Water users in the Nooksack watershed and adjacent areas, also known as Water Resources Inventory Area 1 (WRIA 1), should begin receiving their adjudication claim forms via certified mail this week. The mailing list includes about 30,000 landowners.
These forms are the first step in a legal process called adjudication. This process will determine who has a right to use water in the Nooksack Basin and how much water they are entitled to. Resolving these questions will provide the basis for long-term water supply planning in a region where there is a growing demand for a limited amount of water.
Form delivery
Neighbors may receive their forms at different times. The forms cannot be left in a mailbox and must be signed for by an adult. If you have questions or are unsure if this summons applies to you, please call or email us for additional information.
USPS will make one attempt to deliver to each addressee. If they’re unable to complete delivery, recipients will have 15 days to pick up the packet at their local post office.
Whatcom County Superior Court ordered Ecology to send the claim form and set a deadline of May 1, 2026. The claim forms are legal documents that are signed under oath.
Protect your access to water
“It’s very important for water users in WRIA 1 to fill out the forms as completely and as accurately as possible,” said Ecology’s adjudication manager Robin McPherson. “Filing a claim is the only way to protect your legal right to use water. If you use water from a well, stream, or lake, you must file a claim.”
She added that filing soon is a good idea even though the deadline is still more than a year away. This allows water users to take time to find resources and have questions answered.
The Nooksack adjudication includes all areas of WRIA 1, regardless of whether they are directly connected to the Nooksack River system. The adjudication process requires water users to self-report their water use. The court will make a decision that lists water uses by priority date including where and how much water is legal on each parcel of land.
Over time, the adjudication will make it easier for water users to identify legal water rights to buy, sell, or lease through water banks. Once there is a court decree determining all the legal rights to use water, negotiating changes or mitigation will be easier.
Adjudication will create the first definitive inventory of WRIA 1 water rights for the future.
Help is available
Ecology is providing a variety of resources to help people understand and participate in the adjudication process. We awarded a grant to Whatcom County Public Works to support local water users in navigating the filing process. They have a water use calculator and additional resources for water users.
We’re hosting a webinar April 16 at 5:30 p.m. to show attendees how to fill out the claim form. The event is free and registration is required to attend.
There are additional in-person workshops scheduled for May 28 at Pioneer Pavilion in Ferndale and May 29 at Meridian Middle School in Lynden from 5:30 -- 7 p.m. Registration will be available soon.
Contact us
For assistance with claim forms, call 360-255-4406. Please leave us a message, and we will return your call as soon as possible.
You can also e-mail our adjudication staff at WRadjudications@ecy.wa.gov.