Let's Talk about Adjudication - September 2026

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Whatcom County Superior Court news 

Get a copy of your adjudication court claim form 

Free court claim form assistance available now 

Picture yourself here– Getting court claim form assistance at Ecology’s Bellingham Field Office 

Events - stop by and say hello

A few questions answered

Thanks to everyone who already shared feedback on this e-newsletter.  So far, we’ve heard that for most people, the monthly frequency and length are working well, and tips for filling out the court claim form and court updates are favorite topics.    

Haven’t taken our survey yet?  We’re still interested in your feedback so we can keep improving.  Help us make the e-newsletter as useful as possible.  

Are you looking for a copy of your court claim form that you submitted for the WRIA 1 adjudication, or are you interested in claims that were filed by others?  Keep in mind that court clerks are legally required to charge $0.50 per page for physical copies.  To avoid this fee, we encourage accessing documents online, and if needed, printing them out at home.  The court clerk will not email digital copies or provide them via USB drive.  Here are two free ways to access documents online: 

• Washington State digital archives (recommended).  You can search by claim number or name to find and download a copy of a filed court claim form.  Documents are uploaded every couple of days, so there may be a short lag for recent filings. 

• Odyssey (the court clerk’s online portal).  You can view the Odyssey index without an account.  This lets you see whether a claim has been filed, but you won’t be able to see the documents.  To view filed court claim forms, or any other filed adjudication documents, you’ll need to create an Odyssey account.  To do this, fill out a WRIA 1 Odyssey Access form and email or hand deliver it to the court clerk. For more information, see the court’s page. 

The deadline to file your court claim form is June 1, 2027.   

Filing your form is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your future water use and your property value. 

Our friendly staff at Ecology’s Bellingham Field Office (BFO) offer free, one-on-one technical assistance to help you complete your court claim form accurately and efficiently.  They can help you look up your parcel number, track down a well report and walk you through which sections of the form apply to your household.  Schedule an in-person or online appointment today! 

Curious about what happens when you meet with technical staff?  Learn what a typical court claim form meeting looks like in the paragraph below. 

Finished your adjudication court claim form but have a few questions before submitting it?  Just bought property in WRIA 1 and want to learn about the adjudication?  No matter what stage you’re at, Ecology’s technical assistance staff offer free, one-on-one help.  Over 700 of your neighbors and community members have already stopped by.  As one person put it: “Clear communication and genuine willingness to assist made a real difference in my (court claim form) experience.” 

What a visit looks like 

After booking an appointment through Ecology’s online scheduling system, you’ll get an email confirmation plus driving directions and parking information.  When you arrive at BFO, ring the doorbell and sign in at the front desk.  A staff member will bring you back to a conference room where you’ll go through your court claim form step by step, on a large screen.  

Imagining a typical visit: Tina’s story 

Tina (not an actual water user) shares a well with her next-door neighbor.  The well is located on the neighbor’s property.  She’s not sure if there’s a well report on file with Ecology, since the well doesn’t have a well tag ID.  She’s worried that if her neighbor doesn’t file a court claim form, her water right may be impacted.  Staff reassure her that she is only responsible for claiming water used on her own property.  Her water right under the groundwater permit exemption is separate from her neighbor’s, so each of them files separately. 

Because Tina gave her property address when booking the appointment, staff already have her well report ready, which contains helpful information to complete her court claim form.  She’s unsure which of the four parts of the form (Parts A, B, C and D) apply to her.  Her household consists of herself, her mother, spouse, and young son, along with two dogs.  Her 1.5 acre property includes a garden, six chickens and two goats.  

Staff explain that everyone fills out Part A (claimant information) and Part D (signatures).  Since Tina’s home was built in 2003 and has had the garden, chickens, and goats from the beginning and all her water uses started at the same time, she can fill out a single court claim form.  She’ll complete Part B for household and irrigation use, and Part C if she wants to claim stock water use for chickens and goats. 

No water meter?  No problem!  Staff explain that meters are not required for the court claim form.  Ecology and the court only need an estimate.  Part B asks if household water use is 500 gallons or less per day (approximately the amount used by a household of eight or fewer).  Tina knows from the Whatcom County Residential Water Use Calculator that her household uses about 60 gallons per person per day, right around the county average.  Part B also asks if she irrigates a half-acre or less of lawn and garden.  Although her entire property is 1.5 acres, she only irrigates 0.3 acres.  Because she meets these two requirements and uses water from a well, she can fill out Part B for her indoor domestic use and her outdoor irrigation.  

For Part C, Tina chooses not to use Whatcom County’s calculators for livestock and instead bases her estimate on how often she fills up a 100-gallon stock tank over a given number of weeks. 

By the end of the appointment, staff have helped Tina find her well report, parcel number, property deed and legal description, confirmed which parts of the court claim form she needs to complete, and walked her through paying the $25 filing fee and how to file either in person with the Whatcom County Superior Court Clerk, or online via the court’s Guide and File  system. 

Through October, we’ll be at several community events.  Ecology staff can answer questions, share adjudication information, and provide extra court claim forms – just in case you lost yours.  Keep in mind that if your situation involves complex water usage, please schedule a separate, free appointment with Ecology at a different time. 

• Lynden Farmers Market – Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Bellingham SeaFeast – Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• City of Blaine’s Seaside Oyster Bash – Saturday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.