Some potentially big news is flying under the radar. The city of Bellingham plans to provide water to Lynden in exchange for the right to withdraw city water from Lynden's water diversion/intake facility on the Nooksack River. The City Council agenda for this Monday reflects a proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Bellingham and Lynden. The MOU is stated to be "conceptual" instead of a binding contract, whatever that means. (But I am guessing it means that in the near future the admistration will show up with a proposed binding contract, stating that it has already been through the public process and has been blessed by the public.)
And here is the best part.... COB has no need for this access. It is part of a plan to "establish redunancy in the delivery system," in case some need arises in the future, although there is no explanation as to how or why this would occur. Here is the council agenda for August 12.
The MOU provides the city administration with its usual unlimited and unchecked power. In return for use of Lynden's water diversion/intake facility, the city will provide "an annual quantity of untreated water (Qa) for a negotiated period of time under the terms set forth in a Future Agreement." In terms of "concept," I would say this one is either undeveloped or undisclosed. City Council should require objective terms and identified water quantities before this "concept" moves forward.
Few things are more valuable in this city and in this county than water, and its value will only increase over time. There is insufficient water to meet growing demands in Whatcom County. Most county surface waters are closed to new withdrawal, at least for part of the year. Lummi water rights in the Nooksack River remain unquantified. And Lake Whtacom water quality issues are connected to water quantity issues, while the lake is already infested with Asian clams and under threat from mussels. How do we know we are adequately protecting the city's supply of water?
And how wise is it to exchange water for unneeded water diversion sites? On Monday, the council will also be reviewing a MOU between COB and Public Utility District, No. 1. In this case, the city will be obtaining access to the PUD property and diversion structure by funding the full cost of improvements and maintenance (for an undisclosed sum of money). I question the need and the public expense, but at least it is not being paid for in water.
We also need to consider how the Lynden MOU will impact county growth. Lynden lacks adequate water to meet future demands based on the growth it will be requesting during the 2016 County Comp. Plan update. I want issues of water supply and water availability to be determined comprehensively at the county level, rather than through private deals cut between two cities. The MOU states that it offers potential solutions for regional water supply issues, but how is this the role of the city of Bellingham? If Bellingham is giving away its water, I would rather it supported agricultural uses instead of new urban residential housing in other cities.
Comments by Readers
Marian Beddill
Aug 10, 2013This is a very curious and interesting proposal, and it is total news to me.
This should be part of the resolution of the whole-watershed review that is the heart of the WRIA-1 program. The City of Bellingham already holds a registered water right, to a distinctive quantity of water. Since the GP mill on the waterfront shut down, it is no longer a “customer” of the Bellingham water system, and the City of B’ham has a water right to a larger flow of water than it is expected to need.
This proposal should be a part of the joint agreement with all interest-groups on water of the WRIA-1 area - basically the Nooksack River basin.
Tip Johnson
Aug 10, 2013This could go hand in hand with the County Council’s determination to allow slaughterhouses as permitted uses across 88,000 acres of rural Whatcom County.
Marian Beddill
Aug 10, 2013Well, folks, after playing nice for a dozen years, this time I am going to go hardline.
The Whatcom water troubles and controversies and needs are WAY bigger than this two-party deal.
The whole intent and purpose of the WRIA-1 Planning Unit, starting in about year 2000, was to bring ALL the water users together, to make a collaborative group decision on how to fairly manage the rights to access and use of all water in WRIA-1 - the defined “area” - effectively the entire Nooksack River basin and Whatcom County.
We must demand that this deal be brought before the whole PU (Planning Unit) as an “idea” for review, rejection, changes or agreement.
When the recent couple of water meetings were held, discussing a re-start of the WRIA-1 PU, I was both joyful and troubled.
Joyful that there might be a whole-watershed agreed-upon plan for repairing the severely-broken system of the paper rights vs the real use of our water, the most needed and most valuable resource a community has. (Try to imagine living without water!!)
Troubled that a few unidentified “big-boys” might be setting themselves up to do backroom deals in their favor - and cutting down the benefit to all the rest of the community which needs a reasonable supply of water. The “big-kids” are the Lummis, Bellingham, the PUD-1 (who supplies water to big industries out in the county), and a few others.
Well, this two-party deal looks like it might just be such a privately-brokered deal, cutting out everybody else who needs water. Mayor Kelli Linville is well-aware of the story and the needs and opportunities - as a WA Legislator, she put through the legislation to fund the startup of the WRIA-1 and it’s PU. County Exec Louws is well-aware of the story and the needs and opportunities - as former Mayor of Lynden - the other (known) party in this deal.
So, what to do? What I see is easy to start, though may be hard to do step 3.
1) Re-start the full-scope meetings of the PU. One task is to lay out the AVAILABLE water resources (physical, real, “wet” water - by place, time, and amount available to be grabbed.)
2) Lay out the NEEDED fair water uses (physical, real, “wet” water - by place, time, and amount that it is fair to be granted to them.) Everybody must be at the table (including the Lummi Nation!)
3) Everybody must agree (including the Lummi Nation.) (This may be hard.)
4) Then our all-groups-blessed plan goes to the State DoE (the official registry of authorized water rights) for them to update the registry of who has a legal right to use what water, where and when, and for what purpose.
And all will be well, all around the county.