The 2025 Our Gem Speaker Series will host four virtual webinars monthly from January through April. The series is a virtual opportunity to engage the community with crucial water-related topics specific to the Coeur d’Alene region. Preregistration is required.

The first of four talks will be Jan. 28. Dr. Meg Wolf, assistant director for University of Idaho’s Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, will lead a discussion highlighting the 2024 Bay Watchers Annual Report, water quality monitoring in the bays of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

The Bay Watchers, a citizen science group organized by IWRRI, conducted monthly water quality monitoring across 12  bays in Lake Coeur d’Alene this summer. Led by Mike Wood, the program involved local volunteers collecting data on key water quality indicators, such as temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH, as well as measuring water clarity using Secchi Disk readings. IWRRI intern Alex Kienow assisted with sample collection and Wolf worked with Lindsey Beacham to analyze the data. They integrated this year’s results into an annual report, comparing them with historical data to highlight trends. Wolf will present these findings and insights from the report. 

On Feb. 25, Lauren Zinsser, a supervisory hydrologist and water-quality specialist at the USGS, will discuss the long-term trends in metals and nutrients guide remediation and demonstrate success at a northern Idaho Superfund site. Over a century of mining in northern Idaho's Silver Valley has led to widespread metals contamination in the Coeur d'Alene River watershed, resulting in its designation as a Superfund site and extensive remediation efforts.

The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, has collected surface water quality data for over 35 years to guide remediation and assess environmental changes. Key contaminants include mining-related lead and zinc. Long-term trend analysis reveals significant declines in lead and zinc concentrations, especially in the upper watershed, though the lower watershed remains a source of lead. In addition, phosphorus data offer insights into dynamic watershed processes affecting nutrient delivery to Lake Coeur d'Alene. This long-term dataset indicates that remedial actions have improved water quality in the watershed while also pointing to areas for future work. 

On March 25, Doug Evans, a natural resources specialist with the Bureau of Land Management, will present on the restoration of the Cougar Bay wetlands. Located at the mouth of the Cougar Creek watershed on Lake Coeur d’Alene, these wetlands have been significantly altered over time by grading, channelization and development, resulting in a wetland dominated by invasive reed canary grass.

The restoration project, supported by the Coeur d’Alene Basin Restoration Partnership, includes creating off-channel ponds, restoring wetland hydrology and managing reed canary grass. The project aims to improve wetland functions, preserve aquatic habitats, enhance water quality in Lake Coeur d'Alene and promote biodiversity. 

The final talk in the series will be April 29. Suzanne Scheidt, chief operating officer at the North Kootenai Water District, will present on the district's innovative approach to water supply reliability and conservation.

NKWD, which serves over 11,300 people across 200 square miles, sources its water from 26 wells tapping the Spokane Valley Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, as well as Hayden Lake and Lake Coeur d’Alene. The district has implemented advanced metering infrastructure, replacing manual and radio-read meters with cellular endpoints for real-time data transmission and leak detection. Following a successful pilot project, which showed a 12% reduction in water usage, NKWD expects to save 392.8 acre-feet (128 million gallons) of water annually. 

To learn more about each speaker and topic, and to register for the talks visit: uidaho.edu/OurGem 

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The Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative is a team of committed and passionate professionals working to preserve lake health and protect water quality by promoting community awareness of local water resources through education, outreach and stewardship. Our Gem includes local experts from the University of Idaho — Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce and Kootenai County.