SANDPOINT — Lake level management is once again on the Sandpoint City Council agenda following major announcements by the Idaho Lakes Commission last week.

If authorized by council members, the measure will amend a previous resolution requesting that decision-makers on lake level management consider local economic, recreational and property value interests equally along with other considerations. Proposed by Councilwoman Shannon Williamson, the amendment consists of some minor language changes designed to mitigate impacts to recovering Kokanee populations and shoreline stability.  

The city of Sandpoint was one of the many entities, organizations and individuals that voiced concern to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bonneville Power Administration and the Idaho Lakes Commission about proposals to shorten the full summer lake pool for improved bull trout breeding. While BPA officials said they’d taken drawdown of the lake before Labor Day off the table in negotiations with the Kalispel Indian Tribe until the accord is revisited in 2022, locals are still concerned about the economic effect of a shortened full pool season.

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