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2016 Year in Review for BBWARM
By Kraig Olason
This past year, the Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District has been busy with several projects, including a collaborative capital improvement project completed on Birch Point with Whatcom County Public Works, completing the final Subwatershed Master Plan for Birch Bay, designing a new project for Cottonwood Drive, beginning a design process for a major drainage project for 2018 and continuing a water quality monitoring program on Birch Bay and Terrell Creek.
 The third Subwatershed Master Plan was drafted to cover the Birch Point, Terrell Creek Urban Growth Area (UGA) and Point Whitehorn subwatersheds. A public meeting in February attracted 29 attendees who submitted their input on the stormwater problems in these areas. The draft plan was reviewed by the public at the November BBWARM meeting.The final plan is now available on the BBWARM website.
Drainage problems along Harborview Road were identified in the Birch Bay Central North and Central South Subwatershed Master Plans due to undersized stormwater infrastructure. A public meeting was held in November to introduce the project to the community. Field survey work has been completed and a preferred concept design will be completed in early 2017. Final project design should be completed by summer of 2017 with construction beginning in 2018.
A new water quality monitoring results webpage with links to online maps, water quality status reports and the most current fecal coliform bacteria data for Birch Bay and other focus areas throughout Whatcom County was launched.
This year is shaping up to be a busy one with many project and activities planned. Be sure to check out the BBWARM website for more details and information regarding all of the BBWARM District projects at www.bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org.
Photo of Birch Bay in the snow by Monette Boswell
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Regular water quality monitoring of Terrell Creek and coastal drainages continues. The fecal coliform counts remained low in December and January, though many of the lower Birch Bay sites could not be sampled due to ice cover and hazardous road conditions. Two sites near the mouth of Terrell Creek exceeded the health standard in January after having been low for several months. 
BBWARM will be partnering with Whatcom Conservation District this year to offer a Storm Watchers Program. This program will utilize a network of volunteers living in the Birch Bay and Terrell Creek watersheds to monitor the condition of public and private stormwater systems before and after large precipitation events. Staff will recruit and train local landowner to inspect and report back on drainage systems, as well as monitor creek flows, storm outfalls, catch basins, the Terrell Creek outlet and general neighborhood conditions. Monitoring will include visual identification of flooded roadways, changes in color or indications of pollutants in freshwater systems, and other stormwater related issues. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Holly Faulstich at 
Holly returned from maternity leave on February 1.
