Similar Posts
OUR GEM: Restoration Project Turns Back the Clock at Hepton Lake
By Angelo Vitale, Fisheries Division Manager Last year, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe wrapped up construction work on one of its most ambitious projects to date and something that has been in the works for more than a decade. The Snyihms he mulshu’lmkhw (Swimmer’s Landing among the Cottonwoods) Project is located adjacent to the lower St. Joe River a few miles west of St. Maries, Idaho. During the pre-settlement era, the site was a floodplain marsh and wet meadow and was…
IWRRI Grant Recipients Work on Irrigation Efficiency in Southern Idaho
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.
U of I Researchers Design Biochar-based Water Treatment System
A University of Idaho team, led by Professor Amin Mirkouei and supported by two recently graduated doctorate students, Rance Bare and Ethan Struhs, collaborated with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (Ken Overturf), U of I Aquaculture Research Institute (Brian Small) and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (Martha Chacón-Patiño, Amy Mckenna and Huan Chen) to design and custom-build an economical and sustainable water treatment system. This system was specifically developed to remove micronutrients, primarily phosphorus and nitrogen, from the wastewater…
OUR GEM Ashes in the Current: The Hidden Hydrologic Legacy of the 1910 Fire
By Mark Getscher, hydrogeologist for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe More than a century after “The Big Burn” of 1910 scorched over three million acres across northern Idaho and western Montana, its legacy continues to flow through the streams and rivers of the Coeur d’Alene Basin. While most remember the fire for its devastation and heroism, far fewer realize its silent and lingering impact on water quality. High-intensity wildfires combust vegetation and organic soil layers, converting them into ash. This ash is…
OUR GEM: Ecosystem Services That Wetlands Provide
Author, Meg Wolf- Interim Assistant Director/Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, University of Idaho Wetlands refer to the watery transition zones between surface water and dry land. They can be wet year-round or only during certain parts of the year, such as following spring runoff. Essential parts of a wetland include aquatic plants specifically adapted to live in fully saturated environments. In the Inland Northwest, non-tidal wetlands are prevalent, unlike coastal regions that support tidal wetlands. Nature’s Water Filters Wetlands act…
OUR GEM: Coeur d’Alene’s Wastewater History
OUR GEM: Coeur d’Alene’s Wastewater History By Mike Anderson, City of Coeur d’Alene Wastewater Utility Director In 1939, the City of Coeur d’Alene began treating its wastewater at a brand-new facility. This plant used secondary treatment, a new level of technology just beginning to be seen in large cities, but almost unheard of in small communities like ours, with a population of barely 10,000. Motivated by a desire to be a good neighbor and environmental stewards, the City was also…