2024 Year in Review: BBWARM

Posted

The Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District’s mission is to reduce stormwater impacts, enhance water quality, and improve and protect habitat. In 2024, BBWARM staff and collaborators made substantial progress in achieving these goals.

In Birch Bay, drainage and water quality problems exist where the infrastructure is undersized, failing or nonexistent. Our program builds stormwater capital improvement projects to address these issues. In 2024, we completed a project on Holeman Avenue to reduce roadway flooding. This area is particularly sensitive due to the steep bluff along the shoreline, where flooding could lead to erosion and property damage. To remedy this, an undersized pipe was replaced with a larger one, new storm drains were installed and the ditch was restored.

BBWARM had another successful year of community engagement, connecting with hundreds of residents at events like the 5th of July Beach Cleanup and Run with the Chums 5K Fun Run. For the third consecutive year, BBWARM supported homeowners in converting lawns to native plant gardens for free through the Neighborhood Native Landscaping Program. Nine Birch Bay property owners participated, installing over 1,300 plants and 300 cubic yards of mulch on their properties. Native landscaping fosters biodiversity and wildlife habitat and reduces stormwater impacts. Add your name to the program interest list for next year at whatcomcounty.us/NNLP.

These programs are funded by a service charge paid by owners of developed properties in the BBWARM district. While rates have remained the same since BBWARM’s inception in 2009, operating and capital costs have risen dramatically. In response to growing needs, BBWARM conducted a comprehensive rate study in 2024 with multiple opportunities for public input. Whatcom County Council approved the new rate structure in June 2024 and the new fees will appear on property tax statements next year. Thank you for supporting these valuable programs.

For more information on BBWARM programs, or to sign up for our quarterly e-newsletter, please visit our website at bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org or contact the Whatcom County Stormwater Division at 360/778-6230 or waterresources@co.whatcom.wa.us.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here


OUR PUBLICATIONS