Property owner withdraws controversial Spirit Lake sandbar project

SPIRIT LAKE — Overwhelming community opposition to the potential removal of the sandbar at Spirit Lake's Brickel Creek has stopped the project in its tracks.

Property owner and longtime Spirit Lake summer resident Stephen Ford agreed to rescind his application Thursday evening following an Idaho Department of Public Lands public hearing, during which several people spoke out against the proposed project.

Ford said everyone was in favor of removing the silt bar when he spoke to his neighbors before starting the permit process. The application to the Idaho Department of Lands, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Idaho Department of Water Resources was submitted in November 2022.

He said he didn't hear of anyone in opposition of the project until a month ago.

"I now know otherwise," Ford said.

According to Ford's application, excess materials from the sandbar are making his dock inaccessible, thus the proposed creek diversion and sandbar removal. Ford said he is currently using his neighbor's dock on the northern end of his property.

"If he puts his dock on the south side of his property, I will need to move my dock to the south at least 50 feet," Ford said. 

Idaho Department of Lands resource supervisor Mike Ahmer recommended the project not be approved. He said IDL "has several concerns about the project that relate to the necessity of the project, the efficacy of the project and the risk to the lake's water quality and clay-sealed bottom."

Ford's contractor, Matt Roesner of American Development Forestry Management, said as far as he knew, the only place on the lake that had a clay liner was the mill pond, which elicited a collective negative reaction from the crowd.

Community members who gave public comment cited concerns including impacts to birds, fish, wildlife and aquatic plants, as well as taking away public access for the benefit of one person.

Protecting the clay seal on the bottom of Spirit Lake was repeatedly discussed. According to the city of Spirit Lake's website, Spirit Lake is known to be one of only two lakes in the world with a sealed bottom.

"If they punch a hole in that lake, and Brickel Creek drains into it, and it goes to the aquifer, we all lose," said Dennis Craig, whose family has ties to Spirit Lake going back to 1912. "If this happens, I would like to know who I file a class-action lawsuit against."

Scott Simpson said his family has owned property on Spirit Lake for more than 50 years.

"The sandbar has been there as long as we've been there," he said. "What's clear now is this application has nothing to do with the dock. It has to do with the fact that he doesn't like people using the sandbar."

Simpson said the proposed project would move the silt and sand away from Ford's property, so people would still come if another sandbar formed.

"This is taking a sledgehammer to a gnat," he said. "The things that could go wrong with this project are going to be astronomical if they happened. I'm not saying they're going to happen; the likelihood may be small. But who wants to take that risk?"

At the close of the hearing, Ford said he would rescind his application, adding he was offended by the rumors about why he wanted to conduct the project.

"There was no evidence I was trying to get rid of my neighbors, trying to get people off the sandbar, not one word of it," he said. "The reason we weren't concerned about the clay liner is because we are going to be feet and feet above the liner. Would have been — I'm withdrawing my application."

Amy Hoffmann, whose family has had a cabin on Spirit Lake since the 1970s, said she was pleased with the outcome.

"I'm glad he listened to everybody," she said. "There are a lot of lifelong people who live in Spirit Lake, and he's one of them."

    Spirit Lake property owner Stephen Ford addresses the crowd Thursday night about his application to remove the sandbar at Brickel Creek. He announced he will rescind the application.

    Dennis Craig, whose family has ties to Spirit Lake going back to 1912, gives testimony Thursday night during the Idaho Department of Lands public hearing regarding the removal of the Brickel Creek sandbar.