The mining district in the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River valley was among the Nation’s largest producers of silver, lead, zinc, and other metals from the 1880s to the 1980s. These activities have produced large quantities of waste material that contain environmentally hazardous contaminants such as cadmium, lead, and zinc. Much of this material has been discharged directly to or washed into the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River and its tributaries, and continues to make its way to Coeur d’Alene Lake and beyond.
We conducted two large-scale studies of the lake (1991-92 and 2004-06) to understand the complex interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes in the lake and the resulting water-quality conditions. We've assessed temporal and spatial differences and identified potential changes and trends in lake water quality over time. The insights gained from these studies can be used by decision-makers to manage Coeur d’Alene Lake water quality and contaminants in the basin.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho: Insights gained From limnological studies of 1991-92 and 2004-06
More than 100 years of mining and processing of metal-rich ores in northern Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene River basin have resulted in widespread metal contamination of the basin’s soil, sediment, water, and biota, including Coeur d’Alene Lake. Previous studies reported that about 85 percent of the bottom of Coeur d’Alene Lake is substantially enriched in antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead...
Authors
Molly S. Wood, Michael A. Beckwith
Free zinc ion and dissolved orthophosphate effects on phytoplankton from Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene Lake in northern Idaho is fed by two major rivers: the Coeur d'Alene River from the east and the St. Joe River from the south, with the Spokane River as its outlet to the north. This phosphorus-limited lake has been subjected to decades of mining (primarily for zinc and silver) and other anthropogenic inputs. A 32 full-factorial experimental design was used to examine the...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, Brent R. Topping, Paul F. Woods, James L. Carter
Interactive effects of dissolved zinc and orthophosphate on phytoplankton from Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
Within the longitudinal chemical-concentration gradient in Coeur d'Alene Lake, generated by inputs from the St. Joe and Coeur d'Alene Rivers, two dominant algal species, Chlorella minutissima and Asterionella formosa, were isolated and cultured in chemically defined media to examine growth response to a range of dissolved orthophosphate concentrations and zinc-ion activities...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, Brent R. Topping, Paul F. Woods, James L. Carter, Stephen W. Hager
Role of limnological processes in fate and transport of nitrogen and phosphorous loads delivered into Coeur d'Alene Lake and Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, and Flathead Lake, Montana
No abstract available.
Authors
Paul F. Woods
Importance of Sediment-Water Interactions in Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho, USA: Management Implications
A field study at Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho, USA, was conducted between October 1998 and August 2001 to examine the potential importance of sediment-water interactions on contaminant transport and to provide the first direct measurements of the benthic flux of dissolved solutes of environmental concern in this lake. Because of potential ecological effects, dissolved zinc and...
Authors
J.S. Kuwabara, J.L. Carter, B.R. Topping, S.V. Fend, P. F. Woods, W.M. Berelson, Laurie S. Balistrieri
Benthic flux of metals and nutrients into the water column of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: Report of an August, 1999, pilot study
A field study was conducted between August 16-27, 1999, to provide the first direct measurements of the benthic flux of dissolved (0.2-micron filtered) solutes between the bottom sediment and water column at two sites in Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Trace metals (namely, cadmium, copper, manganese, mercury species, and zinc) and nutrients (namely, ammonia, nitrate plus nitrite, oxygen...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, William M. Berelson, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Paul F. Woods, Brent R. Topping, Douglas J. Steding, David P. Krabbenhoft
Nutrient and trace-element enrichment of Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
The limnological characteristics and geochemistry of lakebed sediments in Coeur d'Alene Lake were assessed during 1991-92 because of the possible interaction of nutrient enrichment with the highly enriched trace-element concentrations stored in the lakebed. The scope included characterization of physical, chemical, and biological variables; quantification of hydrologic, nutrient, and...
Authors
Paul F. Woods, Michael A. Beckwith
Nutrient and trace-element enrichment of Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
The limnological characteristics and geochemistry of lakebed sediments in Coeur d'Alene Lake, a 129-square-kilometer, natural lake in northern Idaho, were assessed during 1991-92 because of the possible interaction of nutrient enrichment with the highly enriched trace-element concentrations stored in the lakebed. The lake was classified as oligotrophic during 1991-92 on the basis of...
Authors
P. F. Woods, M.A. Beckwith
Bathymetric map of Coeur D'Alene Lake, Idaho
The U.S. Geological Survey investigated nutrient and trace-element enrichment in Coeur d'Alene Lake, northern Idaho, during 1991-92. The objectives of the investigation were to characterize limnology, quantify hydrologic and nutrient budgets, and develop a nutrient-load/lake-response model. The model required bathymetric data to compute mass balances of water and nutrients within many...
Authors
P. F. Woods, Charles E. Berenbrock
Hypolimnetic concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and trace elements in Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
A reconnaissance study of Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho done from May through November 1987 assessed water quality throughout the lake. Particular emphasis was on hypolimnetic concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and trace elements. Study results enabled refinement of the sampling protocol in a U.S. Geological Survey research proposal for a large-scale investigation of nutrient...
Authors
P. F. Woods
Below are partners associated with this project.
