KSD stormwater improvement project planned for this summer

KELLOGG—The Kellogg Joint School District will begin construction on a $745,000 stormwater management project on their 24-acre campus starting in May 2024, at the end of the current school year.

The “Stormwater Goes to School” project involves re-grading parking lots and access roads, removing parking islands, adding bioswales, and replacing hard surfaces with previous pavement options.  

The project – a partnership between Kellogg Joint School District, Alta Science and Engineering, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality – was planned for the 2023 summer break. However, due to increased expenses and limited contractor availability, construction will start in 2024. The project went out for bid earlier this spring and a contractor has been selected.   

The improvements are intended to reduce runoff into the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and Coeur d’Alene Lake. Once complete, the project is expected to treat up to 90% of stormwater runoff, reducing phosphorus loads into the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River by 41 pounds per year in perpetuity with minimal maintenance. The new stormwater management system will also reduce puddling and ice on driving and walking surfaces, improving safety for the students, teachers, bus drivers, parents, and the community.

The $745,000 was made available by Governor Little’s Leading Idaho initiative, which directed $33 million in cleanup funds for Coeur d’Alene Lake. The Coeur d’Alene Lake Advisory Committee reviewed applications and selected the Kellogg Joint School District’s stormwater improvement project for funding.