Status: In Progress

Location

Wetlands habitats along the Coeur d’Alene River corridor in Kootenai County, Idaho.

Background

Wetlands in the Coeur d’Alene River floodplain are affected by a legacy of mine waste contamination including metals that are harmful to waterfowl and other wildlife. Wetlands habitats have also been altered with ditches and drains for agricultural development. There is a need to identify, conserve, and restore sites with strong potential to provide high quality wetlands habitat for waterfowl, especially locations where birds can feed without experiencing lead poisoning.

Plans

The project will conserve agricultural properties that may be converted to productive clean wetland habitat for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife. Conservation easements will be used to protect the properties and allow for future cleanup by EPA (where needed) and restoration to convert drained agricultural lands into productive functioning wetlands. Three landowners have expressed interest in establishing conservation easements on their property. These agricultural properties are priorities due to low levels of contamination, low recontamination potential, and high waterfowl use.

Benefits

The project will conserve properties to protect wetlands habitat values and to provide future opportunities for remediation and restoration. Ultimately, this will result in productive, clean wetland habitat that will provide habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife.

Contact

Brittany Morlin
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office
3232 W. Nursery Road
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815
brittany_morlin@fws.gov

Sponsor

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partners

Inland Northwest Land Conservancy