The total area of the Nooksack River Basin, as delineated in this plan, includes approximately 810 square miles in Whatcom County and approximately 49.5 square miles in Canada (Pelela, 1999). Elevation ranges from sea level to 10,778 feet. The Nooksack Basin is within Washington State's designated Water Resource Inventory Area #1 (WRIA #1).
The Nooksack River originates in the Cascade Mountains where glacial melt from Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan feed it. After leaving the foothills about midway through its course, the Nooksack River flows westward in an arc across the lowland areas of Whatcom County until it drains into Bellingham Bay. The river basin can be subdivided into four primary subbasins: the North Fork, Middle Fork, South Fork and the Lower Nooksack.
There are a number of municipalities located within the Nooksack Basin including Everson, Lynden, and Ferndale. Other jurisdictions with authority within the Basin include Nooksack Tribe, Lummi Nation, and United States Forest Service. The City of Lynden and the Public Utility District #1 of Whatcom County have water rights to withdraw a combined total of approximately 94.77-cfs from the mainstem of the Nooksack River for municipal and industrial uses. The City of Bellingham has a water certificate to withdraw 125 cfs from the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River. A dam constructed by Bellingham on the Middle Fork diverts water from the river and pipes it to Lake Whatcom, which is a water supply source for the City as well as Water Districts #7 and #10. The City of Bellingham and Water District #10 have responsibility for preparing a source protection plan for Lake Whatcom.
Figure 1 delineates the four primary subbasins - North Fork, Middle Fork, South Fork, and Lower Nooksack - the jurisdictional boundaries, and the locations of the major water facilities.
There is a wide range of soil types within the Nooksack Basin. General soil map units identified in the Whatcom County soil survey prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA, 1992) will be used to characterize soils in each of the subbasins previously referenced. General soil map units typically consist of one or more major soils and some minor soils. The map units are named for the major soils they represent. Although general soil units can be used to compare the suitability of large areas for general land uses, they are not suitable for use in planning or managing site-specific projects. The soils in any one map unit can differ from site to site in terms of slope, depth, drainage, and other characteristics which all affect site activities, uses or development potential. In each of the subbasin characterizations that follow, soils will be identified by reference to map unit.
The primary land use in the North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork Nooksack Subbasins is commercial forestry. In the Lower Nooksack Subbasin, commercial agriculture is the primary land use. All four subbasins have a mix of use that also includes residential, recreational, surface mining, and commercial. A discussion of land uses in each of the subbasins is covered in Section II: Potential Activities/Land Uses Detrimental to Surface Water Quality.
I.2.1 Physical Description:
The subbasin that drains into the North Fork of the Nooksack River encompasses an area of approximately 293 square miles of which approximately 4.5 square miles is in British Columbia, Canada (Pelela, 1999). Elevations range from approximately 300 feet in the river valley near the confluence of the North Fork and Middle Fork to 10,778 feet on Mount Baker. The eastern boundary of the North Fork subbasin is bounded by Mount Shuksan at 9,127 feet, Icy Peak at 7,060 feet and Ruth Mountain at 7,106 feet (Brown and Caldwell, 1990). From its headwaters on Mt.Shuksan, the North Fork Nooksack River flows in a westerly direction for about 30 miles before heading in a southwesterly direction until it joins the mainstem of the Nooksack about 4 miles east of Deming. Many of the major tributaries such as Wells and Glacier Creeks also originate from snowfields and glaciers. Figure 2 is a relief map of the North Fork Nooksack subbasin.
I.2.2 Soil Characterization:
In the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin, there are a total of seven soil map units. For a complete review of the soils in each of the units, refer to the Soil Survey of Whatcom County Area, Washington prepared by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA, 1992). The general soil map units found in the North Fork Subbasin include:
In the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin, the Mt. Vernon-Puyallup map unit is found primarily along the North Fork of the Nooksack River. This map unit is typically used as hayland and pasture or as cropland. The main limitations for this use are seasonal high water tables in the Mt. Vernon soils and a moderate available water capacity in the Puyallup soils. Hayland, pasture, and cropland are not, however, generally found in the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin.
The Kickerville-Barneston-Everett unit is on outwash terraces and terrace escarpments on slopes of zero to 60 percent. This soil map unit is present to a limited extent in the north-central area of the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin. The main limitations presented by this soil unit include seasonal high water table and a poor filtering capacity for septic tank absorption fields.
Squalicum-Chuckanut-Nati characterizes
soil types associated with foothills, plateaus, and landslides.
This map unit is found at elevations ranging from 100 to 1,600
feet. In the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin, this soil map unit
is used primarily as woodland. The main limitation affecting timber
harvesting is the slope on part of the unit and muddiness caused
by seasonal wetness. Limitations affecting homesite development
and septic tank absorption fields are the slope, the moderate
depth to bedrock or dense glacial till, and the seasonal high
water table in the Squalicum soils.
Slopes in the Oakes-Revel map unit ranges from 5 to 80 percent
and are found at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 feet.
Woodland is the primary use of this map unit. The main limitations
affecting timber harvesting are the slope and occasional snowpack.
