In the 1850s came the first known settlement of Westerners on Lake Whatcom. 3.8], 11-10-019 Publication and Contact Information This report is available on the Department of Ecology's website at The summer weather makes the Lake very conducive for swimming with the water temperatures ranging around 70F during the summer months. Figure 2. 43.9, Algorithms Can Treat Physician Fallibility. 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 District is divided into five districts and is governed by a five member Board of Commissioners who set the policies and rates of the District. Air Temperature undefinedF High: undefinedF Low: undefinedF Wind MPH ], RACE GUIDE COURSE PARTNERS This is the wind, wave and weather forecast for Alabama Hill / Lake Whatcom in Washington, United States of America. Impaired Lake Water, But Clean Drinking Water? I love walking at North Lake Whatcom Trail because you walk right next to the lake for most of the way and it's amazing. 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. var data = google.visualization.arrayToDataTable([ City Hall210 Lottie StreetBellingham, WA 98225+1 (360) 778-8000info@cob.org. Aging septic systems serving development in the watershed possibly could leach phosphorus into the water body. The committee developed a draft management plan in 1992, outlining goals and policies to guide all future management actions in the watershed. 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. Lake Whatcom is a large natural lake in Whatcom County. Most of the area surrounding the lake was extensively logged by the end of the 19th century. Implementing mitigation efforts now has become an even higher priority given these data results foreshadow additional impacts to the lake as climate change progresses. August is the month with the hottest water temperature at 69.1F / 20.6C. Elevation: 703 ft. Center: 48.726836, -121.628304 Open in Google Maps. The coldest in January with an average water temperature of 39F / 3.9C. 3: { color: '#FF6347', targetAxisIndex:1, lineWidth: 0 }, Lake Whatcom drains into Bellingham Bay by way of Whatcom Creek. ['October', When the wind stops, the water rebounds back and forth until it is settled again. Median summer near-surface total phosphorus concentrations over time at each sampling site from 1994 2016 (Matthews et al., 2017). Some brown trout. (2017) indicated that the residual effects from the extremely warm and prolonged summer season in 2015 were still evident through most of 2016. Lake Whatcom 4.5 95 #13 of 71 things to do in Bellingham Bodies of Water Visit website Call Write a review What people are saying " Fun for the family " Aug 2022 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. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Dam of the Lake Whatcom Reservoir; Whatcom County, WA", "Lake Whatcom Management Program: 20102014 Work Plan", "Resources - Lake Whatcom Management Program", "Institute for Watershed Studies, Western Washington University", "Lake Whatcom Watershed Annual Build-Out Report", "A City of Bellingham Guide to the Lake Whatcom Watershed", Citizen site on Protection of Lake Whatcom - (not active), Dock at Lake Whatcom, c.1892, U.Wash Digital Collections, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_Whatcom&oldid=1115697666, Protected areas of Whatcom County, Washington, Articles needing additional references from October 2012, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using infobox body of water without alt, Articles using infobox body of water without image bathymetry, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 October 2022, at 19:04. 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 . The lake is large and there are points along the road where you can view some of it as you drive, but there is really no easy place to stop and relax along the entire west side. Calibration focused on model predictions of hydrodynamics (flow and water level), temperature, and water quality. Bluegreen bacteria (Cyanobacteria) populations remain high in all three basins and seem to have stabilized (see Figure 5). 39.7, Go back. These steps produce high quality drinking water that is in full compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Water Quality Reports from previous years are available upon request. If your service has been disconnected, please contact the office at (360) 734-9224 to arrange for service restoration. 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. Customize table to display other current-condition parameters All of these tributaries and the area surrounding them make up the 36,000-acre Lake Whatcom watershed. We really enjoy walking/biking the Interurban Trail from downtown Bellingham to Boulevard Park and along the water to Fairhaven. A community forum on government, environmental issues and media. In some lakes, this can result in fish kills and cause health officials to issue advisories to those who draw their water directly from those lakes. 43, Winds are out of the N at 3mph, with wind gusts of 9mph. Development stormwater runoff does not occur. If you have the time to spend 1-2 hours there, go for it! 45.7, In 2005 fertilizers containing phosphorus were banned to try to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake. Fishing is best for Coastal Cutthroat in the spring and fall. This layering of the lake, as well as the distinct physical barriers (sills) between basins cause for slow movement of water through the lake. threat to person or property, the tree may be removed without review. In summer, the top of the lake becomes warmer than the lower layers. Fishing is best in the spring and summer, peaking during the spawn in June. See the results of all 50 ensemble members of the ECMWF model in direct comparison for several parameters. WaterTemperature.net All Rights Reserved. The model calibration period was from February 14 . 