For newly constructed homes, this is true. Regulations for new development in the Lake Whatcom watershed require stormwater management and pollution controls that capture and remove pollutants from runoff in the same way a forest would. However, for older homes, these regulations don’t apply until significant redevelopment occurs. Redevelopment includes activities like remodels and additions, adding or replacing different types of surfaces, or major landscape improvements. Older properties continue to add runoff and pollution in amounts much higher than the forests that once surrounded the Lake.