North Idaho Mining and its environmental issues (Coeur d'Alene, Kellogg: rental, homes)

[Alphapha]

Hi I was wondering for those who live in CDA or nearby what your thoughts are on the current state of the toxins left from the mining era. Are there any articles out there discussing it? I read an article with no date Pollution in paradise - High Country News . I thought maybe there might be some new info.

[elkotronics]

Alphapha - I know from friends in mining country, the Silver Valley, they are hateful of the EPA's continued presence and are very doubtful there is anything left toxic. For example, concerning Lake Coeur d' Alene, they feel that any toxins dumped into the lake have fallen so far down underneath everything up above and that they have settled for good way, way down at the bottom of the lake, never to return up again.

And a lot of the toxins that kept the hills around Kellogg, ID, brown for decades have now turned green from re-planting and the sludge is under the ground, much of it they feel covered by ash from Mt. St. Helens. So all of that land is no longer toxic to them.

I tend to take the position more in the middle, that there do exist potential toxic areas in north Idaho that could be stirred up and cause health concerns. But as a general concern, the homes in the Silver Valley have had their yards refurbished with clean soil years ago.

In short, move here if you like. I don't feel that those of us in north Idaho are in danger with our general health on a day-to-day basis. We need to watch out for runaway Hertz rental trucks, tainted food, etc., sugar diabetes, cancer, the stupidity of smoking in this day and age, etc., much more closely. Do what we can to watch our health, control what we have under our control.

[Alphapha]

Thanks Elktronics, your opinion sounds logical to me. Do you or others fish in lake CDA and if so do you limit the amount you eat from there or from other nearby lakes?

[elkotronics]

Alphapha, we need input from others as I'm not a fisherman. Someone else frequently the Idaho forums should know, though.

[Shaner]

I dont, but I only eat ocean fish. Friends do and they have no issues.

[lovecda]

My brother in law led a study regarding the pollution in Coeur d'Alene lake for work towards his masters in environmental toxins, and the final conclusion they came to was that toxins from mining do still exist in the lake, but that they're buried so far under sediment, they're harmless and that digging to clean up would only have the potential to stir them back into the water.

I trust that; it makes sense.

As far as fishing, there are no warnings against eating fish in the lake. There are plenty of people who eat the fish, and I haven't heard of a problem from it. Also, most of the fish you'd catch are new stock. They've been stocking it with ~10,000 fish twice a year for the past several years, so you're not generally going to be catching something that has been in the lake for really long periods of time. Idaho Fish & Game Historical Stocking

I am aware of a study that was done of several fish species in 2003, and they decided their results were "inconclusive" regarding human consumption, because they took a relatively small sample size, and they couldn't be certain what parts of the fish people were going to be eating--organs from fish in contaminated bodies of water will have more toxins than fillets from the same fish. Still, no levels fell into anything remotely considered inedible.

I did find a 1986 article where the EPA did a study and said the fish were safe for consumption, and that was 26 years ago, so contaminants have gotten buried even further since then. Spokane Chronicle - Google News Archive Search

The only thing I could find in searching today that said "don't eat the fish" was from a website called "Silver Valley Action." Reading their website, I got the impression that they're more interested in driving a clean-up agenda than anything else, and they didn't seem to have any data specifically on eating the fish, they just said it wasn't recommended. That page is here: silvervalleyaction.com - Tourism Concerns

[ejay]

https://www.hcn.org/issues/51.11/pol...of-north-idaho
https://www.spokaneriverkeeper.org/r...d-and-the-ugly
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle...valley-mining/
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/id-wate...center_objects

One should consider these things before moving here. It’s not just the lake it’s also the soils around the lakes and rivers. Especially the St Joe and Cda river. Childhood cancers are on the rise in the area. We also have radon gas here too. Make sure you understand and know the risks to your family. As I see it your all being misled. And they are charging you way too much for land that could be worthless in the future. The epa wants to dredge the lake. The tribe wants its lake back to the way it was. I spend a lot of time in nature taking photos and I have seen the dead swans. Spoken to the game wardens about the poison to the animals. We shoot those ducks. And catch those fish. I won’t haven’t for at least a good 20 years. There is a reason people were leaving the silver valley. And why locals would not buy there. And now the prices up there are crazy. You take a risk with your health and your families living up there. Be careful where and what you buy your health depends on it. And also where you recreate it matters. All that dust your inhaling following your buddies on atv or utv can be laced with toxic stuff.

[ejay]

There was zero reason to move my post to this thread. Your doing the folks who are moving here a disservice. They should be told about the dangers of the lake that they have all fell in love with. It’s not such a rosy picture. With all the new boat traffic on the lake these sediments get into the water and on beaches. The lake is a danger The tribe is trying to warn all of us here. The state of Idaho is not cutting it. The epa needs to step in and fix the problem like they did in Kellogg. City data has done zero testing on lake court d alene. And should not be encouraging anyone to move to a hazardous waste site. If it’s so safe why are birds dying every year of poisoning. My son has brain cancer he’s 8 years old I spen a lot of time at sacred heart I talk to the doctors about these things and also risk factors for him and our family. Swimming in that lake is a risk my family no longer takes. You should at least be made aware. You think the town of cda is going to tell you it’s not safe? Look at all the money they will lose. No one will come here for vacation. I don’t blame them. Your potentially putting your future child’s life at risk.

[ejay]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...o-governor-or/
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...e-coeur-dalen/
https://www.lung.org/media/press-rel...as-some-of-the
The lake and pollution is a real problem here. And the local government wants to keep it quiet.

[ejay]

https://publicdocuments.dhw.idaho.go...DOCUMENTS&cr=1

There is a recommendation from the state to limit how many fish you consume from lake cda. Your swimming in that water too. So how do you not get contaminated when the fish clearly are? The post made above my posts says there is no limit on eating fish . I just proved they are wrong with the states very own recommendations. That post should be corrected. Your quick to correct my posts and I’m providing evidence of what I am saying. There is no excuse for the city to not warn residents of dangers of the lake we all thought was safe. But are finding out that they have been less than truthful to the dangers lurking below.