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August-September 2019

Are You Ready For Fall Rain? It's time to prepare for the wet season.
After a long, dry period much of the rain can’t soak into the soil. It runs over top of the land into ditches and creeks. During that dry period, pollutants (such as fecal bacteria from livestock, dogs, or wildlife), will build up on the land. When fall rains come, water picks up the pollutants and carries them into our ditches and creeks. Too much bacteria closes beaches to swimming and shellfish harvest. In fact, from October through December, Portage Bay (at the base of the Nooksack River) is closed to shellfish harvest each year.
Click here for tips and more information about how you can help prevent pollution closures!

Are You Ready for Fall Rain? Click above for a short video...
Human poop and dog poop both contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can make our families and pets sick. We use toilets, sewer systems, waste water treatment plants, and septic systems to manage and treat our sewage.  Your dog can’t sit on a toilet and flush.  So scoop it, bag it, and trash it to prevent pollution and protect public health. Learn more.
Are you a pooper scooper? Help prevent poo-lution and keep an eye out for the Poop Fairy during Whatcom Water Week! Press Play for a short video.
Drayton Harbor
Drayton Marine Sites: Dots indicate the 90th percentile at each site for the last 30 samples (January 2017 - August 2019).  Orange is ‘Threatened ‘(30-43 MPN/100mL), yellow is ‘Of Concern’ (20-30 MPN/100mL), green is ‘Well Within’ standards (< 20 MPN/100mL) and blue is <10MPN/100mL.
Drayton Harbor Marine Status: Bacteria results in Drayton Harbor during the August 21, 2019 marine sampling run were low at the majority of stations with results <2 MPN/100mL.   Stations 8 and 15 had elevated bacteria results (31 and 170 MPN/100mL, respectively). The 90th percentile for the last 30 samples at stations 4, 6, and 413 (yellow circle) further improved this month changing their status categories to “Well Within” and “Of Concern”.  Stations 8 and 15 (orange circle), near the mouth of the harbor, have been hovering around the threatened/prohibited threshold for the past 11 months.  While not consistently meeting standards, the 90th percentiles at these stations are showing a substantial improvement in comparison to past years.
Drayton Watershed Freshwater Status: The August routine freshwater sampling run was conducted on the 20th, the day before marine sampling.  All freshwater results for the mainstem of California and Dakota Creeks were less than 100 cfu/100mL with the exception of Cal5.0 (California Creek at Valley View Road) and NFDak0.1 (North Fork Dakota at Custer School Road). Samples were not collected at Cal6.2, Cal7.5, SfDak0.2, and NFDak2.5 due to stagnant conditions.  Most tributary sites were less than 100cfu/100mL, with the exception of five sites. The highest result (3000 cfu/100ml) was observed at CA1, a small tributary entering California Creek near Kickerville Road.  Low flow, stagnant, and dry conditions were observed throughout the watershed resulting in fewer samples taken.
Portage Bay/Nooksack Watershed
Portage Bay Marine Sites: Dots indicate the 90th percentile at each site for the last 30 samples (January 2017-August 2019).  Yellow dots are ‘Of Concern’ (20-30 MPN/100mL), green are ‘Well Within’ standards (< 20 MPN/100mL), and blue are <10 MPN.100mL.
Portage Bay Marine Status: Bacteria results in Portage Bay during the August 21, 2019 marine sampling run were all 2 MPN/100mL or below detection level, with the exception of station 52 (yellow circle) with a result of 23 MPN/100mL.  There were no changes in status categories in Portage Bay.
Portage/Nooksack Watershed Freshwater Summary -  Two routine freshwater sampling runs were conducted in the Nooksack watershed in August.  On August 8th, all sites were at or below 100cfu/100ml. On August 20th, the day before marine sampling, all sites were below 100cfu/100mL with the exception of Fishtrap at River Road (F1) with a result of 200 cfu/100mL.  Scott, Double Ditch, Schneider, and Whiskey drainages were not sampled due to stagnant or dry conditions.
 
1K kids Smolt Sprint Obstacle Course at 10:00 am 
5K Fun Run and Walk at 10:30 am
Run or walk on a scenic loop through the BP Highlands and learn more about watershed health while taking care of your own health.  This family friendly even offers a kids' smolt sprint, prizes and more!
Free t-shirts (to the first 300 participants)
Free raffle with prizes
Refreshments
Kids activities
Exhibits and information tables
Route is off the roads, paved and gravel trails
View event website or register here
Saturday & Sunday, Sept 21 & 22, 2019
Zuanich Point Park | Squalicum Harbor | Downtown Bellingham
At Bellingham SeaFeast, a waterfront & seafood festival, celebrate our rich maritime culture and heritage, thriving working waterfront, enjoyment and conservation of our water resources, commercial fishing and seafood industries, and the culinary bounty of our corner of the Pacific Northwest.
General admission to Bellingham SeaFeast 2019 is FREE! Some activities such as industry tours, boat rides and Taste the Sea by Haggen Northwest Fresh require tickets. Purchase yours online today!
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Equine Health; are you winter ready? 
September 19, 2019
 
Join The Whatcom Conservation District on a residential site and hear from Mike McGlenn of Back Country Horsemen. Mike will share his journey with prescribed grazing and pasture management, access lane and heavy use area protection, manure storage, and horse health. Learn tips to improve horse health while saving you money and making your chores more efficient. The Whatcom CD will share resources to help you get ready for the winter. 

6-8PM: RSVP(required) for location
Corina Cheever 
ccheever@whatcomcd.org or 
360-526-2381 ext. 104
Septic System Homeowner Training: October 29, 2019 in Ferndale
When you take Whatcom County Health's free training you will be certified to evaluate your own system. You can save money and have confidence in knowing how your septic system works. If your system is not eligible for homeowner evaluation or you simply don’t want to do it yourself, this class is still for you! 
Click here to find out more.
Other Program Links:
Water Quality Tools:
Whatcom County Public Work’s PIC (Pollution, Identification, and Correction) Program uses water quality monitoring (collecting samples in creeks, rivers, and bays) to identify priority areas for improvement programs and provides community outreach and education, technical and financial assistance for landowners, and coordination with County departments and other agencies to identify and address potential bacteria sources polluting our waterways.
PIC Program Website
Facebook
Website
Email
Our contact information:
322 N. Commercial Street Suite 110
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360)778-6230
PICProgram@co.whatcom.wa.us


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This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement PC-01J18001 through the Washington State Department of Health. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency or the Washington State Department of Health, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.






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Whatcom County Public Works · 322 N Commercial St Ste 110 · Bellingham, WA 98225-4042 · USA

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