Preserving our beautiful natural resources

Reserve your seats for the September Upbeat Breakfast

The area’s ecosystems provide essential services that support human well-being, from clean air and water to food production and climate regulation.

OUR GEM: Restoration Partnership selects Coeur d’Alene Basin restoration projects

The Restoration Partnership is excited to announce that 10 projects have been selected in 2024 to address natural resource injuries or services lost due to the release of mine waste contamination in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. Many of the projects will start in this year.

OUR GEM: EPA’s Superfund Job Training Initiative coming to Bunker Hill

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Job Training Initiative, or SuperJTI, supports job readiness programs in communities affected by nearby Superfund sites and encourages the employment of trainees at local site cleanups.

Hands-on science connects youth to their community

It is that time of year again for North Idaho’s premier High School water research event. Students from five regional schools will participate in an all-day event they have prepared for the entire year. This unique program connects students with their watershed in the hope they will help figure out answers to some of our most concerning water quality issues in the region.

Outdoor watering solutions can save water, give you more time to enjoy life

Water is vital to the beauty and economic well-being of our region. We love our lakes, rivers, and the aquifer that provides clean, safe drinking water.

Coeur d'Alene Basin bull trout

The Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation (OSC) is dedicated to planning, coordinating and implementing the State’s actions to preserve, protect and restore species listed as candidate, threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Healthy soils protect our water

Public awareness about soil health has increased in recent years, and more people from outside of ranching and farming communities have learned about the role that soil plays in our world. Since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, government entities like the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have been implementing soil health initiatives. Understanding the complex interactions between soil, human health, and environmental quality is essential for sustainable land and water management.

Monitoring Idaho's water bodies

Idaho is well-recognized for its scenic streams, rivers and lakes, with abundant water recreation opportunities that attract visitors from around the globe.

Fascinating physical properties of water

When temperatures dive below zero degrees Fahrenheit, why not Mambo, or rather, why not Mpemba! The “Mpemba Effect” is a technical term for hot water freezing faster than cold water given otherwise similar conditions.

Watercraft inspection stations protecting Idaho

All watercraft in Idaho must have an Invasive Species Fund sticker prior to launching on Idaho waters, so what is so important about this sticker? The stickers are sold by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, the funds then go directly to the Idaho Department of Agriculture’s Invasive Species Program.

Gas prices continue to fall

The Gem State, which often ranks between seventh and ninth place in the country for most expensive fuel, ranks 29th

U of I Coeur d’Alene’s Idaho Water Resource Research Institute Welcomes Two New Staffers

Two new employees have joined the Idaho Water Resource Research Institute staff at University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene.

Surveys show Kootenai County residents prioritize open space preservation

Preservation of open space could provide many wonderful attributes such as connecting trails, providing recreational opportunities, protecting drinking water, and preventing over-utilization of the wastewater treatment plants and water districts in our area.

Coeur d’Alene Lake Management, moving forward

The health of Coeur d’Alene Lake and its trajectory have received a lot of attention over the last few years.

El Niño and snow in the Idaho Panhandle

Many people observed the lack of snow at our beloved ski resorts around the Idaho Panhandle this past fall to early winter and asked, “Where is the snow?” Some might suggest it’s the result of El Niño, but what does that mean? This article describes what El Niño is, weather conditions it often produces, and the effects El Niño may have on our snowpack.

What is the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission?

In 1983, the United States Environmental Protection Agency listed the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex in Northern Idaho as a Superfund site due to the high level of heavy metals that had been released into the environment by mining operations.

Leading Idaho for Coeur d'Alene Lake

Beginning in 2021, Idaho Governor Brad Little began allocating funds for projects that reduce phosphorus loading to Coeur d’Alene Lake under the Leading Idaho Initiative. Since then, a total of $33 million has been allocated for this purpose.

Citizen Coordinating Council

What does citizen engagement mean?

Fall leaves: Putting nutrients in their place

The vibrant colors of fall leaves are a beauty to behold every year in our region. The stunning display marks the end of summer and transition into winter. The leaves of fall provide more than just aesthetics, however.

OPINION: Party on — Gem State heist

Last week I wrote about the need for political parties because they bring stability to our Republican form of government and how that stability is under threat from the Uniparty.