Hayden Lake is a beautiful and popular lake in our region, but it’s increasingly troubled. Kootenai Environmental Alliance has launched the multi-pronged Hayden lake Project as a concentrated effort to conserve the resource, restore water quality and protect the lake from current and future threats.
In 1998, Hayden Lake was deemed a water body with threatened water quality under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, with phosphorous being identified as the significant pollutant of concern. Phosphorus pollution creates excess nutrient loading which affects cold water aquatic life by reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen available. Phosphorous sources include sediment and runoff generated by:
logging
new development in and around the watershed
shoreline septic systems
storm water
detergents containing phosphorous
ashes from campfires and forest fires
pet and livestock waste
Our Hayden Lake Project consists of outreach, education, and on-the-water and on-the-ground restoration projects:
Phase 1 – Expand public awareness about Hayden Lake and improve the public’s watershed IQ
Kootenai Environmental Alliance has a very busy land use program, but as a general rule, we don’t weigh in on subdivision applications in Kootenai County. Mostly because we’re a small busy non-profit – there are only so many battles we can fight. The main reason for drawing the line at subdivisions is that under current county code (the subdivision ordinance — a very large pdf), more »
We sent a version of this post to our friends and members earlier this week, and we thought we’d share our thoughts on 2010 here as well. We’ve had a pretty good year at KEA. As this end-of-year letter is being written, the Kootenai County Commissioners are finally completing work on the long-awaited comprehensive plan. As you know, KEA has been involved at every step more »
This posting courtesy of KEA staffer Julie Vanmiddlesworth: The 9th annual Lakes Conference held last Saturday at Spokane Community College revealed that many of Idaho and Washington’s lakes are plagued by common problems. Invasive species and high nutrient levels are degrading the waters of many of our beloved lakes. Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper advocated for a wider approach to Milfoil control in Lake Pend Oreille, more »
Last Thursday, nearly 100 people turned out for KEA’s premier of Karen Hayes’ new documentary film, The Hayden Lake Project which describes in clear and convincing style what is happening to Kootenai County’s largest lake that isn’t Lake Coeur d’Alene. As the clear-eyed film points out, phosphorous is quite literally choking Hayden Lake, which doesn’t have a river outflow to relieve the pollution loads flowing more »
