Urbanization/Land Development
As of March 2005, there were approximately 6,500 housing units located within the Lake Whatcom watershed, with the potential for about 2,000 more.
As areas are developed, land cover is often converted from a more pervious surface (e.g. forests, pastures, etc.) to impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces include driveways, roads, rooftops and other surfaces that do not allow water to soak into the ground (infiltration). Increases in impervious surfaces result in greater volumes and velocities of water running down roads and into storm drains, ditches and ultimately streams and the lake. Often with this stormwater runoff, pollutants associated with residential land uses are carried to the streams and lake.
The buttons to the right provide links to recent urbanization and development information and activities.
