Bellingham’s diversion dam blasted starting on Monday to help threatened salmon, orcas
With a loud “boom,” the work continued to allow the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River to flow freely for the first time in more than 50 years.
The blast on Monday, July 13, demolished part of the city of Bellingham’s diversion dam so that it could be removed. A second explosion is set for Saturday, July 18, to remove the rest.
Located 7 miles southeast of Deming, the dam has been intermittently diverting water from the Middle Fork since 1962 to supplement Bellingham’s main source of water, which is Lake Whatcom — the drinking water for nearly 100,000 residents of Bellingham and Whatcom County.
The small dam’s removal has been called one of the most important salmon restoration projects in Puget Sound.
When completed in September, the project will restore access to 16 miles of spawning and rearing habitat in the upper Middle Fork for threatened spring Chinook salmon, steelhead and bull trout, according to a project overview.
Chinook salmon is a key food for endangered southern resident killer whales, and this project is expected to help that struggling population of orcas — which are primarily in the Salish Sea during summer and fall — as well.
Other elements of the project include redesigning the way in which the city pulls water from the river by moving the intake system about 700 feet upstream, building a fish screen to protect fish by keeping them out of the intake, and replanting the area.
The total cost for the project is expected to be $20.7 million, with the current construction work at $15.3 million.
The dam is about 20 miles east of Bellingham. It is about 25 feet tall and 150 feet wide.
