03/21/2025
Water rights Whatcom County
๐จ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐! ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ!! ๐จ
๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ท๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐! The first wave of Adjudication Claim Forms and Summonses has begun mailing to ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฌ,๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ as part of the WRIA 1 (Nooksack) water rights adjudication. ๐๐ผ๐ป'๐ ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐โ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐'๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐!
๐ญ. ๐ช๐ต๐ผ'๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ธ?
o Anyone using water from wellsโpermit-exempt or not, shared wells, small water associations, water districts. If you have a well, you're likely on the list!
o Those on municipal water systems may be exempt, but it's crucial to confirm your status.
(click here for a webpage that's easier to read: https://www.andidyer.com/my-post)
๐ฎ. ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
o A hefty packet in a 9"X12" envelope, stuffed with over 30 pages including your Summons and Claim Form, plus critical filing instructions.
๐ฏ. ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐
o ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๏ธ Miss this and you could miss your chance to defend your rights.
o No signature? The packet goes back to the post office, then potentially to the Department of Ecology if unclaimed, putting your rights at further risk.
o Post Office Holding: The postal service will hold the packet for approximately three weeks. After this period, unclaimed packets will be returned to the Washington Department of Ecology's Bellingham Field Office.
o Packet Retrieval: If unclaimed from the post office, you must then retrieve your packet from the Ecology Field Office at 913 Squalicum Way, #101, Bellingham, WA 98225.
o Final Notice: Ecology will eventually publish a list of defendants who have not claimed their packets in a local "paper of record." This is the last effort to notify included parties. After this publication, it becomes the client's sole responsibility to claim their packet and file on time, or risk losing their water rights.
๐ฐ. ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด
o ABSOLUTE DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2026. File your claim form electronically with the Superior Court by then or risk losing your water rights.
o This isn't just paperworkโit's about securing evidence of your water usage, a process you have three years to complete but should start NOW.
๐ฑ. ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ: ๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
o ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ป: Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Noon
o ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ: Whatcom Home & Lifestyle Show, Lynden Fairgrounds
o Bob Carmichael, Carmichael Clark, P.S., and Perry Eskridge, from the Whatcom County Association of REALTORSยฎ will break down the legalities, filing processes, and evidence gathering. This is free and vitalโdo not miss it!
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐:
โข Adjudication details: https://rem.ax/4hrddN7
โข Ecology's WRIA 1 Adjudication Page: https://rem.ax/4iIcacM
โข Homeowner guide: https://rem.ax/4bIpmvU
โข Web map tool for property documents: https://rem.ax/4iItCO9
โข More resources: https://rem.ax/4iItCO9
๐๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ!
List of consultants ready to assist with water usage documentation:
โข Aspect Consulting, LLC - Bellingham, WA - 360-746-8964
โข Landau Associates, Inc. - Seattle, WA - 206.631.8680
โข GeoEngineers, Inc. - Bellingham, WA - 360-647-1510
โข Mott McDonald, LLC - Seattle, WA - 206-838-2886
โข GSI Water Solutions, Inc. - Portland, OR - 503-239-8799
โข RH2 Engineering - Bellingham, WA - 360-676-0836
โข Robinson-Noble, Inc. - Woodinville, WA - 425-488-0599
โข Water & Natural Resource Group, Inc. - Spokane, WA - 509-468-9395
This is a defining moment for every water-using property owner in Whatcom County. Donโt stand by as your rights evaporate. Act now to protect your property and secure your future!
๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐พ๐โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐ฐโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐!
Andi Dyer
Andi Dyer Real Estate
(360) 734-6479
andidyer.com
/MAXWhatcomCounty
