Whatcom County will be the 2nd county in Washington state to go through the process of water adjudication, and that process begins in early 2024. Property owners on shared and private wells, as well as owners of raw land, will be getting a letter in the main asking them to provide evidence of their water rights and to share their usage. This includes everything from single-family homes & land to major commercial farms.
All areas that affect the Nooksack basin are included, which is almost all of Whatcom County and a small section of Skagit County. This will affect nearly 5,000 property owners.
For many homeowners with a private well that had permits, the process will be straightforward with little to no consequence. But for those that do irrigation work or farming, confirming and securing the water rights that they currently use, will be critical. Those who have had their water rights the longest and who are currently using the water will be first in line for rights. For many others that own acreage, if they have not yet developed the property, they may find that the water rights provided to them will limit the usage of the property.
If you are considering buying a property on a well or will need a well in Whatcom County, it is critical to do your due diligence for what kind of water rights will be available…particularly if you are looking to do any form of farming. If you own a property on a well in Whatcom County right now, it is important to research your water rights, take pictures, and document the way you use the water on your property.
Crissy Impero sat down with Paul Balzotti to discuss this topic on The Bellingham Real Estate Podcast here:
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