COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — A comprehensive study of more than 30 beaches throughout the Coeur d’Alene Basin has found that most locations on Lake Coeur d’Alene are safe for swimming and family recreation, despite decades of toxic metal contamination from upstream mining operations.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Lake Coeur d’Alene beach safety: New study tests for mining contaminants after 20-year gap
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality released results showing that most sampled locations had low metal contamination levels that are not concerning for public safety.
“Everyone wants to know that there that it’s safe to to continue to enjoy all the areas around the lake. And so it’s good news, to, to see what we thought we, we thought we knew it to be true,” said Dan McCracken, Regional Administrator for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
The study represents the first comprehensive examination of beach safety in more than 20 years. Researchers tested for metals like lead and arsenic, which can be harmful to human health when present in elevated concentrations.
“We know with the history of mining in the upper Coeur d’Alene Basin that we expect to see elevated concentrations of metals,” McCracken said. “It’s been over 20 years since we really did a comprehensive study.”
The contamination stems from decades of silver mining east of the lake, which sent toxic metals downstream and affected popular recreational areas. However, the new findings show that cleanup efforts since the 1990s have successfully reduced contamination levels in some areas.
While most of Lake Coeur d’Alene tested safe, areas upstream closer to mining sites continue to show elevated metal levels since the 1990s. These locations have been marked with signs indicating public safety risks.
“Where most caution is warranted is the lower Coeur d’Alene River upstream of Harrison, and then up the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River above Enaville,” McCracken said.
The study also tested open water sites and found them all safe for swimming and water activities.
The research provides updated safety information as families continue to enjoy popular destinations like Sanders Beach for swimming and recreational activities during the summer months.
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