When I first started working to protect water quality in Lake Pend Oreille in 2009, our community was highly concerned about herbicides being sprayed in the water in attempts by public agencies to eradicate eurasian watermilfoil. In subsequent years, flowering rush was added as another targeted aquatic invasive weed. People were concerned about the impacts the chemical herbicides might have on human health and aquatic life, and also about the dearth of information available to the public prior to the chemicals being added to the water. Chemicals were being applied near drinking water intakes and public beaches with very little public notification.
Due to endless pressure, endlessly applied by the Idaho Conservation League and Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper (which I worked for at the time), we gained cooperation and agreements from the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) to avoid using the most toxic herbicides (like 2,4-D) and to steer clear from applying herbicides near drinking water intakes and swimming areas.
We also worked hard to gain a common understanding with ISDA and the contracted applicators that in a water system as large as Lake Pend Oreille, eradication was a futile notion. At best, invasive weeds could be managed, but never fully eradicated. Weed control by means of bottom barriers or diver pulling could be used to maintain boat paths, docks, and swimming areas with no risk to public health. We established effective communication with the applicators and ISDA, and even assisted with a weed survey that was part of the planning process for deciding how to best control the weeds.
Upon returning to the work of protecting North Idaho’s great lakes after a decade out of the area, last summer I again began receiving phone calls from community members concerned about herbicide application. Pamphlets had been posted on docks and shorelines indicating that chemicals would be applied to the water near the shoreline in order to kill these same weeds.
After a hiatus of the activity, both ISDA and the Army Corps of Engineers had resumed applying herbicides to both flowering rush and eurasian watermilfoil with very little public warning. We shared our community’s concerns with the agencies and the chemical applicators. We were assured that extra care would be taken in the future to better inform the public, and that partners including the Idaho Conservation League would be included in aquatic invasive species planning for 2024 and beyond.
We were disappointed with the very short lead time these agencies gave about a public meeting which was held on June 6th, 2024. ISDA, the Corps, and Bonner County gave presentations to a largely empty room, which was in sharp contrast to the level of interest our community had previously expressed. If public awareness of this meeting was raised sooner, we believe more community members would have turned out—including ICL advocates that we would have engaged and mobilized.
Both agencies are planning to apply chemicals to the water again this summer. Protections for bull trout, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, restrict the timeframe of application to July 15th through August 31st. Weed surveys will occur in late June, and ISDA is planning to give a 24-hour dockside notice before applying chemicals this year. A 14-day notification will be given for those who hold water rights.
We are pleased to be assured that City Beach in Sandpoint continues to be treated with diver pulling, and that the agreement made years ago to avoid chemicals in the high use swim area has persisted! We are committed to doing all we can to keep our community informed. You can learn more about ISDA’s plan here.
Some of our goals include:
- discontinue use of the most toxic chemicals
- ensure that drinking water intakes are avoided
- reduce the amount of acreage of chemical application
- have agencies re-acknowledge that eradication is not possible, to ensure they don’t maximize application rates trying to achieve the impossible
- urge the agencies to focus on using alternative methods of control, including bottom barriers and hand pulling where appropriate
- ensure the public is informed and has robust opportunity to voice concerns prior to chemical applications
You are welcome to express your immediate concerns to:
- Idaho State Department of Agriculture – Jeremey Varley 208.993.0950 or Jeremey.Varley@isda.idaho.gov
- Army Corps of Engineers – Taylor Johnson 208.597.4565 or taylor.m.johnson@usace.army.gov
Stay tuned for more from ICL this summer as we continue our work to protect the iconic waters of Idaho’s panhandle. Or, make sure you don’t miss a beat by signing up for our North Idaho Waters email updates!