OUR GEM: Love Our Lake Week begins July 13
Each summer, thousands of people come to Lake Coeur d’Alene to swim, fish, boat and paddle. Love Our Lake Week, set for July 13-17, invites residents and visitors to celebrate the lake and learn more about the science, history and stewardship efforts that help protect it. Participation will enter you in a raffle for a boat rental which will be drawn Friday, July 17.
The weeklong series of public events is organized by the Our Gem Collaborative, a partnership of scientists, educators, local governments, nonprofits and community leaders working together to support lake health through education, outreach and stewardship. Partners include the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, the Kootenai Environmental Alliance and Kootenai County.
Lake Coeur d’Alene is one of North Idaho’s most treasured places. It is also part of a complex watershed shaped by more than a century of mining in the Silver Valley, along with vast changes in the landscape that supported the mining history. Decades of cleanup, restoration and monitoring have produced measurable progress in parts of the watershed and local partners continue working to better understand the lake and guide future protection efforts.
Present-day development and recreation continue to put pressure on Lake Coeur d’Alene’s health. “At its core, Love Our Lake Week is about connecting people to the lake and to each other,” said Jamie Brunner, Coeur d’Alene Lake Management Supervisor for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. “It’s a reminder that protecting the lake is not just the responsibility of one agency or one organization alone. It takes informed and engaged communities. We all have a part to play.”
Love Our Lake Week is designed to make these topics approachable, engaging and fun for all ages. Events will highlight lake science, watershed awareness, cultural connections to the lake and practical ways people can support clean water.
Event schedule:
Monday, July 13, 9-11 a.m., McEuen Park Pavilion: “Coffee Talk: A Simple Look at a Complicated Lake.”
Tuesday, July 14, 6-8 p.m., Vantage Point Brewing: “Watershed and Lake Trivia.”
Wednesday, July 15, 5-8 p.m.: “Our Gem joins Music at McEuen,” featuring a guest appearance by the Rose Creek Singers from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe during a popular downtown summer event.
Thursday, July 16, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., “Cheamkwet Park: Cultural and Ecological Talks,” (NIC Beach/Dike Road) will include talks on sturgeon nose canoe building by Coeur d’Alene Tribal members, aquatic invasive species prevention, a native plant presentation, and Cougar Bay restoration highlights. Bring your own canoe, kayak or paddle board for a self-guided paddle of Cougar Bay after the talks.
Friday, July 17, 9 a.m.-noon, Harbor Center: “Love Our Lake Activities,” with family-friendly learning stations on lake science, watershed awareness and ways to protect our local waters.
Community members are encouraged to attend whichever events fit their schedule. The week is meant to show that protecting water quality is a shared responsibility and that everyday actions matter.
For more information visit iwrri.uidaho.edu/ourgem.