The general soil map units of Getchell-Kindy-Potchub, Hinker-Crinker-Springsteen, and Rock Outcrop-Typic Cryorthods-Andic Cryochrepts are located on high mountains, plateaus, and ridges at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 5,500 feet. Forestry is the primary use in the three map units. The main limitations affecting timber harvesting in these units are slope and snowpack.
Figure 3 outlines geologically hazardous areas in the North Fork Nooksack subbasin and Figure 4 identifies the general soil map units.
I.2.3 Hydrologic Information:
There are four weather stations in Whatcom County that have collected precipitation and temperature data over an extended time period: Bellingham, Blaine, Clearbrook, and Glacier.
There is a significant difference in precipitation levels between the Bellingham, Clearbrook and Glacier stations. Physical characteristics of the area, specifically topography, can influence wind patterns and precipitation. For example, lowland areas near the salt water experience an average of about 30 inches per year of rainfall, which increases to near 50 inches at the base of the Cascade foothills (Washington State, 1960).
Bellingham and Glacier are the weather stations that will be used as indicators of annual precipitation levels in the Nooksack Basin. For the Lower Nooksack Subbasin, the Bellingham station will be used and for the North, Middle, and South Fork Subbasins the Glacier station will be used. Table 1 reflects precipitation from the Glacier weather station.
Table 1. Precipitation 1949-1983
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
with 0.10 inch or more |
|
| Less Than -- | More Than -- | |||
| January | 9.31 | 5.38 | 12.80 | 14 |
| February | 7.67 | 5.08 | 10.04 | 12 |
| March | 5.88 | 3.82 | 7.76 | 11 |
| April | 4.39 | 2.38 | 6.16 | 9 |
| May | 2.80 | 1.69 | 3.79 | 8 |
| June | 2.76 | 1.46 | 3.90 | 7 |
| July | 1.85 | .97 | 2.97 | 4 |
| August | 2.32 | .88 | 3.51 | 5 |
| September | 3.73 | 1.75 | 5.43 | 6 |
| October | 7.17 | 3.86 | 10.08 | 9 |
| November | 8.32 | 5.01 | 11.28 | 12 |
| December | 10.57 | 7.64 | 13.28 | 15 |
| Annual Average | 66.77 | 26.40 | 72.71 | 112 |
The estimated mean annual runoff
from the North Fork Nooksack subbasin is approximately 1,190,000
acre-feet (Washington State, 1960). Approximately one-third of
the total annual flow of the North Fork Nooksack River originates
from the drainage areas of Wells, Glacier, and Canyon Creeks.
Table 2 is a list of primary drainage areas in the subbasin and
the estimated mean annual runoff from those areas. Information
from the 1960 report titled, Water Resources of the Nooksack Basin,
was used to establish size of drainage areas within the subbasin.
Runoff volume calculations were determined using formulas and
the isopluvial map included in the 1992 Puget Sound Stormwater
Manual. The table below was calculated for purposes of characterizing
runoff in the subbasin. It is, therefore, not appropriate to
use these calculations for retention design or any other project
addressing water runoff.
TABLE 2. NORTH FORK NOOKSACK SUBBASIN - ESTIMATED RUNOFF FROM SELECTED TRIBUTARIES
| Name of Stream | Surface Drainage Areaa | Estimated Mean Annual Runoff From Drainage Areab | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Upper N.Fork Nooksackc | 70.1 | 97.0 | 362,424 |
| Wells Creek | 24.2 | 96.0 | 123,827 |
| Glacier Creek | 32.2 | 85.0 | 145,882 |
| Canyon Creek | 30.9 | 81.0 | 133,404 |
| Maple Creek | 11.0 | 65.0 | 38,109 |
| Kendall Creek | 30.0 | 61.0 | 97,539 |
| Boulder Creek | 8.6 | 77.0 | 35,295 |
| Coal Creek | 4.6 | 62.0 | 15,201 |
| Racehorse Creek | 11.1 | 72.0 | 42,597 |
| Bells Creek | 5.0 | 56.0 | 14,924 |
I.2.4 Monitoring Efforts:
Agencies and entities typically involved in water quality monitoring programs were contacted for purposes of obtaining information on recent and ongoing studies in the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin. A draft database prepared by the Department of Ecology, Nooksack Field Office in 1998 of volunteer monitors was also used to identify groups involved with data collection. Despite efforts to be all-inclusive, recent or ongoing studies may exist that are not identified in this discussion. Monitoring programs are frequently undertaken by agencies or entities for specific purposes and, therefore, are completed with very little interaction with others. Exclusion of these studies is not intentional. Establishing a central repository for local water quality reports and developing a coordinated basin-wide monitoring program will help reduce incidents of studies being excluded from future planning efforts[1].
Following is a brief description of recent monitoring efforts that have been identified in the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin. Further discussion of monitoring programs in the Nooksack Basin and their utility in assessing water quality in the Nooksack River is covered in Section III: Surface Water Monitoring Programs.
A review of historic water quality monitoring efforts (1950-1989) in the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin shows extremely limited collection in selected streams in the basin. (Simmons, 1992) In addition, the collection efforts that did occur frequently involved only a single sample event. The time period for these efforts was primarily the late 1950s and the early 1980s.
