This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative for the CDA Press on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. Read the original article. Fall is such a beautiful time of year in Coeur d’Alene with all the deciduous trees changing vibrant colors as their leaves slowly cover our sidewalks and lawns. Fall is also the time of year for Coeur d’Alene’s Annual Leaf Fest, which begins Monday November 8, allowing residents to rake leaves out into the street for pickup. We will…
This story was written by Craig Borrenpohl and John Beacham, City of Post Falls, in partnership with the Our Gem Collaborative. It appeared in the CDA Press on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. Read the original article. Contrary to what a utility bill might imply, we don’t actually pay for the water we use in northern Idaho. We, as citizens, already own the water we use; water in Idaho is a public trust resource. We’ve all heard that wise use of water,…
Lake Survey Results Are In This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. Read the original article. During the summer of 2021, the Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative community lake perception survey received over 1,000 responses. Based on the demographic questions, about 60% of survey respondents live in Kootenai County, with others weighing in from nearby counties. Only about 20% own property or have friends or family members with property…
This story was written by Terry Pickel, Director of Coeur d’Alene’s Water Department, in partnership with the Our Gem Collaborative. It appeared in the CDA Press on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. Read the original article. The City of Coeur d’Alene Water Department provides potable water to over 50,000 customers in and around the city. The public water system was originally constructed and owned by a private water company known as Idaho Water. The City acquired the public water system in 1977,…
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Aug. 15. Read the original article. Since the beginning of this year, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has been reviewing historical and recent water quality data from Coeur d’Alene (CDA) Lake. The NAS assembled a committee composed exclusively of volunteer experts to assess water quality and provide possible recommendations. Our lake has seen a decline in metal concentrations in the decades since enacting environmental…
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, July 18, 2021. With recent record-breaking warm temperatures, our beautiful lake is at the top of everyone’s mind. In fact, Governor Brad Little recently proclaimed July 2021 Lakes Appreciation Month, including a special mention of Coeur d’Alene Lake. This comes in the midst of a comprehensive assessment and review of data relevant to water quality in Coeur d’Alene Lake conducted by the prestigious National Academies…
The law changed America’s waters but remains a work in progress almost five decades later. This story was written by University of Idaho Extension Area Water Educator Jim Ekins, Ph.D., for the CDA Press on June 13, 2021. Read the original article. The U.S. Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA) resulted in profound water quality improvements. It is hard to believe how bad water pollution was in the prior decades. Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River, laden with petroleum, caught fire in 1969 as it…
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, May 16, 2021. Read the original article. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has been looking into the future of Coeur d’Alene Lake’s water quality at the request of the State of Idaho, as was announced by Jacob Garringer, from Governor Brad Little’s office, in November of 2019 at the Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Symposium. This was spurred due to water quality “triggers” (such…
As the weather gets warmer and the sunshine stays out longer, people in CDA start getting excited about their gardens and lawns. Rightfully so, as the flora and greenery of North Idaho is unmatched. there are some unique problems associated with lawn and garden care that we need to be aware of, especially concerning our beautiful lakes and rivers. Fertilizers are great for lawns and flower beds, but not so great for our waterways. The soluble nutrients in fertilizer, like…
How can we protect water quality during flood events? This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Apr. 18, 2021. Read the original article. Spring flooding is especially common in Kootenai, Shoshone, and Benewah Counties. According to the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, Kootenai County experienced an average of 22 “major flooding events” between 2012 and 2017, the second highest in the state. Most flooding occurs along natural stream or river channels of…