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…
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, April 4, 2021. Read the original article. The Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) aquifer covers about 370 square miles in northern Idaho and eastern Washington. It is composed of ice age flood deposited gravels, cobbles, and boulders and is filled with water. The SVRP aquifer is considered unconfined, meaning it has no protective layer of clay or rock above it to keep out pollutants that are…
The experiential learning program helps high school students understand science in their watershed. It’s a partnership between University of Idaho, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and Panhandle Health District.
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, March 14, 2021. Read the original article. A National Academies of Science (NAS) will evaluate Coeur d’Alene Lake water quality data including heavy metals, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and more. The expectation is that the review will enable the NAS committee to draw conclusions about trends in water quality including include whether sufficient data has been collected to address possible adverse or catastrophic events in the…
This story was written by Meghan Lunney, Avista’s Spokane River license manager, as part of the Our Gem series in the CDA Press. It ran in the paper Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021. Read the original article. Coeur d’Alene Lake was created after the last period of glaciation by a natural restriction at its outlet, the start of the Spokane River. In the 1890s, Fredrick Post constructed a mill and three dams nine miles downstream on the river at what is now…
What IS the future of Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake’s water quality? That is the question on the minds of many in northern 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 many concerned citizens. Why? Historical mining activities deposited millions of tons of contaminated and potentially toxic sediment including zinc, cadmium, and lead into Coeur d’Alene Lake and its tributaries….
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…
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. Read the original article. The Local Gem Award Program is hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce Natural Resources Committee in partnership with Our Gem Collaborative. Our purpose is to recognize those in the Coeur d’Alene Basin who work to protect water quality through actions such as implementing low impact development, dedication to water quality education and using proper Best…
This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020. Read the original article. Winter snow is a particularly big topic for the city of Coeur d’Alene and local highway districts. You may not think much of it when you’re navigating winter weather, but snow is precipitation which becomes stormwater to be managed. Plowed snow can contain pollutants such as salt, sand, oil, grease, heavy metals and trash which can accumulate in…