Recent monitoring efforts in the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin appear to be limited to the collection efforts of the Nooksack Tribe. The Tribe has been collecting information on temperature, DO, pH, and conductivity since 1995. There are 11 sampling sites established within the North Fork Subbasin. The frequency of sampling has not been consistent, as it is dependent on available resources. The objective of the Tribe's water quality monitoring program is to establish a database of water quality in the Nooksack River watershed. (CdeBaca, 1999)
I.3 Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin
I.3.1 Physical Description:
The Middle Fork Nooksack subbasin drains an area of 103 square miles (Pelela, 1999). Elevations range from approximately 290 feet at the confluence of the Middle and North Forks to 10,778 feet at Mount Baker. The City of Bellingham diversion dam on the Middle Fork is at an elevation of approximately 838 feet. Less than 3 square miles of the North Fork Nooksack Subbasin drainage area is below an elevation of 500 feet (Brown and Caldwell, 1990). From its headwaters at the Deming Glacier on the south slope of Mount Baker, the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River flows in a northwesterly direction for about 16 miles where it joins the main stem of the Nooksack River. There are approximately 31 tributaries and 3 lakes - Canyon, Mosquito and Jorgensen - in the subbasin (Brown and Caldwell, 1990). Figure 5 is a relief map of the Middle Fork Nooksack subbasin.
I.3.2 Soil Characterization:
In the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin, there are a total of nine soil map units. For a complete review of the soils in each of the units, refer to the Soil Survey of Whatcom County Area, Washington prepared by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA, 1992). The general soil map units found in the Middle Fork subbasin include:
The Mt. Vernon-Puyallup map unit is found to a limited extent in the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin; primarily along the downstream section of the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River. For homesite development, the main limitation is the hazard of flooding on both the Mt. Vernon and Puyallup soils.
Kickerville-Barneston-Everett characterizes soils on outwash terraces and terrace escarpments on slopes of zero to 60 percent. This soil map unit is also present to a limited extent in the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin. Its uses in this subbasin include woodland. It can also be a source of aggregate. The main limitations presented by this soil unit seasonal high water table and poor filtering capacity for septic tank absorption fields.
Found on slopes of five to 60 percent and elevations ranging from 250 to 1,500 feet, the Vanzandt-Squires soil map unit is associated with low mountains and foothills. The Vanzandt-Squires map unit is present to an extremely limited amount in the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin. Its use is as woodland with limitations to harvesting being slope and muddiness caused by seasonal wetness.
The Montborne-Rinker and Oakes-Revel soil map units are associated with mountains, plateaus, and ridges. Slopes can range from five to 80 percent and elevations from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. The soils that make up these units formed in volcanic ash, colluvium, and slope alluvium in material weathered from phyllite, sandstone, and metasedimentary rocks and in glacial drift. Sandun soils, a soil of minor extent in the Montborne-Rinker unit, formed in dunite-influenced material along the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River. Woodland is the use of both map units. The main limitation for timber harvesting in the Montborne-Rinker map unit is the slopes and the muddiness caused by seasonal wetness. In addition to slope, the limitations of the Oakes-Revel map unit includes occasional snow pack.
The remaining four soil map
units - Getchell-Kindy-Potchub, Hinker-Crinker-Springsteen, Edfro-Klawatti-Twinsi,
and Rock Outcrop-Typic Cryorthods-Andic Cryochrepts - are located
on high mountains, plateaus, and ridges with elevations ranging
from 1,800 to 5,500 feet. The use of all four units is woodland
with the main limitations for harvesting being slope and snowpack.
Figure 6 identifies geologically hazardous areas in the Middle
Fork Nooksack Subbasin. Figure 7 outlines soil map units found
in the subbasin.
I.3.3 Hydrologic Information:
There are four weather stations in Whatcom County that have collected precipitation and temperature data over an extended time period: Bellingham, Blaine, Clearbrook, and Glacier.
There is a significant difference in precipitation levels between the Bellingham, Clearbrook and Glacier stations. Physical characteristics of the area, specifically topography, can influence wind patterns and precipitation. For example, lowland areas near the salt water experience an average of about 30 inches per year of rainfall, which increases to near 50 inches at the base of the Cascade foothills (Washington State, 1960).
Bellingham and Glacier are the weather stations that will be used as indicators of annual precipitation levels in the Nooksack Basin. For the Lower Nooksack Subbasin, the Bellingham Airport station will be used and for the North, Middle, and South Fork Subbasins the Glacier station will be used. Table 3 represents precipitation data from the Glacier weather station.
