University of Idaho faculty Karen Humes and Russell Qualls, along with their students, analyzed 30 years of crop water use data in southern Idaho to understand variations in irrigation application needs. Their research examined how differences in wet versus dry years and cool versus warm years influence crop water use and irrigation needs. By considering forecasted climate conditions, farmers can make informed decisions about crop selection and irrigation allocation, optimizing water use and improving overall agricultural efficiency.
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Scientific Review of Water Quality Begins
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. Read the original article. What is the future of Coeur d’Alene Lake’s water quality? That is the question on the minds of many in North Idaho, including state and tribal governments tasked with monitoring and improving water quality, elected officials with jurisdiction on the lake, shoreline property owners, the local tourism industry and concerned citizens. Historical mining activities deposited millions of tons…
OUR GEM: From Drain to River, How a Local Treatment Plant Is Improving Water Quality
By Pilar Deniston, Coeur d’Alene Lake ARPA Project Coordinator for Idaho DEQ When water from your home, whether from the toilet, sinks, or shower goes down the drain, it travels through a network of pipes to a wastewater treatment facility (unless you’re on a private septic system). There, it undergoes a series of treatment steps to become clean enough to return safely to the natural environment. The process begins with pretreatment, where large debris like sticks and plastic, along with…
OUR GEM: Coeur d’Alene Lake Management, Moving Forward
The health of Coeur d’Alene Lake and its trajectory have received a lot of attention over the last few years. Recently the conversation has centered around two tandem efforts: 1) the National Academy of Science’s (NAS) review of lake data and recommendations for future lake management, and 2) Gov. Brad Little’s Leading Idaho Initiative for Coeur d’Alene Lake. Both efforts were spurred by recent data reports of lake water quality trends that showed key indicators (including phosphorus, a nutrient in…
OUR GEM: Understanding Water Quality Monitoring on Coeur d’Alene Lake
By Meg Wolf, Assistant Director of Idaho Water Resources Research Institute; Craig Cooper, Limnologist with Idaho Department of Environmental Quality; and Dale Chess, Senior Lake Limnologist with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Monitoring the health of Coeur d’Alene Lake is a collaborative effort involving multiple organizations, each contributing important pieces to the bigger picture of the lake’s condition. Four key groups — the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and volunteers…
2025 recipients of the Joseph Jordan IWRRI Student Research Fellowship
The Idaho Water Resources Research Institute is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Joseph Jordan IWRRI Student Research Fellowship, Dinesh Gulati and Turker Anlaroglu. Established by the family of Joseph Jordan, the fellowship provides financial assistance and hands-on experience to University of Idaho students pursuing careers in water resources management. Fellows work directly with agencies, Tribes, nonprofits, and industry partners to address real-world water challenges. This year, both students contributed to a WaterSMART-funded project in collaboration with the…
IWRRI Grant Recipients Work on Sediment Transport Physics
Gianluca Blois, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Idaho’s Boise campus, works at the Center for Ecohydraulics Research (CER) with students to study how water moves through streams and rivers. Their research focuses on how stationary objects, like plants, affect water flow and the movement of sediments. This study used a specialized laboratory flume—a controlled stream environment—to measure water speed and pressure in aquatic systems. While scientists have long studied how landscape features like riverbanks and terrain…