Matthews to discuss Lake Whatcom's water quality Nov. 21 at Western

Robin Matthews, director of Western Washington University’s Institute for Watershed Studies, will discuss Lake Whatcom’s ongoing water quality issues as part of the Huxley College of the Environment Speaker Series at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21 in Communications Facility 105 on Western’s campus.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Since 1987, Matthews has been involved with monitoring water quality in Lake Whatcom, which provides drinking water to nearly 100,000 people in Whatcom County. In 1998, Lake Whatcom was officially listed on the Washington Department of Ecology’s 303(d) list of impaired waterways, and continues to suffer from a host of problems that have led to moratoriums on growth and development in the watershed.

In her talk, titled “Lake Whatcom Water Quality: What's Happening in My Lake,” Matthews will present her perspective on 25 years of lake monitoring, and address the following questions: What are the scientific data that form the basis for listing the lake? Why were the data so controversial?

Matthews is the director of Western’s Institute for Watershed Studies and a professor of Environmental Science at Western’s Huxley College of the Environment. Her research interests include freshwater ecology and ecological data analysis. Her current research programs focus on monitoring surface water quality in Northwest Washington lakes and streams.

The presentation will include a question-and-answer period. Anyone interested in the topic is encouraged to attend and participate. The Speaker Series, sponsored by Western’s Huxley College of the Environment, is intended to bring together environmentally-minded members of the Western and Bellingham communities. Speakers address topics of contemporary environmental concern in the region and the world.

Western’s Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized leader in producing the next generation of environmental stewards. Huxley’s distinctive, interdisciplinary curriculum reflects a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world, and has earned international recognition for quality.

For more information, please contact Western’s Huxley College of the Environment at (360) 650-3520.