TABLE 3. PRECIPITATION 1949-1983
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
with 0.10 inch or more |
|
| Less Than -- | More Than -- | |||
| January | 9.31 | 5.38 | 12.80 | 14 |
| February | 7.67 | 5.08 | 10.04 | 12 |
| March | 5.88 | 3.82 | 7.76 | 11 |
| April | 4.39 | 2.38 | 6.16 | 9 |
| May | 2.80 | 1.69 | 3.79 | 8 |
| June | 2.76 | 1.46 | 3.90 | 7 |
| July | 1.85 | .97 | 2.97 | 4 |
| August | 2.32 | .88 | 3.51 | 5 |
| September | 3.73 | 1.75 | 5.43 | 6 |
| October | 7.17 | 3.86 | 10.08 | 9 |
| November | 8.32 | 5.01 | 11.28 | 12 |
| December | 10.57 | 7.64 | 13.28 | 15 |
| Annual Average | 66.77 | 26.40 | 72.71 | 112 |
Based on calculations performed for Table 4, the estimated mean annual runoff from the Middle Fork Nooksack subbasin is approximately 470,770 acre-feet. The Middle Fork subbasin represents less than 20% of the total area drained by the Nooksack River system. Table 4 is a list of primary drainage areas in the subbasin and the estimated mean annual runoff from those areas. Information from the 1960 report titled, Water Resources of the Nooksack Basin, was used to establish size of drainage areas within the subbasin. Runoff volume calculations were determined using formulas and the isopluvial map included in the 1992 Puget Sound Stormwater Manual. The table below was calculated for purposes of characterizing the subbasin. It is, therefore, not appropriate to use these calculations for retention design or any other project addressing water runoff.
TABLE 4. MIDDLE FORK NOOKSACK SUBBASIN - ESTIMATED RUNOFF FROM SELECTED TRIBUTARIES
| Name of Stream | Surface Drainage Areaa | Estimated Mean Annual Runoff From Drainage Areab | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Upper M.Fork Nooksackc,d | 46.4 | 92.0 | 227,527 |
| Clearwater Creekd | 21.2 | 95.5 | 107,911 |
| Porter Creek | 4.7 | 67.0 | 16,784 |
| Canyon Creek | 8.8 | 77.0 | 36,257 |
| Middle Fork Nooksacke | 21.9 | 70.5 | 82,292 |
The City of Bellingham has a certificate to divert 125 cfs of water from the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River into Lake Whatcom via a tunnel and pipeline system. Using their existing facilities, the City is capable of diverting 90 cfs, which is reduced to 60 cfs when they are generating power (McCourt, 1999). The actual amount of water diverted is influenced by the status of flows in the Middle Fork. In 1998, the total flow diverted from the Middle Fork was 10,438 million gallons. This figure represents a year in which there was a significant shutdown of the diversion due to Middle Fork stream flows.
The diversion system itself consists of an 8900-foot long, 8-foot high, 7-foot wide tunnel through Bowman Mountain and a 42-inch diameter pipeline for 9.5 miles to Mirror Lake. The City's Middle Fork diversion is to augment their municipal water supply from Lake Whatcom. The diversion is located on the Middle Fork at approximately RM 7.0. The access road to the diversion dam is gated. Land use surrounding the diversion is commercial forestry.
I.3.4 Monitoring Efforts:
Agencies and entities typically involved in water quality monitoring programs were contacted for purposes of obtaining information on recent and ongoing studies in the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin. A draft database prepared by the Department of Ecology, Nooksack Field Office in 1998 of volunteer monitors was also used to identify groups involved with data collection. Despite efforts to be all-inclusive, recent or ongoing studies may exist that are not identified in this discussion. As mentioned previously, monitoring programs are frequently undertaken by agencies or entities for specific purposes and, therefore, are completed with very little interaction with others. Exclusion of these studies is not intentional. Implementing Recommendation #13, which establishes a central repository for local water quality reports and develops a coordinated basin-wide monitoring program, will help reduce the possibility of studies being excluded from future planning efforts.
Following is a description of recent monitoring efforts in the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin. Further discussion about the programs and their utility in assessing water quality in the subbasin is covered in Section III: Surface Water Monitoring Programs.
A review of historic collection efforts (1950-1989) on the Middle Fork show that water quality monitoring in the Middle Fork Nooksack Subbasin is extremely limited. One time sampling efforts on the Middle Fork occurred in 1972 and 1959. The longest collection effort occurred from July 1972 through December 1972 at nine stations for temperature and fecal coliform. (Simmons, 1992)
The most recent monitoring efforts (1990 to present) in the Middle Fork Subbasin include sample collection by local, state and tribal governments. The City of Bellingham collects samples for purposes of monitoring source water on the Middle Fork at the City's diversion. With the exception of flows, the City's data collection effort in the Middle Fork was initiated fairly recently (July 1998). However, the City has indicated that these collection efforts will become part of their ongoing monitoring program. (Wendling, 1999)
The Washington State Department of Ecology collected samples from the Middle Fork at RM 4.9 for approximately a one-year period (10/96 through 9/97). The sample collection occurred as part of the Department of Ecology's, Environmental Monitoring and Trends (EMT) Division rotating station allotment to the Northwest Regional Office (Joy, 1999). This station was not continued as part of the Northwest Regional Office's long-term ambient monitoring program.
