ICL looking for summer water quality stewards

Water levels on Lake Pend Oreille began rising April 1 — the first indication that winter is over and summer is on its way.

Along with the warmer weather and higher water levels also comes the beginning of the Idaho Conservation League’s volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program. Through this program, volunteers — known as water quality stewards — monitor stations around the lake once a month from May through September to collect various samples.

“Each sample collected throughout the summer is sent to a nearby lab and tested for water quality indicators like temperature, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and E. coli, to name a few,” said ICL member Karissa Huntsman. “By collecting water samples from consistent locations, we gain invaluable insights into the condition of both the water and its shorelines.”

This program, she added, is a crucial part of ICL’s broader North Idaho Lakes Program, which focuses on protecting the waters of the Idaho Panhandle from degradation, pollution and poor land use management.

The stewards serve as extra sets of eyes, letting staff know if they see trash in the waterways, growth of noxious weeds or toxic algae bloom, or evidence of poorly managed shoreline development. By tracking these various indicators of water quality, Huntsman said ICL can better understand what factors are impacting the lake.

“We are grateful for the water stewards who come back year after year to monitor water quality,” said ICL North Idaho director Jennifer Ekstrom. “They are the backbone of the program which provides valuable scientific data that is used to identify and correct pollution problems.”

This summer will be ICL’s third year managing the program after taking it over from Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper, which ran it for 10 years prior.

“Each year, we learn so much from our sampling — from identifying areas of impact to refining our monitoring methods,” Huntsman said.

ICL added four new sampling stations last summer at Camp Bay, Kootenai Bay, Oden Bay and Sand Creek, creating a total of 15 stations across the lake. Each new location was selected through close collaboration with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, which uses ICL’s data to make management decisions that protect water quality, Huntsman said. Staff are still working with IDEQ to finalize this year’s new station sites.

“Science aside, my favorite part of this program is getting to know our water quality stewards,” Huntsman said. “Each comes to us with unique interests and perspectives that positively contribute to the program’s overall success. I am continuously inspired by their dedication to the community and the natural resources that we all benefit from.”

Last fall, ICL’s stewards received what Huntsman said was much-deserved recognition as honorees for the Governor Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year Award. This March, they were honored in person with the presentation of a beautiful trophy to honor their stewardship.

Many of ICL’s past stewards are returning once again this year, but Huntsman said there are still a few seats open for interested parties.

Volunteer training sessions will be held May 1 and 8, but Huntsman said that attending a session does not require a commitment to serve as a steward this year — anyone can come and learn more about the program.

“If you are interested, we encourage you to attend, learn how the sampling works, and meet our returning volunteers,” she said.

A substitute steward option is also available for those who would like to be a steward but are unable to commit to one day every month of monitoring a station. Substitutes can be called when a regular steward has something come up and is unable to make it to their day of testing.

“No scientific background is required,” Ekstrom added. “Participants do need to have a kayak, boat or other watercraft in order to participate. It's a great excuse to get out on the water and give back to our community.”

Visit bit.ly/3w2onGs to learn more about being a steward.