ladder. [10] The Department of Health has consumption advisories for smallmouth bass and yellow perch, which can be found at the DOH website. Elevation: 274 ft. Center: 48.665125, -122.385318 Open in Google Maps. (2017) indicated that the residual effects from the extremely warm and prolonged summer season in 2015 were still evident through most of 2016. Catch improves in Fall as waters cool, vegetation begins to die back, and prey becomes more available. curveType: 'function', Shoreline access: Good There are 1,811 existing vacant lots with improvement values of greater than $10,000 and an estimated 8,688 total units with build-out potential. The water body is stratified for part of the year (late spring through mid-fall) and mixed during the rest. Accessibility 57, Lake Washington is a town close to Lake Washington. What has been done Website Feedback |Employee Login |Jobs |Site Map | Accessibility |Terms of Use |Copyright |Government Websites by CivicPlus, 311 Grand Avenue | Bellingham, WA 98225 | Phone: 360-778-5000. The simple answer is that our drinking water after treatment is in full compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act., meeting or exceeding all federal and state water quality standards. https://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/current? Lake Whatcom was placed on the Environmental Protection Agency's 303(d) list for impaired water bodies in 1998, due to low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels, which are directly related to the amount of phosphorus Lake Whatcom receives. Our communitys future depends on actively protecting and preserving Lake Whatcom as our source of drinking water and never taking this precious resource for granted. Lake information County: Whatcom Acreage: 4923.60 ac. Lists of, maps for, and information Min temperature will be -7c / 19f on Fri 10. Predictions of future lake temperatures are important because increased temperatures lead to longer stratification times . The stormwater volume from the project does not exceed the monthly natural stormwater volume as determined by an approved DOE continuous runoff model. Each of us gets up every morning, turns on the water faucet and expects to have clean, fresh water at our disposal. Find our. The city of Bellingham and Whatcom County have also restricted development activities such as land clearing, from October 1 through May 31 annually to prevent runoff from exposed soil during high precipitation months. 4.2, 100% of travelers recommend this experience. Water Quality Reports from previous years are available upon request. Lake Washington is the place to explore during the summer. If your service has been disconnected, please contact the office at (360) 734-9224 to arrange for service restoration. In 1906, the city imposed a stringently enforced ban on swimming in the lake. Lake Whatcom is seasonally managed, with the fishing season . The lake is divided into three basins. 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. One look at the lake and its watershed would convey to the casual observer that it is more of a recreational destination and resort area rather than a drinking water source for all of Bellingham and half of Whatcom County. Aging septic systems serving development in the watershed possibly could leach phosphorus into the water body. Figure 3. Air Temperature undefinedF High: undefinedF Low: undefinedF Wind MPH Gust: undefined mph Bearing: undefined Note: WCC 20.51.420(1) contains a complete list of activities that are exempt from the stormwater facility requirement. The coldest month is January with an water temperature of 39F / 3.9C. The coldest in January with an average water temperature of 39F / 3.9C. A control dam at the head of Whatcom Creek, (the only stream flowing out of the Lake Whatcom Reservoir), provides a mechanism for managing the surface level of the lake and therefore the amount of water stored in the lake. Four primary factors influence the citys lake level management strategy. Monthly Lake Erie Temperatures. Many people in our community dont even know where their water comes from except from the end of a faucet. The quality of Lake Whatcom water, however, does not and has been listed as an impaired water body under section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. On lots within the Lake Whatcom, Lake Padden and Lake Samish watersheds, 65% of the existing tree canopy area is to be retained. Why a four stroke motor not allowed on the lake ? Many of the houses have spacious, well-manicured lawns and wide driveways to accommodate numerous vehicles, as well as private docks (see above photo) extending out into the lake to which are tethered boats, jet skis, and other recreational watercraft. Perfect for families with strollers, runners, or walkers like me! }; Fishing is best for Coastal Cutthroat in the spring and fall. People tend to leave their poop bags on the trail and that sort of defeats the purpose, don't you think?!! var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ Sea water temperature in Puget Sound is expected to be constant . Lake Whatcom is a reservoir of drinking water for the city of Bellingham, and its level is actively managed by control gates. 