Whatcom County Council votes on proposed Nooksack tubing ban

Fans of the popular summer pastime of inner-tubing in Whatcom County got a reprieve Tuesday night, Aug. 9, as the County Council sank a measure that would have banned the practice on the south fork of the Nooksack River.

A proposal for a temporary ban on inner-tubing and other flotation devices on the south fork of the Nooksack River failed 4-3, with councilmembers Ben Elenbaas, Tyler Bird, Carol Frazey and Kathy Kershner dissenting and councilmembers Barry Buchanan, Todd Donovan and Kaylee Galloway in favor of the measure.

A companion measure to amend the county code regarding tubing and other flotation devices with withdrawn on a 7-0 vote.

Both measures were cited as an effort to revive ailing chinook salmon runs on the south fork.

Spring chinook are listed as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act, and both Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Indian Tribe have expressed concern about the health of salmon in the river.

In summer 2021, more than 2,500 migrating adult chinook died on the south fork before they could spawn because of a disease outbreak made worse by high temperatures, low river flows and a lack of adequate habitat.

More than $10 million has been invested in salmon recovery and habitat restoration efforts, but native salmon spawning remains critically low, according to the text of the ordinance.