• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

New Study Finds Pollution in Washington's Lake Whatcom

Posted on: Friday, 23 September 2005, 00:00 CDT

Sep. 22--A study released Wednesday reported new evidence that pollution is affecting Lake Whatcom.

The state Department of Ecology already has declared the lake polluted based on Western Washington University findings of declining oxygen levels in the water. The new study, by researchers at Portland State University, is part of the state's work on a cleanup plan.

The study found oxygen levels are declining, algae levels are increasing and pollution would worsen with more development near the lake. It found that keeping more pollutants out of the lake, the source of drinking water for more than 86,000 people in and around Bellingham, would slow and ultimately reverse the decline.

"The sooner you start, the more benefit you're going to get and the longer you wait probably the longer it's going to take to get back to acceptable conditions," said Paul Pickett, an environmental engineer with the Department of Ecology.

Water running into the lake can carry phosphorus from sources such as lawn chemicals, failing septic systems, pet waste and exposed soil. The phosphorus fuels algae growth, which affects water purity and clarity and decreases oxygen available to support fish and other aquatic life.

The Portland State University researchers devised a computer model to show what had been natural conditions in the lake and how development and other changes in pollution levels affected those conditions.

Preliminary calculations show the phosphorus level would have to drop by about 17 percent from current levels to be near natural conditions. If the watershed were fully developed, the phosphorous level would have to go down 27 percent.

But the latter calculation does not account for new restrictions designed to cut the impact of construction.

Officials will have firmer numbers in a technical report they expect to release early next year. After that, they will write a plan saying which creeks need phosphorus levels cut and list options for doing that.

-----

To see more of The Bellingham Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bellinghamherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Bellingham Herald, Wash.

More News in this Category