Lake Coeur d’Alene is not as pristine as it appears. For one, it contains a layer of contaminants from decades of unregulated mining runoff from the Silver Valley. These toxic discharges, carried down river by spring surges, now rest at the bottom of the lake. Dealing with the resulting contamination is an ongoing challenge. However, it is not the only water quality issue impacting this local treasure. An equally significant challenge is the issue of unmanaged stormwater runoff.

When stormwater levels exceed capacity, the city wastewater management system discharges excess water to thirteen outfalls along Coeur d’Alene Lake and the Spokane River. Although it is not ideal, state law permits this practice. Nonetheless, the city is not complacent about this issue. Consequently, they have requested and received $695,000 in funding to implement three separate stormwater management projects. These initiatives will reduce the untreated water that enters the lake and river system.

This Friday, the Kootenai Democratic Club reconvenes from a summer hiatus to hear about the city’s efforts to manage stormwater runoff in Lake Coeur d’Alene. To help explain this complex work, Chris Bosley is joining us. Chris is the city engineer for Coeur d’Alene. His presentation is a follow-on to his article in the Coeur d’Alene Press entitled “Our Gem: Managing Stormwater.”

Join Chris this Friday at noon online to learn the impact of unmanaged storm water runoff and what the city is doing to mitigate this ongoing issue.

ABOUT OUR MEETINGS

The Democrat Club meets each Friday at noon online. We distribute a Zoom link for our club meetings each Thursday prior to the meeting date. Contact Phil at pjwmia@aol.com or Ruben at pjwmia@aol.com, to request the link or assistance connecting. We will return to in person/online meetings as soon as it becomes safe to do so. You can find videos of past Club meetings at KootenaiCountyDemClub.com/Meeting Videos.