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Bertrand Creek Levee Setback

Bertrand Creek is one of the major tributaries in the lower Nooksack River watershed, with the lower creek flowing through primarily agricultural and rural residential lands. Until this summer, the creek was tightly constrained by levees, particularly near its confluence with the Nooksack.

During the winter, the lower Bertrand Creek levees inhibit the downstream movement of floodwaters in the right bank floodplain. The levees were prone to damage, requiring nearly annual repair and maintenance work. When they failed, it was often a significant breach, with the floodwaters strewing debris across adjacent fields.

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Bertrand Creek
Originating in British Columbia and crossing into the U.S. near the city of Lynden, Bertrand Creek is one of the Nooksack River's largest lowland tributaries. The U.S. portion of the creek is 9.8 miles long, and drains 42.5 square miles, about half of which is in each country.

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Q. If they’re endangered, why can I still buy salmon in the grocery store?

A. Much of the salmon you see at the supermarket is Atlantic salmon raised on farms in the U.S., Canada, and Chile. Most wild salmon for sale comes from Alaska, where runs are relatively healthy and habitat is functioning properly.

If Puget Sound runs of chinook and other salmon go extinct, it’s true that there would still be salmon in other parts of the world. (However, this could change if currently healthy habitats and salmon populations are damaged in the future. Their recovery is important because it indicates how well our community is safeguarding our waters and our natural environment. Because salmon use the entire ecosystem—from headwaters to open ocean and everything in between—their health, or lack thereof, is a sign of the health of the general environment.