FAQ's

Lake Coeur d'Alene is a natural lake with a restricted outlet. The Post Falls Dam located nine miles downstream of the outlet on the Spokane River does not affect the lake's outlet flow capacity. During the spring and winter, when inflows exceed the natural outlet flow capacity the lake rises. When inflows are less than the natural outlet flow capacity, the lake level falls. Typically, Avista maintains the lake at summer elevation after runoff through the first part of September. Avista attempts to lower the lake 7.5' by the end of January each year. Depending upon the weather, Lake Coeur d'Alene is on free flow discharge from January until after runoff. The level reached (both low and high level) depends entirely upon precipitation and temperature.

For more information on water levels in Kootenai County visit the following sites: avistacorp.com; Daily Post Falls outflow, CDA Lake elevation; Idaho USGS Realtime river flow information.

Sources for detailed maps of the Kootenai County area include Black Sheep Sporting Goods, 250 W. Bosanko Ave., Coeur d'Alene; The Yacht Club Sales and Service, S. 1000 Marina Drive, Coeur d'Alene; and North Idaho Blueprint, 1923 N. 4th St., Coeur d'Alene.

Kootenai County Parks and Waterways does reserve certain County facilities. Please visit the "Reservations" link for more information and for reservation and special permit applications, or call our office at (208) 446-1275. Other public agencies also accept reservations for public facilities, including the Bureau of Land Management (208) 769-5000; the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (208) 769-1511; the City of Coeur d'Alene (208) 769-2252; the City of Post Falls (208) 773-0539; and the U.S. Forest Service (208) 765-7223.

Bureau of Land Management (208) 769-5000
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (208) 769-1511
City of Coeur d'Alene: (208) 769-2252
City of Post Falls: (208) 773-0539
U.S. Forest Service: (208) 765-7223
Idaho Department of Lands: (208) 769-1577

Kootenai County Parks and Waterways does not have jurisdiction over private water use. The responsibilities of our department include maintaining safe and navigable waterways, boating access (public launches and docks), providing marine pump-outs on area lakes, and the maintenance and improvement of various parks and trails in Kootenai County.

The Idaho Department of Lands is the governing agency for all encroachments and requires all permit applications for regulatory markers/buoys be submitted by another governmental agency (city, county, or state). In order for Kootenai County to sponsor a regulatory buoy/marker, The Kootenai County Parks and Waterways Advisory Board has an application process for private parties who wish to request the placement of regulatory buoys or markers on or near the public waters within Kootenai County. For instructions and application form, visit our link "Regulatory Buoys".

The Idaho Department of Lands permits the installation of docks on navigable waters within the State of Idaho. For encroachment permit applications, contact their office at 3706 Industrial Ave. South, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815; (208) 769-1577.

For information on snowmobiling in Kootenai County, please call the U.S. Forest Service Fernan Ranger Station at (208) 664-2318.