Surface and ground water quality monitoring on the Lummi Indian Reservation has been ongoing since 1993. The purpose of the Water Quality Monitoring Program is threefold:(1) to establish the baseline conditions of surface and ground waters on and flowing onto the Reservation, (2) to use this information to evaluate regulatory compliance of waters flowing onto the Reservation, and (3) to support the development and implementation of a water quality regulatory program on the Reservation. This information is needed to help protect the public health and safety of Reservation residents, Reservation ground water, Reservation tidelands, and sensitive shellfish growing areas.

Protection of surface water is essential because:

• All water that flows through or falls onto the Reservation discharges to resource-rich tidelands and estuaries of the Reservation and/or contributes to aquifer recharge on the Reservation.
• The estuaries and tidelands of the Reservation (including the overlying waters) support a diverse assemblage of flora, fauna, and habitats such as eelgrass, shellfish, and salmonid rearing areas.
• The quality of the resources associated with the estuaries and tidelands affects the political integrity, economic security, health, and welfare of the Lummi Nation as well as subsistence, cultural, commercial, and other uses by tribal members.

Protection of ground water is essential because:

• Almost all water consumed on the Reservation comes from ground water, and
• An ample supply of good quality ground water is needed in order to serve the purposes of the Reservation as a permanent and economically viable homeland for the Lummi People.

Documents pertaining to the program are found in Available Documents

The most recent water quality assessment report is available for 2018-2019.

You can also view the most recent summary results and how they compare to Water Quality Standards via the following maps:

• Fecal Coliform Standards Compliance Map
• Enterococcus Standards Compliance Map
• Dis. Oxygen Standards Compliance Map
• pH Standards Compliance Map
• Water Temperature Standards Compliance Map