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- WRIA Adjudication Information
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Today is
[Portal ID #1962]
Department of Ecology
Committees, Boards, and Workgroups
WRIA Adjudication Information
Adjudication is a legal process. It is the foundation for resolving conflicts and competition over water resources. The process begins by serving a summons to all property owners (claimants) in WRIA 1 who are outside the service area of public water supply systems. The claimants will have one year or more to submit a court claim form to the Whatcom County Superior Court that describes their water usage.
In the following years, the court will review the forms and inventory all legal water rights. The adjudication process will determine whether each water right on a source is legal, how much water can be used, and its priority during water shortages. Then, over time, Ecology will issue adjudicated certificates for all these uses.
The adjudication will include all areas of WRIA 1, regardless of whether they are directly connected to the Nooksack River system. Use our Watershed look-up tool to learn if your address is within WRIA 1.
Table of Contents
- WRIA 1 adjudication filing documents - March 2025
- WRIA 1 Whatcom County Superior Court Documents – May 2024
- Let’s Talk About Adjudication e-newsletter index
WRIA 1 Adjudication Filing Documents - March 2025
- Name List (based on property ownership as of 1/15/2025)
- Cover Sheet
- Summons
- Instructions
- Court Information Sheet
- Downloadable/Fillable form
WRIA 1 Whatcom County Superior Court Documents - May 2024
At the direction of the Washington State Legislature, Ecology filed a water rights adjudication for the Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA). This filing involves Ecology submitting legal documents with the Whatcom County Superior Court.
Documents
Please note these documents are historical and may not reflect the most current information. For the latest updates please refer to the 2025 documents above.
Newsletters
Monthly newsletters are sent to provide the most up-to-date information on this adjudication of water rights in WRIA 1 (Nooksack Area) in parts of Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Below, you can find all of the past newsletters and the subjects they covered:
*Please be advised that some information on the newsletters is now out-of-date. We recommend that you refer to the highlighted topics or more recent newsletters for the most up-to-date information.
2025
|
Topic |
Date |
|
Court claim form scenarios, how adjudication summons are served. |
May 2025 |
|
Why we need adjudication in WRIA 1. |
April 2025 |
|
We sent a mailer. Your adjudication court claim form is on the way. |
March 2025 |
|
Everything you need to know about filing your claim form. |
Special Edition |
|
Collaborating with Whatcom Co Library System, Instantaneous & Annual Quantity. |
|
|
Court claim form and scenarios for filing. |
2024
|
Topic |
Date |
|
Information about the approved court claim form. |
|
|
New video about the WRIA 1 adjudication process; Court claim form mailing details. |
|
|
Court claim form update, accessing more information. |
|
|
Water use calculator, how defendants were identified. |
|
|
Claimants defined, when can I file my court claim form. |
|
|
First Superior Court hearing, well report information. |
|
|
Adjudication fees, what if I don’t file a court claim form? |
|
|
Water rights documents, the WRIA 1 boundary. |
|
|
Filing of the adjudication, adjudications in other states. |
|
|
Why are we adjudicating? Homes on wells. |
|
|
Receiving a summons, ways to file a court claim form. |
|
|
Permit-exempt wells, who needs to file a court claim form? |
2023
|
Future water needs, water rights definitions. |
|
|
What is a water right, and how do I know if I have one? |
|
|
Welcome to the newsletter, let’s talk about adjudication. |
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