Preliminary Results from Lake Coeur d’Alene Bring Up Concern

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — Some scientists say the preliminary results from recent water quality testing in Lake Coeur d'Alene show cause for concern.

Coeur d'Alene Press reports director of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's Lake Management Department, Phil Cernera, says data gathered from the Coeur d'Alene River and some of the chain lakes shows high levels of heavy metals in the sediment. But he says more testing is necessary to determine whether leaching of heavy metals into the lake is actually taking place.

An official with the state Department of Environmental Quality says the agency hasn't yet reviewed the preliminary data, but plans to discuss it at a future meeting. Cernera says the tribe's researchers will continue to collect more data on the lake next month.