The Nooksack Tribe has been collecting information on temperature, DO, pH, and conductivity from the Middle Fork since 1995. The objective of the Tribe's water quality monitoring program is to establish a baseline database of water quality in the Nooksack River watershed. There are three sampling sites established within the Middle Fork Subbasin. The frequency of sampling has not been consistent, as it is dependent on available resources. (CdeBaca, 1999)
I.4 South Fork Nooksack Subbasin
I.4.1 Physical Description:
The South Fork Nooksack subbasin drains an area of approximately 181 square miles (Pelela, 1999). Elevations range from 220 feet at the confluence of the South Fork and the main stem of the Nooksack River to about 6,930 feet on Twin Sisters Mountain. Only about 17 square miles of the subbasin are below an elevation of 500 feet. (Brown and Caldwell, 1990) There are approximately 52 tributaries and 4 lakes - - Heart, Springsteen, Bear, and Three Lakes (all in Skagit County) -- in the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin. From its headwaters on the south slope of the Twin Sisters Mountain, the South Fork flows southeasterly initially then southwest through Skagit County for approximately 15 miles before turning north into Whatcom County. The South Fork joins the main stem of the Nooksack River about three miles downstream from the confluence of the Middle and North Forks. Figure 8 is a relief map of the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin.
I.4.2 Soil Characterization:
In the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin, there are a total of eleven soil map units. For a complete review of the soils in each of the units, refer to the Soil Survey of Whatcom County Area, Washington prepared by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA, 1992). The general soil map units found in the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin include:
The Mt. Vernon-Puyallup and Briscot-Oridia map units are found in flood plains and terraces on slopes of zero to two percent. The primarily use of both map unit soils is hayland and pasture or cropland. Limitations in the areas used for hay and pasture or for crops are the seasonal high water table in the Mt. Vernon soils and a moderate available water capacity in the Puyallup soils. The main limitation for home site development and septic tank absorption fields are flooding and the seasonal high water table.
Kickerville-Barneston-Everett characterizes soils on outwash terraces and terrace escarpments on slopes of zero to 60 percent. The uses include hayland and pasture, woodland, or cropland. It can also be a source of aggregate. The main limitations presented by this soil unit include low available water capacity for croplands, seasonal high water table, and poor filtering capacity for septic tank absorption fields.
Both the Vanzandt-Squires and Squalicum-Chuckanut-Nati map units are located in foothill, low mountain, plateau and landslide areas. These map units are associated with slopes ranging from three to 60 percent and elevations from 100 to 1,600 feet. The Vanzandt-Squires map unit is associated with woodland. The main limitation affecting timber harvesting, presented by this map unit, is slope and muddiness created by seasonal wetness. The primary use of the Squalicum-Chuckanut-Nati map unit is also woodland. However, it is used for hayland, pasture and homesite development. The main limitations include erosion hazards for hayland and pasture, slope and seasonal muddiness for woodland, and slope and seasonal high water table for homesite development.
The Montborne-Rinker and Oakes-Revel soil map units are associated with mountains, plateaus, and ridges. Slopes can range from five to 80 percent and elevations from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. Soils making up these units are formed in volcanic ash, colluvium, and slope alluvium in material weathered from phyllite, sandstone, and metasedimentary rocks and in glacial drift. Both units are used as woodland. The main limitation for timber harvesting in the Montborne-Rinker unit is slopes and muddiness caused by seasonal wetness. In addition to slope, the limitations of the Oakes-Revel unit include occasional snow pack.
The remaining four map units found in the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin are located on high mountains, plateaus, and ridges. Slopes of Getchell-Kindy-Potchub, Hinker-Crinker-Springsteen, Edfro-Klawatti-Twinsi, and Rock Outcrop-Typic Cryorthods-Andic Cryochrepts soil map units range from three to 100 percent in elevations ranging from 1,800 to 5,500 feet. The use of all four units is woodland with the main limitation for harvesting being slope and snowpack.
Figure 9 outlines geologically hazardous areas and Figure 10 outlines soil map units in the South Fork Nooksack subbasin.
I.4.3 Hydrologic Information:
There are four weather stations in Whatcom County that have collected precipitation and temperature data over an extended time period: Bellingham, Blaine, Clearbrook, and Glacier.
There is a significant difference in precipitation levels between the Bellingham, Clearbrook and Glacier stations. Physical characteristics of the area, specifically topography, can influence wind patterns and precipitation. For example, lowland areas near the salt water experience an average of about 30 inches per year of rainfall, which increases to near 50 inches at the base of the Cascade foothills (Washington State, 1960).
Bellingham and Glacier are the weather stations that will be used as indicators of annual precipitation levels in the Nooksack Basin. For the Lower Nooksack Subbasin, the Bellingham station will be used and for the North, Middle, and South Fork Subbasins the Glacier station will be used. Table 5 represents precipitation data from the Glacier weather station.
TABLE 5. PRECIPITATION
1949-1983
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
with 0.10 inch or more |
|
| Less Than -- | More Than -- | |||
| January | 9.31 | 5.38 | 12.80 | 14 |
| February | 7.67 | 5.08 | 10.04 | 12 |
| March | 5.88 | 3.82 | 7.76 | 11 |
| April | 4.39 | 2.38 | 6.16 | 9 |
| May | 2.80 | 1.69 | 3.79 | 8 |
| June | 2.76 | 1.46 | 3.90 | 7 |
| July | 1.85 | .97 | 2.97 | 4 |
| August | 2.32 | .88 | 3.51 | 5 |
| September | 3.73 | 1.75 | 5.43 | 6 |
| October | 7.17 | 3.86 | 10.08 | 9 |
| November | 8.32 | 5.01 | 11.28 | 12 |
| December | 10.57 | 7.64 | 13.28 | 15 |
| Annual Average | 66.77 | 26.40 | 72.71 | 112 |
The estimated mean annual runoff
from the South Fork Nooksack subbasin is approximately 785,000
and comprises approximately thirty percent of the total annual
flow of the Nooksack River (Washington State, 1960). Table 6 is
a list of primary drainage areas in the subbasin and the estimated
mean annual runoff from those areas. Information from the 1960
report titled, Water Resources of the Nooksack Basin, was used
to establish size of drainage areas within the subbasin. Runoff
volume calculations were determined using formulas and the isopluvial
map included in the 1992 Puget Sound Stormwater Manual. The table
below was calculated for purposes of characterizing runoff in
the subbasin. It is, therefore, not appropriate to use these
calculations for retention design or any other project addressing
water runoff.
