Birch Bay Watershed & Aquatic Resources Management District

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Berm Project Will Be Completed By April


Final work on the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project (berm project) continued this month. Granite Construction is now working on plantings, finishing swale work, paving around the curbs and parking spaces, and extending the pathway on the northern end of the berm. The project should be completed by early April! Click on the link above for an up-to-date project schedule. 

The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce holds monthly "Coffee with the Contractor" events via Zoom for residents to ask the contractor questions about the project. Click here for a link to the next meeting which will be held on Thursday, March 25 at 8:00 AM. 

Pet Waste Pledge and Ambassador Program

Is dog doo a problem in your neighborhood?  Join our Neighborhood Ambassador Program to encourage dog walkers to do their “doo-ty”. Visit www.whatcomcounty.us/3462/Toolkit  to learn more.

World Water Day

UN Water is presenting World Water Day on Monday March 22. What does water mean to you? We at BBWARM are thankful for clean water that provides Birch Bay with beautiful scenery and aquatic habitat for plants and animals. Have you been enjoying the water in Birch Bay by recreating or volunteering? Send us your photos at: krice@co.whatcom.wa.us 

Image from UN Water

Whatcom Conservation District Speaker Series

The Whatcom Conservation District is continuing their virtual speaker series with five installments of how farmers can improve the management of their pastures. Click here for more information!

Help Us Protect the Berm Plantings

As you walk along the new berm this spring, you may notice a large number of new plants. These plantings serve several important functions for the environmental and structural health of the project. Bioswales full of native plants will collect and filter stormwater. The plants will also help with flood control, erosion control and runoff management. These plants are still getting established, so any minor damage could kill them and they are expensive to replace. If you are accessing the beach, please take care not to trample any plants and use the designated trails located at each concrete access point perpendicular to the road. Staff are working on a better way to mark these trails. Thank you!

Photo by Chuck Kinzer/CKImageArt.com

Goodbye Lars & Hello Kate!

Lars Olson leaves at the end of the month to continue his pursuit of a Master’s Degree in education at WWU. We are so grateful for his hard work and dedication to the BBWARM education and outreach program. He did a fantastic job managing and growing the Watershed Watcher/Adopt-a-Block program and he will be greatly missed. Thank you, Lars, we wish you all the best!

Kate Rice, our new Education & Outreach Program Specialist, joined the Stormwater Division team in April 2020, but spent the majority of the year assigned to Whatcom Unified Command to assist with COVID-19 response. She is now back to full time in her new position and taking the lead on outreach activities in BBWARM, Lake Whatcom and NPDES regions. For those interested in Watershed Watchers or other volunteer activities in Birch Bay, she’s your new contact (KRice@co.whatcom.wa.us)! Please join us in welcoming her to the team. We’re so glad to have you, Kate!