15.3, Customers are encouraged to attend meetings and share their views with the Commissioners on the second and last Wednesday of each month. The Cougar Dam on the McKenzie River, Oregon Credit: Bob Heims, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Turn around and follow the road all the way around the lake. Lake Whatcom was the transportation route for timber, harvested on the slopes, and floated in "log-booms" towed to the mills at both the south and the north ends of the lake. 59.5, In this middle layer water temperatures take a pronounced decline and eventually a distinct third layer forms (hypolimnion), much colder and isolated from the rest of the water body. ['September', 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. format: '#C'}, The first question is answered by the cascade of historical events that led to the lake being designated as a drinking water supply source after residential development and commercial activities had already been well established in the watershed. 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. 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. It is filled by rain, mountain streams and water diverted from the middle fork of the Nooksack river which comes from the Deming glacier on Mt. It is the drinking water source for over 100,000 Whatcom County residents. Data in the 2015/2016 Lake Whatcom Monitoring Program Annual Report by Matthews et al. 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. The second part of the availability equation is the timing and amount of water available from the Middle Fork diversion. Air Temperature 36F High: 47F Low: 36F Wind 5 MPH Gust: 7 mph Bearing: N Water Temperature 36 F Weather Details Average Wind 6 mph Much better to go down Chuckanut south of Bellingham as there are several pullouts for parking and viewing of the Sound and islands. The trail rises through a series of switchbacks, road crossings and short bridges. Fishing resources. 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. The team has also developed programs to educate watershed homeowners and provide financial incentives to reduce or eliminate impacts on the environment and the lake. Chuckanut Bay Distillery Tour with 2 Mini Cocktails and Gift Glass, Sol Duc, Lake Crescent, and Hurricane Ridge Guided Tour in Olympic National Park, Tour from Bellingham to 10,781 ft Mt Baker, Hurricane Ridge Guided Snowshoe Tour in Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest and Rialto Beach Guided Tour in Olympic National Park, Olympic National Park High Country Adventure Youth Summer Camp, Electric Bike Ride on the Olympic Discovery Trail. The health of this tremendously important resource is declining, and at a pace that is faster than expected. County: Whatcom Acreage: 4755.30 ac. What the Data Show Time of day and wind direction may have a temporary local effect as can water flows from neraby rivers. The amount of water that is available for storage and treatment. To cope, they hide in the coolest water of the river. Another important hydrological phenomenon on Lake Whatcom is the occurrence of seiches. The lake is divided into three basins. Trihalomethanes (THMs), which are known carcinogens created during the disinfection process of water treatment, have decreased overall in tap water to about 0.04 mg/L, down from the high of 0.06 mg/L in 2015 (see Figure 6), and well below the maximum allowable contaminant level of 0.08 mg/L. 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. 50.4, 15.8, 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. To summarize, people have been utilizing the Lake Whatcom watershed since the mid-1800s (Peterson, 2008). View larger map. Removing dissolved forms of phosphorus from entering the lake remains problematic. All the more reason that the city, county and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District, as well as the people living in the watershed, must continue their efforts to reduce and eventually eliminate phosphorus loading to the lake. 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. There are no upcoming meetings, please check back soon. 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. The views are similar to being in the SW Alaska area! 4.1], High biological activity is responsible for creating severe anoxic conditions in the bottom water layers of Basins 1 and 2 in the summer. 1: { color: '#FFCC66', targetAxisIndex:0, lineWidth: 8 }, Winter is the hardest time because fish are offshore and slow moving. The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 52.5F / 11.4C. District personnel are available around the clock for water or sewer emergencies. What has been done ['November', 3.9, format: '#F'}, Lists of, maps for, and information Please note, the tide times given are not suitable for navigational purposes. Snow level near 4000 feet. 7.6, Fishing, boating and swimming activities on the lake increased as priorities and interests changed. 4.3],]); Its northern tip is located within the City of Bellingham, and it extends 10 miles south toward Skagit County. 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. 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). ', 'AVG', 'Min. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. 6.5, The District is presently recruiting for a full-time Maintenance Worker I. 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. Fish can be readily angled through the summer from both the shore and boat.
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