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I just got finished watching  The Bellingham City and the Storm Water Committee discussion.

             Because they don't have the funds or time needed to put in an inspection system for the 2012 boating season, they are recommending closing the Bloedel boat launch for this year (2012) This could impact Tournament on the lake if this is acted on.

           

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Man that would be a major bummer.  I get off work and hook up the boat for a few hours of fishing a few nights a week, if the wife lets me out of the house. 

Isn't there another launch at the south end of the lake? Did they mention Sudden Valley launch? Private launches? Those who live on the lake? 

Did they recommend closing the lake to all motorized vehicles?  What about the kayaks that move from different bodies of water, did they mention that? 

Did they entertain the idea of a launch fee that could put a dent in the cost of an inspection station? Or a yearly parking permit.  I would happily pay $100 for the right to fish/use the lake for the time it is open.  (500 passes at $100 would get them $50k.  And then day use passes at ?)

Sorry for the barrage of questions but I really enjoy the lake and the quick access from my home and would have my undies in a bunch if they closed the launch.  Lake Samish would be a cluster ****  if they closed the Bloedel launch.

If they close the boat launch How will that empact the folks that live on the lake    ? ?

 

As for an immediate alternative , The boat launch over by Golf Course will fit the bill of our tournament needs :)

 

 

how are they going to stop you from launching? have a guy stand out there and say no you cant launch? or pay people to put gates up? either way its going to cost them money.

Dez, that is the "Sudden Valley launch", its private but I'm sure a few green ones might sway them a little, can't hurt to ask someone in charge.

the city of bellingham is unbelievable

I have heard they want to put a gate up.  Ridiculous!!  I am pretty sure they are just using the zebra mussels as an excuse to get boats off the lake.  That is what they want and have wanted for a while.  Phosphorous is the biggest threat to it as a drinking water source, not zebra mussels.  I bet most of the Phosphorous that enters the lake comes from people's lawns and other sources anyways. Sure, we don't want zebra mussels around but but blocking off a navigable waterway and saying its because they can't yet properly inspect boats for zebra mussels doesn't make sense!  If their argument isn't to protect the city's drinking water and really is just about the zebra mussels, then why wouldn't we just close boating on all lakes where zebra mussel inspections can't yet take place?  This doesn't make sense and I sure hope it doesn't happen!! There is still the WDFW launch on the South end outside of the city limits but you couldn't hold a Whatcom Open out of it.  I really don't think this could be in the City of Bellingham's best interest.  Think of the economic drawbacks to doing this!  

On another note, I feel confident in saying that Washington state fisherman aren't the ones posing a threat of introducing zebra mussels to the lake.  

Keep voting liberal politicians into office and you can bet you will get more of this.

 

It seems to me the problem with Zebra mussles is from boat from out of State or boats that have fished out of State in possibly contaminated lakes.

Assuming there are no infestation of any Washington lakes, in my way of thinking the licensing dept. should do a check of any out of state boats that apply for Washington state license before being allowed to enter any lake.

When the Donovan and Bloedel families gifted the current boat launch property to the City of Bellingham, one of the conditions was that all citizens have free access to the lake.  Therefore, the City of Bellingham is unable to charge a fee to use the Bloedel Donovan Park boat launch and facilities.  The City of Bellingham would have been charging fees long ago if not for the wording in the gifting documents.

I think there is a better chance of an invasive species coming out of the dreadlocks on some of those people up there than a zebra mussel coming from a boat.

An excerpt from the early March article regarding mussel inspection:

According to Fogelsong's preliminary estimate, the cost would be about $350,000 a year. That includes pay for six part-time and two full-time employees, and upward of $100,000 for signs, gates, and a portable decontamination unit to treat vessels that may have problems.


Obviously it's much cheaper to just throw a gate up and keep boats from launching, period.  Utterly ridiculous.  I agree with David, just another excuse for them to eliminate all boating on Lake Whatcom. 


Amen! Exactly what I was thinking....
 
Jon Sessler said:

Keep voting liberal politicians into office and you can bet you will get more of this.

 

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