TABLE 6. SOUTH FORK NOOKSACK SUBBASIN - ESTIMATED RUNOFF FROM SELECTED TRIBUTARIES
| Name of Stream | Surface Drainage Areaa | Estimated Mean Annual Runoff From Drainage Areab | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Upper S.Fork Nooksackc | 50.2 | 87.0 | 232,782 |
| Howard Creek | 7.5 | 91.0 | 36,377 |
| Cavanaugh Creek | 9.7 | 87.0 | 44,980 |
| Skookum Creek | 23.0 | 75.5 | 92,555 |
| Hutchinson Creek | 14.7 | 66.0 | 51,712 |
| Black Slough | 6.9 | 54.0 | 19,860 |
| South Fork Nooksackd | 69.6 | 54.0 | 200,323 |
I.4.4 Monitoring Efforts:
As previously mentioned, agencies and entities typically involved in water quality monitoring programs were contacted for purposes of obtaining information on recent and ongoing studies in the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin. In addition, a draft database prepared by the Department of Ecology, Nooksack Field Office in 1998 of volunteer monitors was used to identify groups involved with data collection. Despite efforts to be all-inclusive, recent or ongoing studies may exist that are not identified in this discussion. Monitoring programs are frequently undertaken by agencies or entities for specific purposes and, therefore, are completed with very little interaction with others. Exclusion of these studies is not intentional. Implementing Recommendation #13, which establishes a central repository for local water quality reports and develops a coordinated basin-wide monitoring program, will help reduce the possibility of studies being excluded from future planning efforts.
Following is a description of recent monitoring efforts in the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin. Further discussion about the programs and their utility in assessing water quality in the subbasin is covered in Section III: Surface Water Monitoring Programs.
Mt. Baker High School students have been actively involved in sampling efforts in the South Fork Subbasin as part of their science curriculum. The program curriculum under which the sampling occurs is an ongoing program.
The Nooksack Tribe has been collecting information in the South Fork on temperature, DO, pH, and conductivity since 1995. The objective of the Tribe's water quality monitoring is to establish a baseline database of water quality in the Nooksack River watershed. There are nine established sampling sites within the South Fork Subbasin. The frequency of sampling has not been consistent, as it is dependent on available resources. Information on the monitoring program's objective was not available. The Whatcom Conservation District together with the Nooksack Indian Tribe, the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, and several landowners were awarded a Centennial Clean Water Fund grant for FY 2000. The Nooksack Tribe will begin testing for fecal coliform, ammonia, and turbidity at all nine of the established monitoring sites and an additional six sites within the South Fork Subbasin. (CdeBaca, 1999)
Washington State Department of Ecology collected water samples from the South Fork from 10/96 through 9/97. The sample collection occurred as part of the Department of Ecology's, Environmental Monitoring and Trends (EMT) Division's rotating station allotment to the Northwest Regional Office (Joy, 1999). This station was not continued as part of the Northwest Regional Office's long-term ambient monitoring program.
I. 5 Lower Nooksack Subbasin
I.5.1 Physical Description:
The Lower Nooksack Subbasin drains an area of approximately 204 square miles of which approximately 35 square miles is in British Columbia (Washington State, 1960). Elevations range from approximately 1,800 feet at the eastern boundaries of the subbasin to sea level where the Nooksack River drains into Bellingham Bay. Figure 11 is a relief map of the Lower Nooksack Subbasin.
I.5.2 Soil Characterization:
In the Lower Nooksack Subbasin there are a total of eleven soil map units. For a complete review of the soils in each of the units, refer to the Soil Survey of Whatcom County Area, Washington prepared by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA, 1992). The general soil map units found in the South Fork Nooksack Subbasin include:
The three soil map units of Mt. Vernon-Puyallup, Eliza-Tacoma, and Briscot-Oridia are located on flood plains, terraces, deltas, and tidal flats. In the Lower Nooksack Subbasin, the Eliza-Tacoma map unit is present to a limited extent in the southwestern portion of the study area along the Nooksack and Lummi Rivers. The slope in that area is zero to one percent and elevations are at or near sea level. The Mt. Vernon-Puyallup and Briscot-Oridia map units are found along the Nooksack River and its tributaries on slopes of zero to two percent and in elevations ranging from ten to 300 feet. The use of all three map units is hayland and pasture or cropland. The main limitation in areas used for hay and pasture or crops is a seasonal high water table and flooding hazard. Salt influences from the Eliza-Tacoma map unit and the moderately slow permeability of the Tacoma soils are other limitations facing use of the area for hayland, pasture or crops.
