env_SubWatersheds

                            env_SubWatersheds is a polygon featureclass that contains the watersheds and sub-watersheds for the City of Bellingham area. Sub-watersheds within portions of Squalicum, Whatcom, Padden, and Chuckanut creeks are based on the 1995 "City of Bellingham Watershed Master Plan" completed by HDR Engineering Inc, and David Evans & Associates Inc. Sub-watershed delineations for this study were verified using USGS quadrangle maps; and contours (5-foot interval), and existing stormwater drainage facilities found in the Bellingham Drainage Atlas. Watershed and sub-watershed boundaries beyond the geographic scope of the 1995 study were delineated using contours from USGS digital elevation models, 5-foot contours from City of Bellingham 2002 photogrammetric data, and City of Bellingham and Whatcom County stormwater infrastructure data. The Lake Whatcom Watershed and sub-watersheds were delineated originally using 2006 USGS Lidar elevation data and more recently 2013 City of Bellingham Lidar data in conjunction with ESRI ArcGIS watershed modeling geoprocessing tools, and some manual interpretation and editing.  In general (for Lake Whatcom), there is a hierarchical order to the delineations with the overall Basin 1, 2, & 3 areas being delineated, and then within those the named stream systems being aggregated into sub-watersheds.  Names for sub-watersheds came from the Department of Ecology. Where the 2013 lidar-based delineations abut the earlier 1995, or 2002 basin boundaries, the boundaries have been adjusted in favor of the more recent and accurate 2013 data.  As with previous delineations based on topographic data, where stormwater infrastructure data exists (ditches, mains, culverts, etc.) that shows surface water drainage being captured and directed beyond, or across existing topographic divides, the boundaries have been adjusted to respect the current stormwater layer (areas primarily inside the City and around the Silver Beach area).
                          

                            The purpose of the sub-watershed data is to show drainage patterns in the vicinity of the City of Bellingham.
                          

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