No fatalities on Kootenai County waterways in 2024

COEUR d’ALENE — There were no fatalities on Kootenai County waterways last year, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sgt. Ryan Miller, Kootenai County recreation safety supervisor, shared with commissioners Tuesday the data from the 2024 season. 

In the past, Miller said, Kootenai County has led the state in the number of crashes and fatalities on waterways. He attributes this to the popularity of the county’s many waterways, which consist of 18 lakes and 54 miles of navigable rivers. 

But while the number of boaters continues to increase, Miller said law enforcement has seen an improvement when it comes to crashes and fatalities. Last year, no serious injuries were reported on the county’s lakes or rivers. 

“Our fatalities dropped two seasons ago down to three,” Miller told commissioners. “This past year, we didn’t have any. We haven’t seen that in some time.” 

Statewide, there were six fatalities in 2024, all involving non-motorized vehicles. 

Marine deputies issued 346 citations in 2024, mostly to boaters on Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River — 165 and 74 citations respectively. Hayden Lake saw the next highest number of citations, with 61. Activity on the remaining lakes and rivers garnered between one citation and 16 citations each. 

Most citations on Lake Coeur d’Alene, 35 in total, were related to registration, while 30 were for operating under the influence. On the Spokane River, 20 citations were for creating illegal wakes, while 15 were for safety equipment violations. 

Miller said the citations issued by law enforcement represent only about 8% of the number of violations observed by marine deputies. The vast majority of such violations, about 92%, are resolved with a warning rather than a citation. 

“We’re trying to find that balance between education and enforcement,” Miller said. “We think education is pretty important to get our point across.” 

That’s especially true when it comes to life jacket violations, he said. Idaho law requires that one properly fitting and Coast Guard-approved life jacket must be on board for each person on a boat, and life jackets must be readily accessible — not stored under a seat or in a dry bag. 

He said deputies are now in the practice of carrying extra life jackets and handing them out to boaters who don’t have enough on board. 

Kootenai County saw only eight reportable vessel crashes last season; statewide, there were 39 such crashes. These include crashes reported to the sheriff’s office where someone was injured or more than $1,500 in damage occurred. 

Marine deputies spent 3,942 hours patrolling the county’s waterways last season. Lake Coeur d’Alene received most of that time, 1,894 hours in total, followed by the Spokane River and Hayden Lake, which saw 825 and 692 hours of patrol time, respectively. 

Miller said law enforcement continually adjusts how those hours are allocated but struck a good balance in 2024. 

“I think we’re finally where we need to be,” he said.