39.7, Currently, none of the fifteen species identified by the state of Washington as "most unwanted" are found in the lake. All tributaries and that portion of the lake between Electric Avenue Bridge and the outlet dam are closed to fishing at all times. July 2016 temperature (on left) and dissolved oxygen (on right) profiles with depth compared to 1988 through 2014 minimum/maximum ranges (shaded areas). Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Temperature. It is approximately 10 miles (16km) in length and 1 mile (1.6km) in width at its widest. Lake Whatcom's current water temperature is 36F Todays forecast is, Rain throughout the day. ', 'AVG', 'Min. . In 2005 fertilizers containing phosphorus were banned to try to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake. National Water Information System: Web Interface. ['Year', 'Max. With a high around 71F and the low around 37F. Total Trihalomethane January through December 1991 through 2016. 3.8], This up and down movement of the water causes the thermocline to rise and fall as well, which can result in the cold, anoxic water from Basin 3, to spill over the Strawberry Sill into Basin 2. Lake Whatcom is located and managed within three political jurisdictions: the . Winds will push water to one side of the lake, causing water levels to rise on one end and lower on the other. Four primary factors influence the city's lake level management strategy. 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). Whatcom Boat Inspection Hotline (360) 778-7975 City of Bellingham - Public Works Teagan Ward, Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator teward@cob.org Whatcom County Noxious Weed Board Laurel Baldwin, Whatcom County Noxious Weed Board Coordinator LBaldwin@co.whatcom.wa.us Send us comments or feedback on the watercraft inspection program. 39.6, Trends in dissolved oxygen over time in Basin 1 at 14 meters (~46 feet) sampled in July and August from 1988 through 2016 (Matthews et al., 2017). A total of about 10,000 acres of land has been protected from development in the watershed. Pumpkinseed Sunfish are ubiquitous in most lowland lakes and readily caught year-round. ['August', It is approximately 10 miles (16 km) in length and 1 mile (1.6 km) in width at its widest. Median summer near-surface total phosphorus concentrations over time at each sampling site from 1994 2016 (Matthews et al., 2017). South Whatcom Fire Lt. Scott Crowe and other boaters help pull a sailboat to the dock at Western Washington University's Lakewood water sports facility on Lake Whatcom on April 26, 2019. It's the drinking water source for approximately 85,000 residents in Bellingham, as well as Whatcom County. Whatcom Watch Online thanks PogoZone for hosting our Web site. We never question whether we will have access to clean water, regardless of where we go and what we do in our daily activities because, like so many other communities, we take our water for granted. In 1962 water was diverted from the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River, through a tunnel, to supply water to a then-new paper mill on the Bellingham waterfront. 13.9], A water quality model of Lake Whatcom, Washington (see Figure 1 and Figure 2) was developed as part of a Total Maximum Daily Load Study for the Washington Department of Ecology. July through September total trihalomethane (TTHM) concentrations in the city of Bellinghams water distribution system from 1991 2016 (Matthews et al., 2017). The maximum surface elevation of the lake was set by a court order in the 1960s. _________________________________________. Fishing resources. temperature is around 65.8F / 18.8C, August is the month with the highest temperature. USGS Current Conditions for Washington_ Lakes and reservoirs Current Conditions for Washington: Lakes and reservoirs -- 27 site (s) found PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION Lists of, maps for, and information about real-time data are available with the "Predefined Displays". Both questions have fairly simple answers that belie the complex events and processes that created the conditions that exist today. function drawChart() { While the City of Bellingham produces some of the cleanest drinking water in the nation, the water quality of Lake Whatcom has started to decrease in recent decades due to a number of water quality challenges. In summer, watercraft of all shapes and sizes litter the surface of the lake as people enjoy its recreational benefits. 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. 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. The downside of relying on treatment processes to clean up source water is that one or more of the steps in the treatment process may become compromised or fail, potentially resulting in thousands of people getting sick before the problem is found. 14], Alternate names for BellinghamBLI, Bellingham. Lake Whatcom and its watershed provide important fish and wildlife . Are dogs allowed on the beach if they are on a leash? ', 'AVG', 'Min.' If wet weather results in turf damage, off leash dogs will only be allowed south of the parking lot, at the discretion of the Director of the Parks & Recreation Department.
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