Anticipated Construction Impacts

The City plans to keep one lane of Squalicum Way open during construction. Delays should be expected but the road won’t be closed for significant periods of time.

This project is one of many voluntary fish passage projects by the City of Bellingham and honors a Memorandum of Agreement that the City voluntarily entered in 2022 with the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Lummi Nation, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) as part of a shared commitment to improving fish passage. Squalicum Creek The existing barrier on Squalicum Creek is an approximately 29-foot-long and 2-foot-tall concrete weir that is considered a partial fish passage barrier by WDFW, with 33 percent fish passability due to water surface drop. This project will remove the weir and re-grade the stream. The Squalicum Creek barrier is complicated due to the existing culvert crossing nearby that allows Squalicum Way to cross over Baker Creek. An alternatives analysis evaluating three conceptual stream channel alternatives was completed by the same design team under an earlier grant. This interdisciplinary design team evaluated the alternatives based on project goals, objectives, site assessment, hydrology, and other criteria. This project approach - removal of the weir on Squalicum Creek and replacing the Baker Creek crossing at Squalicum Way with a bridge - was the preferred alternative. To learn more about the early design and alternatives analysis, see the Preliminary Design Report (PDF) . Baker Creek Baker Creek is a tributary to Squalicum Creek and connects just upstream of the existing weir. The confluence location is immediately downstream of a double-barrel 5-foot by 5-foot box culvert that conveys Baker Creek under Squalicum Way from north to south. This box culvert is currently identified as a corrected barrier per WDFW assessment. The weir on Squalicum Creek artificially maintains a water surface elevation that is slightly higher than the Baker Creek culvert outlet. When the weir is removed, it will cause the box culvert to be a fish passage barrier. The double barrel box culvert will be removed and replaced with a bridge with this project. Pre-construction photo showing the weir in the foreground and the box culvert in the background.

This project is funded through a Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board Grant, awarded in 2023. Early design and grant match is provided by the City of Bellingham Stormwater Fund 430.

Environment Archives

Squalicum Creek at Baker Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project

A small dam on a creek with a concrete culvert in the background where the creek goes under a road.

Project Overview The Squalicum Creek at Baker Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project (EN059) is part of the City’s strategic approach to fish barrier removal. Located where Squalicum and Baker Creeks meet, this project: Correcting the City-owned fish passage barrier on Squalicum Creek is a high priority based on the City’s Fish Barrier Prioritization and will benefit ... Read more

Padden Creek at 30th Street Fish Passage Improvement Project

An old culvert consisting of two metal pipes where a creek crosses under a road.

Project Overview The Padden Creek at 30th Street Fish Passage Improvement Project is part of a well-coordinated, strategic approach to fish barrier removal. This project will remove a City-owned fish passage barrier located where 30th Street crosses Padden Creek. Removing this barrier will make the crossing 100% passable for fish. This barrier is ranked as ... Read more

Padden Creek at 12th and 14th Streets Fish Passage Improvements Project

Arch culvert over creek with erosion control mats on steep streambanks and excavator working above the culvert

This project will remove fish passage barriers in Padden Creek at two interurban trail crossings.

Little Squalicum Creek Water Quality Improvements Phase 1

Construction work next to a street with an excavator digging a trench.

Project Overview This project is part of a multi-phased approach to improve water quality in Little Squalicum Creek and the new Little Squalicum Estuary by reducing pollution in rainwater runoff – or stormwater – from the surrounding residential area (Bellingham Technical College has private stormwater facilities to treat runoff from their campus). This first phase ... Read more

Padden Creek 24th to 30th Streets Restoration Project

Newly planted trees in foreground next to a creek with trees in background

Project Overview Padden Creek 24th to 30th Streets Restoration Project is a multi-phased project to address impaired conditions in Padden Creek. The goals of this project are to: The project is divided into three phases. Phase 1 was completed in 2023 and is located in the center of the reach, roughly between Padden Creek’s confluence ... Read more

Sven Hoyt Community Garden Fence

Description The project includes the design and construction of a new fence around the garden plots. The purpose of the fence is to deter wildlife from entering the garden and to provide additional security for gardeners. The fence was requested by the gardeners and has been planned for several years, however it was delayed due ... Read more