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  clark 		Lake Whatcom Reservoir
Your Bellingham Drinking Water
South Page
speak to us: tig@lakewhatcom.org 		see also:
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The southern end of the Lake Whatcom watershed, is sparsely populated. This is the section beyond the end of Lake Whatcom Blvd. and the Sudden Valley urbanized area. and has very little urbanization; mostly a few temporary-housing areas, RV-trailer parks, and campgrounds. These camps are especially troublesome, however, because they are right on the shoreline (so contribute their pollution directly to the lake waters), and many of the people who use these parks are from outside the region and will not know this is a lake that needs greater than normal care!
Spring 2007:

"Wildwood", a trailer park/campground at the far lower left (west) of the Lake wants to install a new sewer pipe connecting to the system in Sudden Valley, and replace its septic systems. ("All"? or "most of" them?)

This proposal is a mixed bag!

Replacing septic tanks with high-quality sewerage treatment is good -- BUT there are serious consequences of this specific plan:
  • The actual construction of the pipe will cause harm to the lake!
  • Other properties would be encouraged to develop
  • The topography is steep and irregular, increasing the difficulties of construction - thus the risks of substantial polluted runoff.
Topography at the northern portion near Sudden Valley is steep, so erosion is great and fast from any land disturbance like forest roads for logging, heavy-vehicle recreation, logging itself, and urbanization. Because it is difficult to access areas off the roadway, and is little different from other similar upland regions, this region has suffered little damage by people. This is fortunate, but it is a good candidate for "rustic" sub-urbanization, yet the steep rocky terrain will substantially increase the likelihood of erosion and runoff damage due to construction and landslides.

Both private and State DNR logging have been happening on this part of Lookout Mountain. The DNR Landscape plan will be applied here, because it is within the potable-water reservoir watershed.

The extreme southern portion of the watershed has gentler topography, and a road which connects to the Cain Lake suburban enclave, which is outside the Lake Whatcom drainage basin and within that of the Skagit River.

What more, that you would not want in your tap-water, lurks near or in the Reservoir?


South map
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The Initiative Group -- Whatcom
360.738.3151 -- tig@lakewhatcom.org 		this is the South page:
http://lakewhatcom.org/problems/south.htm
edited  2002.01.18 - and - 2007.03.18.    mgb