The mining district in the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River valley was among the Nation’s largest producers of silver, lead, zinc, and other metals from the 1880s to the 1980s. These activities have produced large quantities of waste material that contain environmentally hazardous contaminants such as cadmium, lead, and zinc. Much of this material has been discharged directly to or washed into the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River and its tributaries, and continues to make its way to Coeur d’Alene Lake and beyond.
We conducted two large-scale studies of the lake (1991-92 and 2004-06) to understand the complex interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes in the lake and the resulting water-quality conditions. We've assessed temporal and spatial differences and identified potential changes and trends in lake water quality over time. The insights gained from these studies can be used by decision-makers to manage Coeur d’Alene Lake water quality and contaminants in the basin.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho: Insights gained From limnological studies of 1991-92 and 2004-06
More than 100 years of mining and processing of metal-rich ores in northern Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene River basin have resulted in widespread metal contamination of the basin’s soil, sediment, water, and biota, including Coeur d’Alene Lake. Previous studies reported that about 85 percent of the bottom of Coeur d’Alene Lake is substantially enriched in antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead...
Authors
Molly S. Wood, Michael A. Beckwith
Free zinc ion and dissolved orthophosphate effects on phytoplankton from Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene Lake in northern Idaho is fed by two major rivers: the Coeur d'Alene River from the east and the St. Joe River from the south, with the Spokane River as its outlet to the north. This phosphorus-limited lake has been subjected to decades of mining (primarily for zinc and silver) and other anthropogenic inputs. A 32 full-factorial experimental design was used to examine the...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, Brent R. Topping, Paul F. Woods, James L. Carter
Interactive effects of dissolved zinc and orthophosphate on phytoplankton from Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
Within the longitudinal chemical-concentration gradient in Coeur d'Alene Lake, generated by inputs from the St. Joe and Coeur d'Alene Rivers, two dominant algal species, Chlorella minutissima and Asterionella formosa, were isolated and cultured in chemically defined media to examine growth response to a range of dissolved orthophosphate concentrations and zinc-ion activities...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, Brent R. Topping, Paul F. Woods, James L. Carter, Stephen W. Hager
Role of limnological processes in fate and transport of nitrogen and phosphorous loads delivered into Coeur d'Alene Lake and Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, and Flathead Lake, Montana
No abstract available.
Authors
Paul F. Woods
Importance of Sediment-Water Interactions in Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho, USA: Management Implications
A field study at Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho, USA, was conducted between October 1998 and August 2001 to examine the potential importance of sediment-water interactions on contaminant transport and to provide the first direct measurements of the benthic flux of dissolved solutes of environmental concern in this lake. Because of potential ecological effects, dissolved zinc and...
Authors
J.S. Kuwabara, J.L. Carter, B.R. Topping, S.V. Fend, P. F. Woods, W.M. Berelson, Laurie S. Balistrieri
Benthic flux of metals and nutrients into the water column of Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: Report of an August, 1999, pilot study
A field study was conducted between August 16-27, 1999, to provide the first direct measurements of the benthic flux of dissolved (0.2-micron filtered) solutes between the bottom sediment and water column at two sites in Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Trace metals (namely, cadmium, copper, manganese, mercury species, and zinc) and nutrients (namely, ammonia, nitrate plus nitrite, oxygen...
Authors
James S. Kuwabara, William M. Berelson, Laurie S. Balistrieri, Paul F. Woods, Brent R. Topping, Douglas J. Steding, David P. Krabbenhoft
Nutrient and trace-element enrichment of Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
The limnological characteristics and geochemistry of lakebed sediments in Coeur d'Alene Lake were assessed during 1991-92 because of the possible interaction of nutrient enrichment with the highly enriched trace-element concentrations stored in the lakebed. The scope included characterization of physical, chemical, and biological variables; quantification of hydrologic, nutrient, and...
Authors
Paul F. Woods, Michael A. Beckwith
Nutrient and trace-element enrichment of Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
The limnological characteristics and geochemistry of lakebed sediments in Coeur d'Alene Lake, a 129-square-kilometer, natural lake in northern Idaho, were assessed during 1991-92 because of the possible interaction of nutrient enrichment with the highly enriched trace-element concentrations stored in the lakebed. The lake was classified as oligotrophic during 1991-92 on the basis of...
Authors
P. F. Woods, M.A. Beckwith
Bathymetric map of Coeur D'Alene Lake, Idaho
The U.S. Geological Survey investigated nutrient and trace-element enrichment in Coeur d'Alene Lake, northern Idaho, during 1991-92. The objectives of the investigation were to characterize limnology, quantify hydrologic and nutrient budgets, and develop a nutrient-load/lake-response model. The model required bathymetric data to compute mass balances of water and nutrients within many...
Authors
P. F. Woods, Charles E. Berenbrock
Hypolimnetic concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and trace elements in Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho
A reconnaissance study of Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho done from May through November 1987 assessed water quality throughout the lake. Particular emphasis was on hypolimnetic concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and trace elements. Study results enabled refinement of the sampling protocol in a U.S. Geological Survey research proposal for a large-scale investigation of nutrient...
Authors
P. F. Woods
Below are partners associated with this project.