News

Another season of cleanup work is coming to a close in the Bunker Hill Superfund Site, and few areas have seen as much activity in recent years as Canyon Creek near Wallace. Work in the Upper Basin of Operable Unit 03 is conducted by the Coeur d’Alene Trust with oversight by the Environmental Protection Agency and in partnership with Idaho...

If you've spent time exploring the Coeur d'Alene Basin, you've probably noticed bright yellow posts scattered throughout the landscape. They can be found near repositories, along roadsides, and at various cleanup sites. While they may not look like much, these yellow markers represent an important part of the long-term effort to understand contamination and measure the success of certain cleanup...

The Lower Coeur d'Alene Basin is known for its scenic beauty, abundant wildlife, and popular recreation areas. While many locations appear clean and inviting, contamination from more than a century of mining activity remains a significant challenge. Lead-contaminated sediments continue to move through the river system, particularly during high-water events, creating ongoing concerns for human health and the environment.One of...

Fall is in the air. The nights are getting cooler, the days are getting shorter, and for many people across North Idaho, that means hunting season is here.North Idaho offers abundant access to public lands and some of the region’s best hunting opportunities. But in the Silver Valley, hunters may notice a few changes this year as properties are cleaned...

Water quality can be measured in many ways. Some tests involve collecting water samples and analyzing them in a laboratory to determine whether the water is safe for human consumption. Other tests evaluate conditions that affect fish and other aquatic species. While these methods provide valuable information, scientists can also assess the health of a waterbody by examining the organisms...

A new bicycle and pedestrian-friendly campground in Smelterville opened in May, offering visitors a unique, low-impact outdoor experience near the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Located off Airport Road on the north side of Interstate 90, the campground includes 26 campsites, two of which are fully ADA-accessible. The accessible sites feature pathways connecting the trailhead parking area directly to the...

At first glance, the Page Repository seems like an unusual place for an environmental cleanup project. Why would engineers build a repository in what appears to be a wetland?The answer begins more than a century ago.Long before the repository existed, the site served as the Page Mine tailings pond, where fine mining waste was deposited for decades. Those tailings contained...

If you've driven past the Page Repository recently, you've probably noticed a large stockpile of concrete and wondered what's going on. Why is so much concrete being brought to the repository? Why is it being placed in what appears to be a wetland? And how does it fit into the environmental cleanup of the Coeur d'Alene Basin?The answer starts with...

Join the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission (BEIPC) for its annual Basin Tour on Wednesday, July 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This year's tour will focus on the Lower Basin, highlighting both remediation and restoration efforts that are improving water quality, habitat, and ecosystem health throughout the watershed.The annual tour gives commissioners and members of the public an...

For many years, students from Kellogg and Wallace High Schools have participated in the Confluence Project, a year-long water science program that connects classroom learning with real-world environmental research. Sponsored by the University of Idaho and supported by numerous agencies and local governments, the program provides students with hands-on opportunities to explore the Coeur d'Alene Basin watershed and the challenges...