Final Site Information Package for National Remedy Review Board ...

5. Current and Potential Future Site and
Resource Uses
5.1 Current Land Uses
The Upper Basin of the Coeur d’Alene River is located primarily in Shoshone County in the
Panhandle of northern Idaho (Figure A-1). A small area in the Pine Creek headwaters is
located in Kootenai and Benewah counties. Much of the land is under federal management
as National Forest (including the Clearwater, Coeur d’Alene, and St. Joe National Forests).
Land uses are a mix of residential, commercial, agriculture, mining, forestry, and recreation.
All of the cities in the Upper Basin are located within Shoshone County (pop. 12,913 [U.S.
Census Bureau, 2008]). The majority of these residents live in communities located along the
SFCDR, including Kingston, Pinehurst, Smelterville, Kellogg, Wardner, Osburn, Wallace,
and Mullan. Table B5-1 shows the population numbers where available for these
communities.
The undeveloped areas of the Upper Basin include upland forests and lowland floodplains
with riverine and riparian areas and wetlands. The SFCDR has been channelized along
much of this reach by railroad and roads (Stratus, 2000; USEPA, 2001c, 2001d), but its
numerous streams still provide abundant recreational opportunities. In 2002, a project to
convert a railroad right-of-way to a recreational trail system was completed. The Trail of the
Coeur d’Alenes follows the Union Pacific Railroad’s 72-mile right-of-way from Mullan to
Plummer near the border with the State of Washington.
In the headwater and tributary areas, predominant land uses include mining, mineral
processing, and forestry with some urban and residential development. The narrow
tributary canyons are populated by small communities, dispersed residences, and roads that
cross or border streams. The quality of these habitats and their ability to support natural
populations of flora and fauna have been impacted to varying degrees by historical mining
activity in the Coeur d’Alene Basin.
5.2 Anticipated Future Land Uses
Future land uses in the Upper Basin are anticipated to be similar to the current land uses.
Although population levels in the Basin have declined in recent years, the city of Coeur
d’Alene has experienced substantial population growth, and it is possible that this
population could expand into the Upper Basin. Communities within the Upper Basin,
Kellogg in particular, are working to attract tourists for recreational activities such as skiing
and biking, and historical activities like mining museums and mine tours. A recent
development is the residential community of Galena Ridge, which is composed of
homesites, condominiums, and other multi-family units built around an 18-hole golf course
and recreational walking and biking trails, including the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.
B5-1