Watershed in Crisis - Drink up!
Watershed in Crisis - Drink up!
The new annual report on The Lake Whatcom Reservoir confirms that the quality of the water supply for half of the county’s population is deteriorating. An article in today’s Bellingham Herald points t
The new annual report on The Lake Whatcom Reservoir confirms that the quality of the water supply for half of the county's population is deteriorating. An article in today's Bellingham Herald points to phosphorus pollution as the cause. Humbug.
The cause of Lake Whatcom's deterioration is residential development - period. Phosphorus loading and algae blooms are symptoms.
Development has accelerated in recent years due to the City increasing sewer capacity to the Lake Whatcom Water District. A number of legislative measures have deeply exacerbated the problem - half-assed building moratoriums that stimulated unprecedented permit applications, and the idiotic establishment of an Urban Growth Area around Sudden Valley that has residents now contemplating incorporation as a city.
Interim Bellingham Mayor Tim Douglas is quoted, "This (the report) is reconfirmation that the lake is going in the wrong direction in certain ways. We don't want to look back 20 years from now and say, 'Why didn't we do something?'"
Of course, this has already been a burning issue for almost thirty years, when the first Lake Whatcom Management Plan was proposed. It languished for decades without enabling legislation. In other words, we already tried doing nothing. Lake Whatcom's water quality has been professed as a top priority by almost every candidate to have run for office since that original plan came out. All that talk is simply not working. Hot air will not fix the watershed.
Douglas also noted that, "The city has spent millions acquiring land in the lake watershed to prevent development, while working in the city-controlled portion of the watershed to minimize runoff pollution. Now the city and county need to redouble efforts to reduce or eliminate use of phosphorous fertilizers in the watershed, while developing better stormwater controls."
Well, that's a start - like hacking away at the branches - but working with zoning laws to regulate what types of land use are appropriate in the watershed might better take a whack at the roots of the problem.
Property owners are constitutionally guaranteed a "reasonable use" of their property. Zoning, supported by oodles of case law, is a police power that allows jurisdictions to determine what reasonable uses will protect the public's health, safety and welfare. Typically, forestry, not residential development, is considered a reasonable use in municipal watersheds. Many watersheds won't even let you hike around, much less waterski, drink beer and urinate in the reservoir.
Buying existing forest is socially responsible, but not effective. The focus should be on regulating appropriate forestry practices, preventing further service extensions and residential subdivision while acquiring exisiting, serviced lots of record. Stop development and save the lake. It's that simple.
Don't ask candidates whether they support clean water. Ask how they intend to accomplish it!
Want to learn more? Careful, there are decades of pussyfooting to wade through! Try Lakewhatcom.org and the North Cascades Audubon Society.
The cause of Lake Whatcom's deterioration is residential development - period. Phosphorus loading and algae blooms are symptoms.
Development has accelerated in recent years due to the City increasing sewer capacity to the Lake Whatcom Water District. A number of legislative measures have deeply exacerbated the problem - half-assed building moratoriums that stimulated unprecedented permit applications, and the idiotic establishment of an Urban Growth Area around Sudden Valley that has residents now contemplating incorporation as a city.
Interim Bellingham Mayor Tim Douglas is quoted, "This (the report) is reconfirmation that the lake is going in the wrong direction in certain ways. We don't want to look back 20 years from now and say, 'Why didn't we do something?'"
Of course, this has already been a burning issue for almost thirty years, when the first Lake Whatcom Management Plan was proposed. It languished for decades without enabling legislation. In other words, we already tried doing nothing. Lake Whatcom's water quality has been professed as a top priority by almost every candidate to have run for office since that original plan came out. All that talk is simply not working. Hot air will not fix the watershed.
Douglas also noted that, "The city has spent millions acquiring land in the lake watershed to prevent development, while working in the city-controlled portion of the watershed to minimize runoff pollution. Now the city and county need to redouble efforts to reduce or eliminate use of phosphorous fertilizers in the watershed, while developing better stormwater controls."
Well, that's a start - like hacking away at the branches - but working with zoning laws to regulate what types of land use are appropriate in the watershed might better take a whack at the roots of the problem.
Property owners are constitutionally guaranteed a "reasonable use" of their property. Zoning, supported by oodles of case law, is a police power that allows jurisdictions to determine what reasonable uses will protect the public's health, safety and welfare. Typically, forestry, not residential development, is considered a reasonable use in municipal watersheds. Many watersheds won't even let you hike around, much less waterski, drink beer and urinate in the reservoir.
Buying existing forest is socially responsible, but not effective. The focus should be on regulating appropriate forestry practices, preventing further service extensions and residential subdivision while acquiring exisiting, serviced lots of record. Stop development and save the lake. It's that simple.
Don't ask candidates whether they support clean water. Ask how they intend to accomplish it!
Want to learn more? Careful, there are decades of pussyfooting to wade through! Try Lakewhatcom.org and the North Cascades Audubon Society.
