Lakes Commission

The Lakes Commission is an advisory board to the State of Idaho and per statute we are charged with studying, investigating, and selecting ways and means of controlling the water quality and water quantity as they relate to waters of Lake Pend Oreille, Pend Oreille River, Priest Lake and Priest River for the community’s interests and the interests of the State of Idaho and for the survival of the native species fish contiguous to the Pend Oreille/Priest River.                                                                              

The Lakes Commission is not a water resource management or regulatory agency. Our goal is to work with our local, state, and federal agencies, who are the mandated water resource agencies, to improve or prevent water quality or water quantity degradation. To that end, we stay current and involved in water-related issues in the Pend Oreille Basin that includes: lake level operations, fish and wildlife habitat, aquatic invasive species, restoration efforts, local watershed planning, and pollution prevention. 

We meet quarterly and fluctuate our meetings between Sandpoint and Priest River. The Commission’s meetings reflect relevant issues in the Pend Oreille Basin and usually feature guest speakers.  The public is always invited to attend, and public notices are posted in the local newspapers, sent out to stakeholders via our email distribution list and posted on the meetings page.  If you would like to be added to email list, please email Molly McCahon at lakescommission@gmail.com. 

To learn more about the Lakes Commission, please visit About Us