Whatcom County Flood Update: Cleanup, Resources, and What Happens Next
Whatcom County has seen three substantial flood events in roughly the past six years. These have included major Nooksack River flooding in 2020, and the catastrophic November 2021 disaster that caused at least an estimated $150 million in local damages and widespread displacement.
More recent major flooding in 2025 has again overtopped levees, closed roads and bridges, and forced evacuations in communities like Sumas, Everson, Nooksack, Ferndale, and coastal areas such as Birch Bay and Sandy Point.
These repeated “big” floods in such a short window reinforce what local studies and climate projections are already signaling: heavier rainfall, more frequent atmospheric river events, and rising sea levels are expected to make both riverine and coastal flooding more common and more severe in coming decades.
If you were flooded, I am truly sorry.
For many families, this has meant far more than wet carpets and damaged drywall. It has meant loss, uncertainty, sleepless nights, constant decisions, and the exhausting work of cleaning up while trying to keep life moving. If you are in the middle of that right now, I hope you are getting support, and I hope the information below makes at least one part of this week a little easier.
This post is a roundup of the most useful local updates and official resource pages I am seeing right now, plus one important county public hearing happening tonight that could shape housing policy countywide.
The most important “start here” resource page
Whatcom County is maintaining a very comprehensive, centralized list of resources for flood-impacted residents, including short-term housing options and other recovery information:
Whatcom County: Resources for Flood Impacted People
If you only click one link in this post, make it that one. It is the best single place to check first, then share with neighbors who are trying to figure out where to start.
County cleanup update: debris removal and home cleanup are ongoing
Whatcom County’s latest flood update confirms that cleanup and recovery work is continuing, including volunteer coordination for “muck-out” support and plans to haul debris left curbside to disposal sites:
Tues (12/16) Flood Update: Clean Up and Recovery Continues
If you are dealing with debris right now, the County is also providing information on debris management sites here:
Whatcom County: Debris Management Sites
And if you need guidance on safety during cleanup (especially around contaminated water, mold risk, and protective equipment), the County has a “Safe Cleanup After a Flood” page here:
If you are in the thick of cleanup, a few practical steps that can protect you later
I know a checklist does not solve a disaster. Still, these steps can prevent additional loss and make insurance or assistance paperwork much easier later:
Take photos and video before you remove or throw away damaged materials, if you can.
Keep a simple written log with dates, who you spoke with, and what was decided.
Save receipts for supplies, dump fees, equipment rentals, repairs, and temporary lodging.
If you feel overwhelmed, pick one thing, do that one thing, then reassess. Flood recovery is exhausting, and pacing matters.
If it helps to read a very real, very local “this is what a cleanup actually looked like” story, I wrote about our flooded rental and the repair process here:
Adventures of the Flooded 4-Plex
Bellingham emergency declaration: repairs may move faster
The City of Bellingham approved an emergency declaration to speed up certain repairs and allow select work to move forward more quickly. The report also notes sewer backups in some homes and localized flooding impacts:
Bellingham declares emergency to accelerate response to heavy rain damage
If you are impacted inside city limits, this matters because it can shorten timelines for certain public infrastructure fixes that affect neighborhoods and home repair work.
Regional impacts: a broader look at Whatcom and Skagit damage
Cascadia Daily News published a helpful roundup of what is known so far about flooding damage across Whatcom and Skagit, including impacts to homes and public infrastructure:
What we know so far about flooding damage in Whatcom, Skagit
If you need help navigating decisions after a flood
If you are dealing with a damaged or unlivable home and you want to talk through options, timelines, or next steps, you can reach me here:
https://brandonnelson.com/work-with-me
And if FEMA assistance becomes part of this recovery the way it was after past flood events, I also have a practical walkthrough from the last time many Whatcom County households were applying:
Applying for FEMA Money in Whatcom County
My hope is that the weeks ahead bring drier weather, steady progress, real support, and fewer unknowns for the households who have been hit the hardest.
