runoff into our waters. Speed boats running along rivers can cause bank erosion and stir up pollutants that have settled at the bottoms of lakes. Bathers leave trash and take natu- ral “mementos” from shores and wa- ters. Boats not properly cleaned can transport invasive species from oth- er bodies of water into the waters of northern Idaho. A high level of water activity can also negatively impact aquatic life and their habitat. >> Industrial and Mining Pollution Agriculture, aquaculture, hydro- power, sewage plants, manufacturing and other economic industrial activi- ties can impact Idaho’s water through usage, runoff, pollution and encroach- ment. One of the most historically en- vironmentally impactful industries in the Inland Northwest is mining. Dur- ing the 1880s, mining was a thriving business in northern Idaho’s Silver Valley, but little attention was paid to the rock and dirt waste laced with toxic metals that was being poured into Coeur d’Alene Lake. It would be 80 years of booming mines before the U.S. government required the instal- lation of upstream settling ponds to capture the sediment. In 1983, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the Bun- ker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex in Idaho’s Silver Valley as a Superfund site. The EPA defines a superfund site as an area where “hazardous substances have been re- leased into the environment, posing a threat to human health and the environment” and is designated for cleanup. The Coeur d’Alene River Ba- sin covers 1,500 square miles and is one of the largest and most complex cleanup sites in the country. Restoration Partnership is a col- laborative effort in the Coeur d’Alene Basin that aims to complement the natural resource restoration work be-
both on land and in the water. Cli- mate changes that interrupt these rhythms and alter water tempera- tures, snowmelt timing, and stream flow can significantly impact aquat - ic ecosystems, irrigation supply, wa- ter quality and water use in domestic, commercial, municipal and industri- al areas. >> Recreation and Tourism Contributing $3.7 billion per year, tourism is important to Idaho’s econ- omy. In North Idaho, much of that tourism as well as local recreation is centered around water. The Ida- ho Panhandle is home to three ma- jor lakes — Lake Pend Oreille, Coeur d’Alene Lake, and Priest Lake — along with a lot of smaller lakes and all the rivers and streams that con- nect them. Overall, Idaho has about 140 lakes and almost 2,000 miles of streams and rivers to enjoy. And boy do we enjoy them through swimming, rafting, boating, sailing, paddling, floating, skating, hunting (ducks), farming (cranberries) and more. According to a University of Idaho Climate-Economy Impacts Assess- ment, “In 2020, 82,434 boats were registered in Idaho. It is estimated that in 2015, up to 1/3 of households had a boat in some Idaho counties. Spending on products and services related to power boating contributed $335.3 million to Idaho’s economy in 2015. Idaho rivers are rafting desti- nations for visitors near and far. Ida- ho has over 3,100 whitewater river miles. For example, in 2015, revenue for outfitters along the Middle Fork of the Salmon River was between $8.26 and $8.55 million.” As the number of people exploring and relishing Idaho’s aquatic activi- ties increases year after year, so does the impact on both land and water. First, more people in an area means more waste and potential polluted
Our land, environment, wildlife, recreation and community health depend on the health and conservation of Idaho’s waters.
By S. MICHAL BENNETT Photography by JOEL RINER
According to the Watershed Associa- tion’s project plan, “Published stud- ies show that if maintained properly, a 200-square-foot [floating wetland] can match the benefits of a full acre of mature, healthy wetland on the ground level.” Another climate challenge facing our waterways and water sources in northern Idaho is snow accumula- tion and the resulting snow melt each spring. The water cycle in Idaho is highly dependent on the amount of snow accumulation into a vast moun- tainous reservoir during the win- ter and spring. As the snow melts and runs down the mountains in the spring and summer, it fills the streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs during the warm, dry months. This seasonal cycle supports ecosystems
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