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The story: Robert Matt of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe talks about the threats to the river's headwaters.
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To do a video interview, I asked Robert Matt, administrative director for the Coeur d' Alene Tribe, to take me to his favorite spot at the southern end of Cour d' Alene Lake. Matt is the next subject for the monthly, yearlong, Spokane River Dialogue project. He and the tribe are working hard to improve the health of Coeur d' Alene Lake, which ultimately flows into the Spokane River.

When Avista Utilities built the Post Falls dam, it raised level of the lake, changing its natural ebb and flow. The higher water levels in summer also disrupted the growing seasons his tribe depended upon for food. Matt took me by boat to the mouth of the St. Joe River where he showed me how the natural levee system is rapidly being eroded by speedboat wakes and high water levels.

It is the Coeur d’ Alene Tribe’ s intention to save this area and eventually restore the native cutthroat trout fishery. The lower St Joe River is an area I’ve never been to before. The weather was great and I was able to get some really beautiful footage of the river and shoreline levees. Make sure you check out the full Spokane River Dialogue transcripts published this Sunday's newspaper and online at http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sections/riverdialogues/

Interesting story. I like to read and hear about Coeur d'Alena Lake and the St. Joe River. Your stories make a better Spokane to live in or near. Keep up your good work.
Marshall Shore in Spokane