Kickerville-Barneston-Everett, Lynden-Hale-Tromp, Pangborn-Fishtrap-Shalcar map units characterize soils on outwash terraces, moraines, and till plains. Slopes in these map units ranges from zero to eight percent with elevations ranging from 50 to 1,200 feet. The Kickerville-Barneston-Everett soil is primarily used as hayland, pasture, woodland or crops. It may also be used for home sites and as a source of aggregate. The main limitation in areas used for hay, pasture or crops is a low available water capacity and very gravelly surface layer that is characteristic of Everett soils. For home sites with a septic tank drain field, the main limitation of this unit is the poor filtering capacity in the substratum of all the major soils.
The Lynden-Hale-Tromp unit is used for hayland, pasture, crops, woodland, and home sites. In the areas used for hay, pasture, or crops, the main limitation is the seasonal high water table in the Hale and Tromp soils and a moderate available water capacity in the Lynden and Hale soils. For timber harvesting the main limitation is muddiness caused by seasonal wetness in the Hale soils. Homesite development and septic tank drain fields are limited by the seasonal high water table in the Hale and Tromp soils and a poor filtering capacity in the substratum of all the major soils.
Primary use of the Pangborn-Fishtrap-Shacar map unit is hayland, pasture and cropland. Homesite development also occurs in this map unit. The main limitation for these uses includes a seasonal high water table. An additional limitation affecting development includes low soil strength.
The Whatcom-Labounty map unit is present in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin on slopes of zero to 60 percent with elevations ranging from 50 to 600 feet. Uses of this unit include hayland, pasture, woodland, cropland, and home sites. In areas of hay, pasture, and crops, the main limitations of the soils in this map unit are seasonal high water table and slow permeability in the substratum. These soil characteristics may also affect homesite development and operation of septic tank drainfields. The main limitation for the map unit's use as woodland is the muddiness caused by seasonal wetness.
Both the Birchbay-Whitehorn and Skipopa-Bellingham soil map units are found to a limited extent in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin. Slopes in the area of the map unit range from zero to eight percent with elevations ranging from 20 to 350 feet. Uses of both map units include hayland, pasture, cropland, woodland, and home site development. In areas used for hay, pasture and crops, the main limitation is seasonal high water tables and ponding resulting from slow permeability. For woodlands, the main limitation to harvesting is muddiness caused by seasonal wetness. The main limitations affecting homesite development including septic tank drainfields are the seasonal high water table and the slow permeability characteristic of soils in both the Birchbay-Whitehorn and Skipopa-Bellingham map units.
The Squalicum-Chuckanut-Nati soil map unit is found in the eastern portion of the Lower Nooksack Subbasin on slopes of three to 60 percent at elevations ranging from 100 to 1,600. This map unit is used mainly as woodland but also as hayland, pasture and home sites. In areas used for hay and pasture, erosion is a hazard. The main limitation affecting timber harvesting is the slope and muddiness caused by seasonal wetness. For home site development and septic tank drainfields, the main limitations of this map unit are the slope, the moderate depth to bedrock or dense glacial till, and the seasonal high water table in the Squalicum soils.
Also found to a limited extent in the eastern portion of the Lower Nooksack Subbasin is the Oakes-Revel soil map unit. This map unit is found on slopes of five to 80 percent at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. The primary use of this unit is woodland with the main limitations affecting harvesting being slope and occasional snowpack.
Figure 12 outlines geologically hazardous areas and Figure 13 outlines soil map units in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin.
I.5.3 Hydrologic Information:
There are four weather stations in Whatcom County that have collected precipitation and temperature data over an extended time period: Bellingham, Blaine, Clearbrook, and Glacier.
There is a significant difference in precipitation levels between the Bellingham, Clearbrook and Glacier stations. Physical characteristics of the area, specifically topography, can influence wind patterns and precipitation. For example, lowland areas near the salt water experience an average of about 30 inches per year of rainfall, which increases to near 50 inches at the base of the Cascade foothills (Washington State, 1960).
Bellingham and Glacier are the weather stations that will be used as indicators of annual precipitation levels in the Nooksack Basin. For the Lower Nooksack Subbasin, the Bellingham Airport Station will be used and for the North, Middle, and South Fork Subbasins the Glacier Station will be used. Table 7 represents data from the Bellingham weather station.
TABLE 7. PRECIPITATION 1949-1996
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
with 0.10 inch or more |
|
| Less Than -- | More Than -- | |||
| January | 4.62 | 2.34 | 6.65 | 11 |
| February | 3.53 | 2.29 | 4.87 | 9 |
| March | 2.97 | 1.98 | 3.97 | 9 |
| April | 2.68 | 1.76 | 3.48 | 8 |
| May | 2.12 | 1.25 | 2.89 | 6 |
| June | 1.75 | 0.95 | 2.51 | 5 |
| July | 1.24 | 0.57 | 2.06 | 3 |
| August | 1.37 | 0.49 | 2.32 | 4 |
| September | 1.85 | 1.17 | 3.09 | 5 |
| October | 3.49 | 2.18 | 4.74 | 9 |
| November | 5.07 | 2.90 | 6.22 | 12 |
| December | 4.85 | 3.59 | 6.24 | 12 |
| Annual Average | 35.55 | 27.23 | 42.05 | 94 |
The estimated mean annual runoff from
the Lower Nooksack subbasin is approximately 283,000 acre-feet
(Washington State, 1960). Table 8 is a list of primary drainage
areas in the subbasin and the estimated mean annual runoff from
those areas.
