County council holds first hybrid meeting, authorizes $250,000 for Nooksack River

Whatcom County Council met April 12 in council chambers at the Whatcom County District Court building for the first time in two years. Councilmember Tyler Byrd was the only member to tune in virtually. 

Councilmembers used laptops to interact with virtual participants during the meeting. The public was welcome to attend the meeting both in-person and
virtually. 

During the meeting, council unanimously authorized a $250,000 grant agreement with Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) to develop a process to identify solutions for water availability in the Nooksack River basin. The $250,000 in DOE funding was allocated during last year’s legislative session. 

The county public works department will use the funding to develop solutions, conduct technical studies, meet in-stream flows and out-of-stream water supply needs in the Nooksack watershed, according to the agreement. The agreement also reads, “At a minimum, the collaborative process must seek to provide opportunities for discussion of increasing salmon populations and preserving farmland.”

The process will run alongisde a potential water rights adjudication process, which will bring together key stakeholders to determine each party’s needs and find ways to meet them.