WRIA 1 - Who's Involved

Who’s involved

The WRIA 1 planning process is somewhat complex, and is a little easier to understand if you look at the Structure and Function Document and a companion diagram.

The Planning Unit's role is to recommend actions for a Watershed Plan and to contribute knowledge, interests, technical expertise, and other resources to its development. The Planning Unit is made up of representatives from the Initiating Governments, other governments, and various caucuses .

The primary role of the Initiating Governments is to review the recommended Watershed Plan, recommend it for approval by the governments’ councils, and handle administrative items such as contracts and budgets. In WRIA 1, the Initiating Governments are Whatcom County, City of Bellingham, Public Utility District No. 1, Lummi Nation, and Nooksack Tribe. The Initiating Governments have created a Joint Board to handle the project's administrative functions. After the Initiating Governments and the Planning Unit make recommendations about the final watershed plan, the elected councils of the Initiating Governments will make the final decision about whether to approve the plan.

Technical teams will coordinate specific areas of work, such as water quantity and water quality. The teams will be generally made up of representatives from the Initiating Governments and the Planning Unit or their designees, other technical experts, and others identified by the Planning Unit. The actual studies will be performed by a team headed by faculty from Utah State University's Utah Water Research Laboratory.

Once the final plan is approved, private water resource interests as well as tribal, federal, state and local governments will be responsible for implementing the plan.

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