COEUR d'ALENE — Divers and volunteers spent Tuesday morning pulling broken glass, cans, tires, phones and scrap metal from Lake Coeur d'Alene  at Tubbs Hill.

Captain Austin Munda, owner of Marine Rescue Coeur d'Alene, organized the cleanup and was pleased with the turnout.

"Everyone comes together to care about this community and the lake," he said. 

Munda called the cleanup a "labor of love" and believes it is the community's job to keep the lake healthy.

"Taking care of the lake is one of our jobs. We need to make sure the fish and the lake are in good health," he said. 

Divers manually filled lightweight refuse bags and used float bags to lift large or heavy trash. The bags are attached to an item and then inflated to create buoyancy and lift the object from the bottom of the lake. 

Divers were careful not to disturb the lake bottom to avoid stirring up heavy lead that sits at the bottom from Silver Valley mining of long ago.

The ultimate goal of the project was simple: clean up the lake and ensure safety for those who use it. 

"Keeping the lake clean for recreational use and keeping the lake safe," said Cristin Wondergem.

A team of around 25 volunteers assisted in the cleanup, as did several others who took trash bags to collect garbage on Tubbs Hill and loaded them into a trailer provided by Huber Trailer Sales for transport to the dump. The company plans to cover any associated dumping fees or similar costs and to volunteer to help with the cleanup. 

"It makes you feel wonderful. I am blessed to have a family business, and it is nice to give back. I want to make this place safer," said Cody Huber, current owner of Huber Trailer Sales.

The dive team was made up of two recovery divers from Marine Rescue Coeur d'Alene and seven volunteer divers. Volunteers even used Marine Rescue Coeur d'Alene's underwater drone to help scout for potential refuse to clean up.   

Lauren Wright, a volunteer diver, saw the cleanup as an opportunity to sharpen her skills and help the community. 

"It was fun, it's nice to clean up trash," she said. "It's nice to dive and have a job to do."

There are plans for more cleanups. For now, the focus is on the Boardwalk-Tubbs Hill area.

Divers were shocked at some of the items they pulled from the bottom. There was even an active search for a full porcelain toilet that volunteers had seen from past cleanups. 

Shoes, new phones, designer glasses and swimming goggles were among the items divers said they would remember finding, but many were surprised by how much trash they were able to find and pull up.

"Just use a trashcan. That's what they are there for," said Brandon Helbling, a diver with Marine Rescue Coeur d'Alene.

    Community volunteers help pull vintage tires from Lake Coeur d'Alene.
  

    Captain Austin Munda holds up his underwater drone that was used to aid in the cleanup effort on Tuesday.