Let's Talk About Adjudication - December 2025
In this issue
Now's the time to get filing assistance - click to schedule
Whatcom County survey about filing adjudication court claim forms
Tips for filling out your court claim form
Upcoming events - workshop for shared wells and groups systems and more
A few questions answered
Resources
Now's the time - AVOID the line! Get help with your court claim form
Court claim forms are due for most people on May 1, 2026. This deadline can only be changed by the court.
We are testing out a new online appointment system. Due to popular demand, we've added several more FREE, in-person one-hour appointment slots at our Bellingham office. We encourage you to sign up while we still have availability. Just click the "schedule now" button below.
Whatcom County survey on filing adjudication court claim forms
Whatcom County is conducting a short survey (just 5–7 minutes) to better understand your experience with filing adjudication court claim forms. Your input will help us improve resources to support water users in WRIA 1. Please follow the link below to respond:
Whatcom County Filing survey
Tips for filling out your court claim form
Tip #1: When you file, do not include extra evidence or exhibits. Only include attachments if you need them to complete an answer on the form.
Some claim forms are being submitted with large packets of exhibits, such as water right documents and maps. Please note that these submissions might be rejected due to size limitations. The court will establish a separate process for filing evidence as needed to support the facts of your claim. We appreciate all the extra effort and ask for patience until that process is in place.
Tip #2: If the court claim form question says "if available,” or “if known," you are not required to provide an answer.
These fields are optional. You only need to fill them out if you have the information. If you don’t know the answer and can’t find it, you can leave it blank. However, if you do have the information, it’s helpful to include it.
Tip #3: Save yourself some time – cut and paste the County Assessor's information
When you find the County Assessor’s page about your property, you can cut and paste the abbreviated legal description and 16-digit parcel number to avoid any mistakes when retyping them.
Tip #4: Do some research to calculate Qi
For Part C8, starting on page 10, the first three boxes in each table ask about Instantaneous Quantity, which is the amount of water taken from a source at any given moment. For groundwater, this is usually measured in gallons per minute (gpm), and for surface water, in cubic feet per second (cfs). Every table, whether for irrigation, stockwater, commercial, domestic, municipal, or hydropower, asks for three values: the current instantaneous quantity used, the historical maximum ever used, and the instantaneous quantity claimed, meaning the amount you want the judge to grant you in your water right.
This section can be challenging because wells and diversions may vary in system, design, and pump type. To estimate your instantaneous quantity, you may need to do some research. You can check your well log report for pump test results, review the manufacturer’s manual for pumping curves, or consult your water right documents. For the most accurate measurement you may want to pay for a professional pump test, although this is not required.
Upcoming events
Adjudication filing assistance
Workshop for shared wells and group systems with 3 to 14 residential service connections - Jan. 28, 2026. Hosted by Ecology and Whatcom County Public Works.
If you use water from a shared well or group system with 3 to 14 residential connections in WRIA 1, adjudication affects you. A representative needs to complete and submit a court claim form by May 1, 2026.
Register for our free in-person workshop for step‑by‑step guidance to fill out your shared well or group’s court claim form.
Court hearings
You do not need to attend a hearing to submit a court claim form.
Whatcom County Superior Court
Dec. 15, 2025, at 9 a.m.
311 Grand Ave, Bellingham, WA
Live stream
A few questions answered
Question: I’m part of a Group B water system with a total of four residences. The Department of Health lists an authorized representative of our well who is no longer in that role. What should my next steps be?
Response: It is important that your group files a court claim form by the deadline. You and your neighbors can work together to complete it. Or, you can list each property owner as a separate claimant in Part A and have everyone sign in Part D. You will want to list all of the parcel numbers of all the homes under C7. Either way, you can use any of the four adjudication numbers you have in the adjudication identification field. Provide the name of the water association in C9 under “Remarks or explanations.” Feel free to email the Department of Health help desk so that they can update their database with the correct authorized representative information.
Question: Our well is located exactly in the middle of two parcels owned by my neighbor and me. How do we describe the well location on the court claim form?
Response: This happens more often than you would think! Please provide the information for one parcel in B5 or C6 for “location of well.” Then include the information from B5 or C6 for the second parcel in part B7 or C9 “remarks/explanations”. Add an explanation that the well may be near or straddle the property line.
Question: What if I need to change one of my responses, and I already submitted my court claim form?
Response: If you would like to file an amendment before the deadline, bring an updated, completed court claim form to the court clerk marked “Amended” with your subcase number on it. You’ll find the sub-case number on your receipt if you filed in person, or in your email if you filed online. There is no fee associated with filing an amendment.
We know that changes can be expected as water users collect evidence. After the court claim form due date, there will be a three-year period for submitting amendments and evidence to support your claim (RCW 90.03.635). The court is responsible for setting up this system. This process will be available in the future.
Resources
Contact Ecology with your questions
Information and tools
How to get free court claim assistance
- If you're part of a community of 10 or more homeowners and need assistance with filling out your court claim forms, we can help. We'll bring technical support online or in-person directly to your group and guide you through the process, step by step. Reach out to us, and we'll get a date on the calendar!
- Schedule a free appointment by calling (360) 255-4406 or email us at WRadjudications@ecy.wa.gov.
Language access
If you have difficulty understanding English or have a disability, free language assistance or other aids and services are available upon request. Please call 360-407-6872.
Si necesita ayuda para entender esta información, ofrecemos servicios gratuitos de traducción e interpretación, así como Braille y ASL para personas con discapacidades. Para solicitar estos servicios, llame al 360-255-4406.
Если вам нужна помощь в понимании этой информации, мы предоставляем бесплатные услуги письменного и устного перевода, а также информацию шрифтом Брайля и на американском языке жестов (American Sign Language, ASL) для людей с инвалидностью. Чтобы запросить эти услуги, позвоните по телефону 360-255-4406.
ਜੇਕਰ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਇਸ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਸਮਝਣ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਦਦ ਦੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈ, ਅਸੀਂ ਮੁਫ਼ਤ ਅਨੁਵਾਦ ਅਤੇ ਵਿਆਖਿਆ ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਦਾਨ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਾਂ, ਅਤੇ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਅਸਮਰਥ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਲਈ ਬ੍ਰੇਲ ਅਤੇ ਅਮਰੀਕੀ ਸੰਕੇਤ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ (American Sign Language, ASL) ਵੀ ਉਪਲਬਧ ਹਨ। ਇਹਨਾਂ ਸੇਵਾਵਾਂ ਦੀ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ, 360-255-4406 'ਤੇ ਕਾਲ ਕਰੋ।
Adjudication is a legal process in Whatcom County Superior Court between the Washington Department of Ecology and all local water users in Water Resources Area (WRIA) 1. This process requires water users to self-report their water use in a form online or on paper. The court will make a decision that lists water uses in priority (old to new), including where and how much water is legal on each parcel of land. It does not involve criminal proceedings or penalties. It does not change the current law on water use.
For more information, please visit our Nooksack Adjudication website.
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