We’ve just released our annual report highlighting results from our sixth season of watercraft inspections to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species to Whatcom County waters.

In 2017, we conducted a total of 12,150 watercraft inspections at Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish. The inspected watercraft came from a total of 285 different water bodies in 26 different states or provinces prior to launching at Lake Whatcom or Lake Samish in 2017, including fourteen mussel infested waters. As watercraft continue to arrive from high-risk waters, the Whatcom Boat Inspection Program remains an important defense in the protection of our local waters.

The 2017 inspection results can be viewed using an interactive online Story Map that shows the last water body visited by boats entering Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish. We decontaminated five boats that had recently been in mussel-infested waters and found 150 boats with vegetation and another 175 boats with standing water on board that required some additional attention. Our inspectors used these situations as an opportunity to educate boaters about the importance of cleaning, draining, and drying their boats between every use.

More detailed results from the 2017 boating season can be found in the Whatcom Boat Inspections 2017 Annual Report and by viewing our interactive Story Map.

Parking will be limited Feb. 15 – Feb. 28

The Bloedel Donovan boat launch at Lake Whatcom will be unavailable from Feb. 15 through Feb. 28 for construction. The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department will be replacing the floating docks and piling. The existing facility is antiquated, damaged and beyond its intended design life. The new docks and piling will provide a level walking surface and greatly improve everyone’s boat launching experience for years to come. This project is partially funded by a Boating Facility Grant through the State of Washington Recreation and Conservation Office.

Pile driving is expected to occur the week of Feb. 15 through Feb. 28. There will be limited access to the lower boat trailer parking lot and launch area during this time.

Construction activity at the boat launch is expected to occur again during the first two weeks of May 2018 while the old floats are moved out and the new ones are brought in. There will be periods of time during the construction window when the boat ramp area is unavailable for launching boats.

For more information about this project and others, please visit the City’s website at www.cob.org or call 360-778-7000.

(Originally posted on the City of Bellingham website on February 6, 2018)

Media Contact:

Gina Gobo Austin, PE
Bellingham Parks and Recreation
(360) 778-7000
gaustin@cob.org