PSA: If you're thinking of moving to Bellingham, don't! (buy, gated communities)

[bartonizer]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Thank you. This makes much more sense. And yes, it's a beautiful park!
Thanks for all the info you post on here, in general.

Thanks Ruth- I appreciate your curiosity and input, as well.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Wow. I'm learning so much on these B'ham threads!

There are a couple of reservoirs in Seattle neighborhoods, that still have fences around the perimeter. I don't see why fences would be eliminated, just because the city has grown to surround the reservoirs. It doesn't make sense that a city would allow its water supply to become compromised. Is that poor planning by city leaders, or what's up with that?

The rich want their lakefront homes, and as much as we'd like to think things don't work that way, they do. The golden rule applies always, follow the money.

[Arktikos]

Interesting thread showing how B'ham has suffered growing pains since my days there.

Re: Bellingham water supply, this article may be of interest.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/opi...e25636378.html

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

Interesting thread showing how B'ham has suffered growing pains since my days there.

Re: Bellingham water supply, this article may be of interest.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/opi...e25636378.html

This is ESSENTIAL info, for anyone considering moving into the area, including Kynden. Thanks so much for posting!

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

This is ESSENTIAL info, for anyone considering moving into the area, including Kynden. Thanks so much for posting!

I'd like to point out that the article linked was based on the opinion of the Hirst Decision which many of us have a problem with. The numbers regarding water are true, but the users of the water and who was/is being targeted by this act is largely flawed. Any rural home with a well AND septic system returns upwards of 85% of the water back into the water table(ground). Providing the septic system is working correctly and not polluting the ground water, a rural home is going to be the lowest impact on water availability. Cities like Lynden and Ferndale draw their water from the river where it is consumed, some of it returns to the river through runoff and processed waste water. Bellingham is actually the largest residential "taker" of water, drawing from lake Whatcom which is FED by the Nooksack River. Bellingham's processed wastewater is then dumped into Bellingham bay. Rough math with river flows and Bellingham's water usage during peak season worked out to the town consuming the entire flow of the river for around 37 minutes on a daily basis. This is a direct water loss, even though it's "banked" in lake Whatcom, because NONE of the water is returned to the river.
The Hirst decision was deeply flawed in that it resulted in a moratorium on rural wells, even existing ones, which was enforced by denying building permits. This pushed more of the growth into the towns which actually has an increased negative effect on water consumption due to the reasons above.

That aside, Agriculture is responsible for most of the water drawn from the river in the hot summer months when flows are low, like 60% of our water consumption is agriculture. Now we obviously need local farms, and 6-9 months of the year we have PLENTY of water around, so much that river flows are usually in bankfull-flood stage quite often which ends up washing out a lot of the salmon spawning grounds and reduces return rates. Storing this excess water and releasing it when it's needed, would benefit everything the most.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Wow. I'm learning so much on these B'ham threads!

There are a couple of reservoirs in Seattle neighborhoods, that still have fences around the perimeter. I don't see why fences would be eliminated, just because the city has grown to surround the reservoirs. It doesn't make sense that a city would allow its water supply to become compromised. Is that poor planning by city leaders, or what's up with that?

Yes, i agree that it is very poor planning. Lake Whatcom is the reservoir for Bellingham and those hooked up to city water. It is very compromised. I thought Seattle had a major reservoir in the Green River watershed. It is very expensive to treat water but it is passed on to those who use it.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by bartonizer

Lake Padden is no longer a water supply, and is now a great in-town park: https://www.cob.org/services/recreat...dden-park.aspx. That's why it has no perimeter fence surrounding it.

Regarding fencing in Lake Whatcom, it would be a ridiculous large and controversial project. The lake is 13 miles long, and at some places well over a mile wide. The water is pulled and diverted through pipes and tunnels from several basins within the lake. Here's a little more about the water supply and treatment of it: Water Supply and Treatment - Lake Whatcom Management Program.

I said exactly that in post 56 about Lake Padden.

[bartonizer]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

I said exactly that in post 56 about Lake Padden.

I realize that, and was simply clarifying information for Ruth.

[Baldy]

I've met two acquaintances in the last month who suffer from dry wells. One near Lake Padden; the other in north county. Both homes were newly bought for over $650k. Now, this is Western Washignton state where dry house wells were unheard of not long ago. This is our rain season---haven't seen the sun in weeks---so nothing drys out.

Their wells are dry.

The new population of Bellingham. If you want to see the true population of a town, go to the large grocery stores at various times of the week. I dare you to do it in Bellingham. ( Okay, I've hated grocery stores since I was a toddler. Creeps me out totally.)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Baldy

I've met two acquaintances in the last month who suffer from dry wells. One near Lake Padden; the other in north county. Both homes were newly bought for over $650k. Now, this is Western Washignton state where dry house wells were unheard of not long ago. This is our rain season---haven't seen the sun in weeks---so nothing drys out.

Their wells are dry.

The new population of Bellingham. If you want to see the true population of a town, go to the large grocery stores at various times of the week. I dare you to do it in Bellingham. ( Okay, I've hated grocery stores since I was a toddler. Creeps me out totally.)

Why? What would we see?

I was impressed with the number of co-ops and organic grocers B'ham has.

Dry wells in the PNW; that is concerning. Do you think overuse of surface water, as described by rkcarguy, above, has something to do with it?