When recreating, you may encounter contaminants on shorelines, floodplain deposits, hillsides, or at historic mine and mill sites. Posted signs warn of possible contaminants to help recreators avoid exposure to lead and other metals.
Steps can be taken to reduce exposure and enjoy your time in the Coeur d’Alene Basin and Silver Valley. The following tips will help to keep you, your family, and your pets safe:
Keep Clean, Eat Clean, Play Clean
- Wash your hands and face before eating.
- Bring water for drinking, cooking, and washing. Do not use water from rivers or lakes, even if it is filtered.
- Eat on a table or on a blanket in grassy areas.
- Remove dirt from clothes, toys, pets, and equipment before leaving an area. Wash your pets, if they are dirty, before they enter your home.
- Avoid tracking dirt and dust home from recreational areas. This dirt and dust can become an exposure source. Keep yourself and your belongings clean.
- Prolonged exposure increases risk, especially for young children and expecting mothers.
- Follow fish advisories.
- Stay on the trail and designated rest areas when using the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.
Fish Advisory
Fish in this region can contain mercury, which may be unhealthy when consumed in large amounts. As a result, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe advise pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children, and the general public to eat limited amounts of fish caught in Coeur d’Alene Lake and the Coeur d’Alene Basin. Click here to learn more.