The Drayton Watershed Improvement District is located in the northern coastal lowland area of Whatcom County, within WRIA 1. Land use in the local area is diverse, including agricultural, rural, commercial and low-density residential areas. Blaine (pop. 5,000), the closest city, lies to the northwest. Agriculture includes a mix of dairy corn, dairy hay, potatoes and berry crops. A significant proportion of the soils in the Drayton WID have been classified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service as Prime or Prime if managed5, with the predominant classification being “Prime if Subsoiled”. The Drayton WID area encompasses 7,385 acres in total. The WID area includes portions of the Dakota, California, and Haynie Creek drainages. Flow through these creeks is generally to the northwest, entering Drayton Harbor, which contains active shellfish farming areas. The WID contains two other special purpose districts within its boundaries, whose primary purpose is to improve and maintain drainage of agricultural land within those portions of the WID. These are Drainage Improvement District No. 7 and Drainage Improvement District No. 2. Refer to the Drayton WID Mapping Report for more information
2022 Action Items
1. Continue to work on new and existing water supply options.
2. Continue to monitor water quality and identify areas with chronic water quality violations.
3. Work with farmers on legal avenues to move water around…spreading, piping, water bank, transfers
4. Public relations… partner with Family Farmers to dispute misinformation about farming
5. Habitat - encourage restoration, culvert replacement, buffers, and other practices that benefit
fish habitat.
6. Address areas in Water Law that hinder conservation
and BMPs (i.e. relinquishment, year-round closures, water use calculations)
7. Support AWB’s alternatives to adjudication efforts
Drayton WID Mapping Report