Lakes and rivers in Kootenai and Spokane counties have seen a rise in drownings.

According to data gleaned from water rescue teams in Spokane and Kootenai counties, fatal drownings increased from six in 2025 to 11 so far in 2026. Of those drownings, nine bodies were recovered and two are still missing.

“In my opinion, every drowning is preventable,” said Jeanette Laster, a Coeur d’Alene-based Scouting America Aquatics Director, which operates under National Camp accreditation programs. “Whether that be someone who overestimated their skills and wearing their life jacket, or alcohol related.” 

In Kootenai County alone, there are 18 lakes and 54 miles of riverway. Among them, there have so far been five fatal drownings in 2026. 

The most recent drownings involved a late August incident in which a 13-year-old boy died in the Spokane River in Post Falls, as well as a 36-year-old Spokane resident fatally drowning at Coeur d’Alene’s City Beach earlier that month.

This year has also seen eight total boat crashes, according to stats provided by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office. Among these incidents, one was fatal, four had injuries beyond first aid, and three were non-injurious.

On water safety, Laster said there needs to be more focus on advocacy, education, boat training and preventive measures like life jackets.

“It’s the law,” she said. “But people disregard it because they grew up on the lake.”

PATROL

Mark Ellis, a Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, said the sheriff’s office has a dedicated marine enforcement section of 10 patrol boats and four personal watercraft, which enforce all maritime state laws and county ordinances.

Kootenai County has more than 24,000 registered boaters, the largest number in Idaho.

“Marine operates year-round but is at maximum deployment May 1 through Sept. 15 of each year,” Ellis said. “At maximum deployment, the section employs one full-time sergeant, two full-time deputies, and seasonal deputies.”

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Recreation Safety Section is charged with maintaining an active dive rescue team and SONAR team, Ellis said. 

On average, the dive team responds to two dozen calls per year and is on call for rescue or recovery operations at all times, he said. 

“The dive team consists of 13 divers and four shore support personnel. The divers train year-round in various environments,” Ellis said. “The divers are trained in boat operations, swift water rescue, surface ice rescue, sub-surface ice diving, night-diving operations, and can dive to 100 feet.” 

The SONAR Team is a sophisticated scientific team of nine members who operate a dedicated vessel with side-scan SONAR via a tow cable, Ellis said. The team utilizes the equipment to conduct underwater searches at depths too deep for divers. The searches range from victims of drowning to sunken vessels and lost equipment. 

The SONAR team also uses a remotely operated vehicle. The ROV operates much like a drone, only underwater. The ROV is used to recover drowning victims and items that are too deep and dangerous for divers to go. 

“The SONAR team trains year-round in all conditions in order to better prepare for responses in the many seasons of North Idaho and the region,” Ellis said. “They specifically train in search patterns, GPS positioning, boat operations, ROV manipulation, underwater topography, and triangulation of witness accounts on the water.”

EDUCATION

The leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 is drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 5 to 14 is also drowning.

“This isn’t just a one-agency, one-town problem,” Laster said of drownings. “This is a community culture problem.” 

Laster said parents in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene should enter their children into swim programs, like at the Kroc Center, to better ensure their swimming skills, especially in the choppy waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Laster also said people should utilize community safety rodeos and take advantage of free life jacket handouts.

Ellis said boaters need to educate themselves on laws and responsibilities and can do so by reading the handbook of Idaho boating laws and responsibilities found at https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/idaho-handbook-entire.pdf.

“We only have so many sheriff’s deputies and so many police,” Laster said. “So, parents need to be aware of the resources that they get for free.”