HAYDEN — As Hayden Lake Watershed Association’s president emeritus Geoff Harvey presented the group’s new kiosk at Honeysuckle Beach, he invited those in attendance to “take a look out at the lake.”

The water was calm, reflecting the clear late-summer sky. A few families dotted the shoreline.

“Our water quality is equal to the best in North Idaho,” Harvey said. “A lot of people did a lot of hard work to deserve this lake.”

A few such people are featured on the new kiosk: Gerald “Gerry” House, who had pushed for protective infrastructure and the formation of HLWA, founding member and “fierce advocate” Gloria Lund and Todd Walker, the current lake manager of over 20 years.

Also featured are safe boating practices and county rules, invasive species and a detailed bathymetric map of Hayden Lake. A lifejacket loaner station is set up on the other side of the kiosk.

“This is what we hope people take away with them when they visit the lake,” said HLWA president Jan Wilkins.

Wilkins emphasized the importance of preventing the introduction of quagga mussels into Hayden Lake, an invasive species that has been identified in southern Idaho.

“It falls on us to think of ways to keep that invasion out of our lake,” Wilkins said.

HLWA also created brochures.

“An educated public will come to care for this beautiful place,” Wilkins said.

Mary Ann Stoll, spokesperson for the Hayden Lake Watershed Improvement District, said it was a phenomenal ground-up citizen effort to create the bathymetric map that offers an underwater look at the lake.

“I’m proud to have been a part of making this available to the public," she said.

HLWA plans to continue providing educational resources.

“This is a very positive achievement,” Wilkins said. “We look forward to many more.”

    The new informational kiosk at Honeysuckle Beach includes information on safe boating practices and county rules, invasive species, a bathymetric map of Hayden Lake, and tributes to the 'pioneers and leaders' in the preservation of the lake.
  

    The new kiosk at Honeysuckle Beach also features a life jacket loaner station.