Information from the 1960 report titled, Water Resources of the
Nooksack Basin, was used to establish size of drainage areas within
the subbasin. Runoff volume calculations were determined using
formulas and isopluvial map included in the 1992 Puget Sound Stormwater
Manual. The table below was calculated to help characterize the
subbasin. It is, therefore, not appropriate to use these calculations
for retention design or any other project addressing water runoff.
TABLE 8. LOWER NOOKSACK SUBBASIN - ESTIMATED RUNOFF FROM SELECTED TRIBUTARIES
| Name of Stream | Surface Drainage Areaa | Estimated Mean Annual Runoff From Drainage Areab | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Ten Mile Creek | 34.0 | 33.0 | 56,178 |
|
Cougar Creek (Wiser Lake Ck) |
7.0 | 33.0 | 12,312 |
| Bertrand Creek | 43.5 | 32.0 | 74,194 |
| Fish Trap Creek | 30.6 | 34.0 | 55,453 |
| Scott Ditch | 9.8 | 33.0 | 17,237 |
| Stickney Slough | 7.9 | 37.0 | 15,580 |
| Anderson Creek | 14.3 | 45.0 | 34,299 |
| Smith Creek | 10.6 | 45.0 | 25,424 |
I.5.4 Monitoring Efforts:
As previously mentioned, agencies and entities typically involved in water quality monitoring programs were contacted for purposes of obtaining information on recent and ongoing studies in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin. In addition, a draft database prepared by the Department of Ecology, Nooksack Field Office in 1998 of volunteer monitors was used to identify groups involved with data collection. Despite efforts to be all-inclusive, recent or ongoing studies may exist that are not identified in this discussion. Monitoring programs are frequently undertaken by agencies or entities for specific purposes and, therefore, are completed with very little interaction with others. Exclusion of these studies is not intentional. Implementing Recommendation #13, which establishes a central repository for local water quality reports and develops a coordinated basin-wide monitoring program, will help reduce the possibility of studies being excluded from future planning efforts.
Following is a description of recent monitoring efforts in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin. Further discussion about the programs and their utility in assessing water quality in the subbasin is covered in Section III: Surface Water Monitoring Programs.
Students from Meridian, Ferndale, Lynden, Lynden Christian and Mt. Baker High Schools are involved in collection efforts in waterbodies in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin. In addition, students from Ten-Mile Elementary School measure temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen in Ten-Mile Creek. The high school and elementary school collection efforts are part of science curriculum and are ongoing classroom programs.
The Cities of Ferndale and Lynden
both take samples of source water (Nooksack River) in compliance
with drinking water regulations for public water systems.
The PUD measures source water for temperature, pH, and turbidity.
The purpose of the PUD's monitoring effort is primarily to maintain
the operational integrity of its system.
NSEA (Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association) is a nonprofit volunteer organization that focuses on stream restoration projects. Monitoring conducted by NSEA is for purposes of monitoring the results of their restoration projects. Information on the status of the programs was not available.
There are two programs associated with Washington State Department of Ecology's collection efforts in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin: the ambient monitoring program and a TMDL assessment. With regard to the ambient program, there are currently two monitoring stations located on the mainstem of the Nooksack River: one near Ferndale and the other near Deming. The state's ambient monitoring program has been in place for approximately 20 years. Although there was not a written statement of the state's objective, typically the objective of ambient monitoring programs is to provide information over a long period of time for purposes of assessing trends in water bodies. The TMDL assessment undertaken by the Department of Ecology involved collection of samples on waterbodies in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin for approximately a one-year period. The site locations for the TMDL assessment were scattered throughout the subbasin and the frequency of sample collections and parameters measured varied somewhat between sites. Based on design of the assessment, it appears that the primary objective is related to enforcement actions rather than long-term assessment of source water quality.
In addition to the ambient monitoring program and the Nooksack TMDL assessment, the Department of Ecology has been involved with collection efforts focusing on various tributaries in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin; one of which included a TMDL assessment for Fish Trap Creek.
The Nooksack Tribe has been collecting information on tributaries in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin since 1995 for temperature, DO, pH, and conductivity. The objective of the Tribe's water quality monitoring program is to establish a database of water quality in the Nooksack River watershed. There are six established sampling sites on the mainstem. The frequency of sampling has not been consistent, as it is dependent on available resources. (CdeBaca, 1999)
Western Washington University's, Institute for Watershed Studies also participated in collection efforts in the Lower Nooksack Subbasin; primarily Ten-Mile, Kamm, and Fish Trap Creeks. These studies involve the Whatcom Conservation District and pertain to monitoring of agricultural practices in those drainages.
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[1]See Recommendation #13 in Section V.