2025 Our Gem Speaker Series features North Idaho water experts

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — University of Idaho’s Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI) will host the 2025 Our Gem Speaker Series, where North Idaho experts will discuss crucial water-related topics with far-reaching impacts.

The online series will take place at noon Pacific time on the last Tuesday of each month from January through April. Community members can virtually engage with experts presenting reports on North Idaho’s water quality, metal and nutrient remediation, wetlands restoration, and water supply reliability and conservation.

IWRRI Director Kendra Kaiser said the speaker series is a unique opportunity for community members across the region to connect with scientists and professionals leading the way in addressing North Idaho’s water quality challenges.

“The speaker series is relevant to a broad audience beyond North Idaho as well. Learning about how one community is tackling a water resource issue can inspire research ideas and action in other locations while providing connections to local experts,” Kaiser said. “We are excited to bring together experts across disciplines to share the latest research, practical solutions and real-world impacts of our ongoing efforts to protect and preserve this invaluable resource in North Idaho and beyond.”

Speakers are as follows:

• Jan. 28: Meg Wolf, assistant director for IWRRI, will discuss findings and insights from the 2024 Bay Watchers Annual Report. Local volunteers collect data on key water quality indicators, as well as measure water clarity, in 12 locations on Lake Coeur d’Alene. The 2024 report compares findings with historical data to highlight trends.
• Feb. 25: Lauren Zinsser, a supervisory hydrologist and water-quality specialist at the U.S. Geological Survey, will examine long-term trends in lead and zinc remediation and discuss successes at the Silver Valley superfund site in the Coeur d’Alene River Watershed. After over 35 years of data collection, the USGS and the Environmental Protection Agency found significant declines in lead and zinc concentration. Zinsser will also discuss phosphorus data revealing dynamic watershed processes impacting nutrient delivery to Lake Coeur d’Alene. This long-term dataset indicates that remedial actions improved water quality in the watershed while indicating areas for future work.
• March 25: Doug Evans, a natural resources specialist with the Bureau of Land Management, will present on the Cougar Bay wetlands restoration. These wetlands at the mouth of the Cougar Creek watershed on Lake Coeur d’Alene were significantly altered by grading, channelization and development, resulting in a wetland dominated by invasive reed canary grass. The restoration project includes creating off-channel ponds, restoring wetland conditions and managing reed canary grass. The project aims to improve wetland functions, preserve aquatic habitats, enhance water quality in the lake and promote biodiversity.
• April 29: Suzanne Scheidt, chief operating officer at the North Kootenai Water District, will present on the district’s innovative approach to water supply reliability and conservation. The district upgraded its manual and radio-read water meters to a new system that uses cellular technology. This allows for real-time data transmission and helps detect leaks quickly. Following a successful pilot project, showing a 12% reduction in water usage, the district expects to save 392.8 acre-feet (128 million gallons) of water annually.

To register for the talks and learn more about each speaker, visit uidaho.edu/OurGem. Pre-registration is required.

The Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative is a committed team of professionals working to preserve lake health and protect water quality by promoting community awareness of local water resources through education, outreach and stewardship. Our Gem includes local experts from U of I’s IWRRI, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce and Kootenai County.

Media contact

Megan Snodgrass
Marketing and Communications Manager
University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene
meganps@uidaho.edu