CONSERVATION
Water Conservation IN NORTH IDAHO
I n Kootenai County, Idaho, where I live, there are at least six com- munity and non-profit gardens, some independent and some associ- ated with food banks and community kitchens. I was saddened by the recent announcement that one of those kitch- ens would be closing and the property would be developed for housing. In 2015, I was introduced to a unique fundraiser for Kootenai En- vironmental Alliance (KEA) in Coeur d’Alene called Junk 2 Funk. This trash to fashion runway show was a fun time for a good cause, and often highlighted environmental and con- servation issues and projects in North Idaho. That year, the Hayden Lake Watershed Association, with the help of KEA, had constructed and in- stalled a floating wetland on Hayden
Lake with plants that could keep the water healthy as well as provide food and habitat for fish and other lake dwellers. My Junk 2 Funk outfit was an artistic recreation of that wetland, constructed by the enigmatic Rebec- ca Patano, one of the event’s founders. For me, that runway walk brought awareness to the health, challenges, conservation and care of the abun- dant waters we enjoy here in the In- land Northwest. >> Climate The main issue that Hayden Lake faces is related to climate, specifically summer heat and stagnation due to the lake having no outlet. The warm water combines with excess phospho- rus and nitrogen, creating the per- fect environment for toxic algae and bacteria, such as E. coli, to grow.
These algae blooms can cause reac- tions ranging from “swimmer’s itch” to illness and even death in humans, pets, wildlife and livestock. The Ida- ho Department of Health and Wel- fare issues recreational water health advisories each year when an active toxic bloom has been identified. Advi - sories against fishing and consuming fish from a specific lake or reservoir are also issued when water contami- nation is unsafe. The Hayden Lake Floating Wet- land utilized materials and technol- ogy to construct its “floating island” of plants that could both attract and hold enormous populations of bene- ficial bacteria, draw and convert un - wanted contaminants in the water into a source of food for a fishery, and create a safe, healthy haven for fish.
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