Blackwell Island marina expansion wins state OK

A planned expansion of the Marina Yacht Club on Blackwell Island has been given the green light by the Idaho Department of Lands. The marina, located where Lake Coeur d’Alene flows into the Spokane River, also needs federal approval, which is still pending. The new marina’s design calls for 420 boat slips, plus space for 128 personal watercraft. As part of the work, 46,000 cubic yards of sediment tainted with heavy metals will be dredged from the channel. Hagadone Hospitality plans to dispose of the sediment on Blackwell Island in lined and unlined pits, depending on the level of pollutants. As part of Department of Land requirements, Hagadone Hospitality must post a bond for the disposal of the sediments and shoreline protection, which would cover the cost of completing the work if the company failed to finish it. The marina also must provide free moorage for the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department and Kootenai County Fire and Rescue. The marina’s expansion also requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is still pending, said Stephen Doherty, corps spokesman. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is evaluating whether discharges of dredged and fill material would violate water quality standards. The corps wouldn’t issue a permit until that determination has been made, Doherty said.