THE DIRT: Historic pollution study of the Coeur d’Alene Basin
This photo shows the Morning Mill in Mullan circa 1909. You can see the direct discharge flume from the mill going into South Fork Coeur d'Alene River.
Courtesy photo
Today, the waters of the South Fork and the main Coeur d’Alene Rivers run clear as they meander across the lush landscape of the Idaho Panhandle, but in the not-so-distant past, those waters ran cloudy gray with the discarded tailings and byproducts of mining in the Silver Valley.
As one of the most productive mining regions in the country, the Coeur d’Alene District produced record amounts of lead, zinc, and silver ore, but also created vast quantities of waste. Most mine sites were in the deep, narrow gulches of the mountains, making waste storage and disposal difficult.
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