In June 1952, the inner 1,300 feet of Whatcom Creek waterway had a controlling depth of 13.7 feet except at the head of the waterway, and a depth of 26.0 feet over a width of 70 feet in the next 800 feet; the outer 3,000 feet were 26 feet deep over a 140-foot width. In June 1952, the Squalicum Creek waterway entrance channel was 23.1 feet deep over a width of 200 feet, and the basin was 23.4 feet deep over a width of 200 feet except near the edges and at the head of the waterway. All depths refer to the plane of mean lower low water.

HARBOR AND CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS BY LOCAL INTERESTS

Local cooperation has been fully complied with. In addition, the port of Bellingham, since November 1945, has improved the small-boat basin behind the Squalicum Creek breakwater constructed in 1934, by constructing breakwaters, bulkheads, and floats, and by dredging in the basin at a cost of $273,860.

CURRENTS

In Bellingham Bay and Harbor tidal currents have little velocity and are not sufficient to interfere with navigation. Their general direction is north and south. The mean range of tides in Bellingham Harbor is 5.2 feet and the range between mean lower low water and meal higher high water is 8.6 feet. The extreme range of tide within the harbor is 16.5 feet.

In Rosario Strait tidal currents attain velocities of from 3 to 7 knots, Between Cypress, Guemes, and Sinclair Islands the velocity of the current is nearly as great as in Rosario Strait, but between Sinclair and Vendovi Islands it is much less.

ANCHORAGES

Anchorages at the Port of Bellingham or nearby are as described below.

Bellingham Bay general anchorage. The waters of Bellingham Bay within a circular area with a radius of 2,000 yards, having its center

294589 O-54-9

at latitude 48° 44' 15", longitude 122° 32′ 25′′.

Bellingham Bay explosives anchorage. The waters of Bellingham Bay within a circular area with a radius of 1,000 yards, having its center at latitude 48° 42' 48", longitude 122° 33' 37".

BRIDGES

No bridges cross the navigable channels at the port of Bellingham.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Bellingham is located in the northwestern part of Washington; weather conditions for this portion of the state are given under the section on Everett Harbor in this report.

The following information, compiled from records of the United States Weather Bureau Station in Bellingham, was furnished by the Department of Commerce for use in this report. The figures show the monthly and annual averages for 1952.

FIRE PROTECTION

Waterfront facilities at the Port of Bellingham are protected by land-based apparatus of the city and by equipment of the neighboring communities of Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack, and Sumas. In addition, the Washington Division of Forestry for Whatcom County in Deming and the U. S. Naval Reserve at the Bellingham Armory will also send available equipment should the need arise. Most of the piers, wharves, and docks are accessible to motor vehicles.

There is no city-owned fireboat at the Port of Bellingham, but the U. S. Coast Guard has based at its local dock a patrol vessel which could be utilized in waterfront emergencies. The vessel is 83 feet in length with a 16-foot breadth and a 6-foot draft. Its equipment includes a portable 60-g.p.m. water pump, a 40-g.p.m. pump with all-purpose nozzles, and three searchlights. Other floating equipment that could be used for fighting waterfront fires are the seven tugs of the Bellingham Tug and Barge Co., each being equipped with water pumps with either 3- or 4-inch discharge lines, and a scow of the Puget Sound Pulp & Timber Co. having on board a pump and nozzles.

Together they sup

Eight reservoirs in and around the city, with elevations ranging from 338 to 634 feet, have a total storage capacity of 2,550,000 gallons. ply the city mains with normal pressures averaging 97.4 p.s.i.

However, in prox

imity to the piers on Everett's south side waterfront, pressures in fire hydrants average 180 p.s.i. and those on the north side average 120 p.s.i. Water mains at the Pacific American Fisheries pier in South Bellingham have a static pressure of 183 pounds and a flowing pressure of 97 pounds.

The Bellingham City Fire Department consists of three engine companies, one squad company, and one truck company. These five companies operate two 1,000-g.p.m. and one 750-g.p.m. pumper, one 65-foot aerial ladder truck, and one squad truck.

One 1,000-g.p.m. pumper is held in reserve. In addition to the municipal equipment, the U. S. Naval Reserve maintains two 500-g.p.m. pumpers, one 7-kw electric generator trailer with two 1,000-watt lamps, and smaller portable equipment.

In response to a first alarm from the waterfront, the municipal fire department would dispatch one 1,000-g.p.m. pumper, one 750-g.p.m. pumper, the aerial ladder truck, the squad truck, and the fire chief and his assistant. A second or general alarm would bring out, in addition to the first alarm response, two 1,000-g.p.m. pumpers with two assistant chiefs and all off-duty personnel.

PORT

ADMINISTRATION AND FEDERAL

PORT ADMINISTRATION

SERVICES

The Federal Government, the State of Washington, the city of Bellingham, and the Port of Bellingham Commission exercise jurisdiction over the various phases of port administration at Bellingham. The Everett section of this report, page 11, contains a general statement of the port administrative functions of the Federal Government and the State of Washington.

The Port of Bellingham Commission.- The Port of Bellingham Commission is the principal administrative authority in the port. It is a municipal corporation of the State of Washington organized in accordance with the Port District Act of 1911 and subsequent related legislation and has wide powers in the field of port operation and development. In its powers and functions it is similar to the Everett Port Commission (see Page 12) which was established under and operates within the same legal framework.

City of Bellingham.- The municipality exercises the usual control over the harbor and waterfront in the interest of public order and safety. The city harbormaster, an appointee of the mayor, is responsible for the supervision of the city dock and mooring facilities; for the periodic inspection of all waterside lifesaving units on docks, warehouses, and wharves; and for the proper operation of a harbor patrol unit which keeps the harbor clear of floating objects dangerous to navigation, and acts to prevent garbage and refuse dumping, oil pollution, and obstruction of waterways.

Bellingham City Ordinance No. 2219 of 1914, as amended by Ordinances No. 2975 and No. 4293, is the basic ordinance providing for control of the harbor. Extracts follow: