WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The next step in the Nooksack water adjudication process is taking place in the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 3.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Department 4 Courtroom of the Whatcom County Superior Court.

Adjudication for the Nooksack River Basin will legally determine who has water rights and is characterized as a massive lawsuit against some 30,000 water users in Whatcom and parts of Skagit County.

The Washington State Department of Ecology filed the lawsuit in May of this year, but the court asked the department in September to revise some details in the proposed claim form that users will be asked to fill out.

The court will review and potentially approve the revised form during Tuesday’s hearing, which is open to the public, though water users do not need to attend.

Ecology plans to send the final summons and claim forms to all required water users in early 2025.

The court is live streaming the hearing due to the limited number of seats available.

You can find a link to watch the hearing at the Whatcom County website.