Birch Bay Watershed & Aquatic Resources Management District
January 2022 Monthly Newsletter with Birch Bay Watershed Updates
Photo by Holly Faulstich
Place Your Order for the Native Plant Sale!
Are you making a resolution for 2022? We can all do something to help our local wildlife populations, especially our pollinators. Native plants attract a variety of beneficial species by providing diverse habitats and food sources. Setting aside even a small section of your yard to be used as habitat can make a big difference for the birds and bees!
Free neighborhood native landscaping program provided by BBWARM coming in 2022! Stay tuned!
Whatcom Flooding Declared a Major Disaster
President Biden declared a major disaster in Washington State on Jan. 5, 2022, and ordered federal assistance to help the communities recovering from the historic floods in November 2021. The President’s declaration will make federal funding available to Whatcom County, the Lummi Nation, and Nooksack Indian Tribe after the devastating floods and landslides. Individual Assistance and Hazard Mitigation funding will supplement local recovery efforts from the worst natural disaster since Whatcom County was established in 1864.
Residents and business owners can apply for assistance by registering online HERE or by calling 1-800-621- FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY). Local information is available by calling the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management at 1-360-676-6681.
As we’ve learned from the recent flood events in Whatcom County, flooded roads and homes can be dangerous and costly. When flooding happens, local governments need to know about it. But we can’t be everywhere at once.
Rebates Available for Barn Gutters and Outlet System
Barnyard mud got you down? Gutters and downspouts on barns and shelters collect and divert clean rain water away from animal confinement areas. The purpose is to prevent the clean roof water from mixing with manure in the confinement area and contributing to mud build up and polluted runoff.
The next meeting of the BBWARM Advisory Committee will be January 19th from 6-8pm on Zoom. Special topics include recent storm damage updates, BBWARM 2022 budget and work plan, and a presentation about our 2021 Landowner Stewardship Program accomplishments. The general public is invited to join us, and a public comment period will be held at the beginning of the meeting. Residents impacted by flooding can join the meeting to report flood damage and discuss project possibilities with the advisory committee members and county staff.
We have a new part-time BBWARM temporary staff member! Her name is Rachel Yonemura and she will be helping out with our volunteer program and other outreach tasks. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Washington and is now an Environmental Science graduate student at Western Washington University.
Other BBWARM News and Resources:
Visit the BBWARM website to learn more about our services.
What is BBWARM?
The Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District is the stormwater management district for the Birch Bay watershed managed by the Whatcom County Public Works Stormwater Division and a citizen advisory committee. BBWARM was established by the Whatcom County Council to address citizen concerns about water quality, flooding, and the loss of aquatic habitat. Visit our website to learn about BBWARM programs, history, and funding.
