COEUR d'ALENE - Throughout the summer, Lake Coeur d'Alene is in its default state of utter resplendence: 30,000 shiny blue acres of cool, clean water.

It is home to a lucky few, Mecca to some and playground to others, and to students monitoring its health, it's maybe a little bit of a Petri dish: Their job is to find out what's growing there on a microbial level.

IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence students from the University of Idaho and North Idaho College devote their summers to collecting and analyzing water and soil samples from in and around the lake.

"This data represents the first continuous and consistent measurements of local water quality. So in addition to giving us insights into the health of our lakes, streams and beaches now, it also serves as a baseline of comparison to measure change," said Charlene Gibson, science lab manager at University of Idaho-Coeur d'Alene, where students test their samples.

The Idaho INBRE program is a network of 10 institutions in Idaho. INBRE aims to impact public health by enhancing Idaho's competitiveness for research funds and by preparing the next generation's scientists.

INBRE students have been monitoring local water quality for three years.

INBRE intern Jeni Dillon earned her associate's degree from North Idaho College and is concurrently enrolled at the University of Idaho, entering her junior year this fall. She has been testing for E. coli, nitrates, phosphorus, pH and turbidity on Coeur d'Alene beach.

So far this summer, things look pretty good for lake users.

"Nitrate and phosphate levels have remained below our detection level throughout the summer, and E. coli numbers are consistently low, even after high traffic events such as Ironman and July Fourth," she reported.

Dillon is majoring in dietetics/nutrition, but sees value in her water quality research.

"Having professional laboratory experience has strengthened my research skills, which will give me the upper hand both in future classes and in my chosen field," she said.

Dillon and the other INBRE students are aware of the broader implications and impact of their work.

Jim Hagenbarth, a junior in environmental science at U-Idaho Coeur d'Alene, completed his first two years at NIC. This summer he is taking weekly water samples from two local streams, testing for total phosphorous, nitrates, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, E. coli and coliform.

"I think the overall health of our waters are of paramount importance to all who live and visit our area," Hagenbarth said. "By testing and checking for possible issues, we can hopefully stop potential problems before they reach toxic levels. This will ensure healthy water to drink and play in for many years to come."

INBRE student Earnest Davies is monitoring the physical, chemical and biological pollutants in Lake Fernan. Davies is a sophomore at NIC and plans to major in environmental science.

"Among the things we test for are nutrient content such as nitrates and phosphorous, the presences of biological organisms such as coliform and E. coli, PH, turbidity and dissolved oxygen content, all of which are indicators of the health of aquatic ecosystems," Davies said.

INBRE student Sarah Chappell is taking soil samples at six different sites along Lake Coeur d'Alene - from Coeur d'Alene to Harrison - testing the levels of heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead and zinc.

Chappell is a recent NIC graduate entering a geological engineering program at Montana Tech in Butte. With her degree, she is likely to someday work with, or within, the mining industry, she said.

"Seeing the hazardous wastes that mining can produce will keep me conscious of environmental hazards," Chappell said.

"This internship gave me professional experience working with heavy metals in a lab environment," Chappell added. "Monitoring for heavy metals is essential to ensure the viability of all organisms living in or around the lake."

INBRE students are presenting the results of their research at the 10th Annual INBRE Summer Research Conference this week, which runs through Wednesday at the University Inn, Moscow.

Donna Emert is with University of Idaho communications.