Tubbs Hill Stormwater Sign

OUR GEM: Stormwater – Here’s Your Sign!

OUR GEM: Stormwater – Here’s Your Sign! You may recall hearing or reading about the City of Coeur d’Alene and their work to reduce their stormwater discharge to Coeur d’Alene Lake and the Spokane River. Since 2018, through their Stormwater Volume Reduction Program, the City has diverted flow from seven outfalls on the river and lake for a total of 465 acres of diverted flow. That equals 13% of the City’s hard pipe/outfall area. To help share the success of…

Protecting Our Greatest Resource

Protecting Our Greatest Resource

This story was written by Guest author: Jason Peppin on behalf of the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Read the original article. One of the greatest treasures North Idaho has to offer is the abundance of surface water and groundwater. As our area continues to develop, effectively managing impacts of wastewater disposal to this precious resource is becoming increasingly important. Although our area boasts some of the most advanced municipal wastewater treatment facilities…

Managing Stormwater

Guest author: Chris Bosley, City Engineer for the city Coeur d’Alene For the sake of the lake’s health, the City of Coeur d’Alene has been working to reduce the amount of untreated stormwater runoff that enters Coeur d’Alene Lake and the Spokane River. Stormwater runoff in the southeastern area of the city is collected and conveyed through pipes to thirteen outfalls along Coeur d’Alene Lake and the Spokane River. Stormwater discharge into the water is permitted under the Idaho Pollutant…

Mudgy and Millie Want to See Only Rain Down the Drain

Mudgy and Millie Want to See Only Rain Down the Drain

Mudgy and Millie, the loveable moose and mouse combo who started their journey right here in Coeur d’Alene, have a new message that will be revealed June 15 during Live After 5. They have recently teamed up with Idaho State Department of Agriculture, the University of Idaho, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the City of Coeur d’Alene, Avista and the Arts Commission. The dynamic duo will be featured on a new sign located near the Third Street Boat Launch. Two…

Avoid Stormwater Poo-llution and Pick Up After Your Pet

Avoid Stormwater Poo-llution and Pick Up After Your Pet

This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Mar. 20, 2022. Read the original article. Spring showers are quickly washing away the snow that has lingered since the beginning of the year. As snow recedes, many long-buried treasures are revealed like that one soggy glove you’ve been looking for all winter, but the most frustrating remnant of winter snowmelt is something that pollutes our waters with bacteria and nutrients. Waterlogged dog poop now…

SEEP class participants work together to install an erosion control blanket. (Photo: M. Schmidt)

Keeping Dirt Where It Belongs

Founded in 2005, the Panhandle Stormwater and Erosion Education Program (SEEP) was designed at the request of contractors and design professionals. They felt tools existed to prevent the physical destruction of local water resources and avoid costly enforcement fines and they wanted to share those tools with the public. A steering committee was formed consisting of agency and university representatives, consultants and construction professionals to create an educational program with certification. Since the inception of the program, over 950 people have been SEEP certified in erosion control practices.

Ho Ho How to Dispose of Hazardous Waste

Ho Ho How to Dispose of Hazardous Waste

This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative team for the CDA Press on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021. Read the original article. As the holidays approach, you might find yourself making room for new things your family acquires during the season of gift giving. You may be thinning out your children’s outdated toys or cleaning out old chemicals in the basement blocking your holiday decorations (that you should have put up last week!). Regardless of what treasures you find in…

Keep Your Butts Out of the Water

Keep Your Butts Out of the Water

This story was written by the Our Gem Collaborative for the CDA Press on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021. Read the original article. November is typically the rainiest month of the year in Coeur d’Alene. That also means our storm drains are put to the test each fall. Storm drains are meant to help remove rainwater from streets and highways to reduce flooding, prevent vehicles from hydroplaning and in winter minimize standing water that can freeze. Most people understand that they are…

When Leaves Fall, the City Gets Busy

When Leaves Fall, the City Gets Busy

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…

April Showers Bring May Floods

April Showers Bring May Floods

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…