Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

Idaho Department of Environmental Quality Protecting human health and the
quality of Idaho’s air, land, and water.

Welcome to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality page, where you’ll receive updates about the department, environmental tips, job postings, DEQ event and workshop information and more. For the official source of information, visit DEQ’s website at http://www.deq.idaho.gov.

A cyanobacteria health alert has been issued for Chesterfield Reservoir in Caribou County. The presence of cyanotoxins i...
08/10/2026

A cyanobacteria health alert has been issued for Chesterfield Reservoir in Caribou County. The presence of cyanotoxins in the reservoir has been confirmed with a field test kit. These cyanotoxins pose a high risk to the health of pets and livestock and can cause illness in humans, especially small children.

Cyanobacteria are a natural part of Idaho’s water bodies, when conditions are right, they can multiply rapidly, or “bloom,” and toxins can be released into the water. Exposure to cyanotoxins through skin contact or ingestion can cause skin irritation, upset stomach, and more serious symptoms. Effects can be more serious in animals since they are more likely to drink the water.

Blooms don’t all look the same; they may look like mats, foam, spilled paint, or surface scum and have a foul odor. Use caution when recreating in and around water. When in doubt, stay out and keep pets out of the water.

Learn more about cyanobacteria blooms and how to report a potential bloom on the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality website at deq.idaho.gov/habs

Join our team!🫡 DEQ has new job opportunities:✅Waste and Remediation Manager, Pocatello (closes Aug. 11): https://css-id...
08/10/2026

Join our team!🫡 DEQ has new job opportunities:

✅Waste and Remediation Manager, Pocatello (closes Aug. 11): https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/form/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA,24842,1%29.JobPostingDisplay?fromlist=JobPosting.JobSearchListSearchFormOnLeft&navigation=JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA,24842,1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav&csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Administrative Assistant, Boise (closes August 23): https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/form/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA,25137,1%29.JobPostingDisplay?fromlist=JobPosting.SearchForJobsResults&navigation=JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA,25137,1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav&csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

In July, the Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative hosted "Love Our Lake Week" to highlight the science, history, and...
08/08/2026

In July, the Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative hosted "Love Our Lake Week" to highlight the science, history, and stewardship of Coeur d'Alene Lake! The week of lake-focused events included a trivia night, music at a local park, a boat-cleaning station to help prevent the spread of invasive species, and talks on traditional Coeur d’Alene Tribal canoes and lake restoration projects. What a great opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate a North Idaho treasure!

As a member of the Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative, DEQ staff from our Coeur d'Alene office helped plan and host the event alongside the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, the Kootenai Environmental Alliance, and Kootenai County.

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞:➡️Before you burn, check for restrictions! This applies to campfires, too!➡️Air quality bu...
08/07/2026

𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞:
➡️Before you burn, check for restrictions! This applies to campfires, too!
➡️Air quality burn bans AND fire danger restrictions are currently in effect for most of the state.
➡️Wildfire smoke will remain widespread across Idaho through Saturday, with POSSIBLE clearing on Sunday

𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞:
✅ Check DEQ’s Air Quality Advisory Map for air quality-related burning restrictions: https://www2.deq.idaho.gov/air/AQIPublic/Map/OutdoorBurn
✅ Visit the Idaho Department of Lands Fire Restrictions Finder to see current Stage 1 or Stage 2 restrictions: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-restrictions-finder/
✅ Contact your local fire department or the appropriate tribal, state, or federal fire authority to confirm what is allowed in your area.

Conditions and restrictions can change quickly. Always check before you burn.

Note: Air quality advisories and fire restrictions BOTH include outdoor burning restrictions, but serve different purposes. An Air Quality Advisory is issued by Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) because of current or anticipated air quality conditions and restricts all outdoor burning. Fire restrictions are issued by local, state, federal, or tribal fire authorities based on fire danger. One may be effect even when the other is not.

Fernan Lake and Hayden Lake (North End) in Kootenai County have active cyanobacterial blooms and health advisories has b...
08/07/2026

Fernan Lake and Hayden Lake (North End) in Kootenai County have active cyanobacterial blooms and health advisories has been issued. People and pets should stay out of the water.

Cyanobacteria are a natural part of Idaho’s water bodies, when conditions are right, they can multiply rapidly, or “bloom,” and toxins can be released into the water. Exposure to cyanotoxins through skin contact or ingestion can cause skin irritation, upset stomach, and more serious symptoms. Effects can be more serious in animals since they are more likely to drink the water.

Blooms don’t all look the same; they may look like mats, foam, spilled paint, or surface scum and have a foul odor. Use caution when recreating in and around water. When in doubt, stay out and keep pets out of the water.

Learn more about cyanobacteria blooms and how to report a potential bloom on our website at deq.idaho.gov/habs

DEQ is asking private domestic well owners within the Minidoka Nitrate Priority Area to participate in well sampling in ...
08/05/2026

DEQ is asking private domestic well owners within the Minidoka Nitrate Priority Area to participate in well sampling in September 2026. The sampling data will be used to evaluate nitrate trends in Idaho’s groundwater.

Why participate:

Private wells draw from groundwater and water quality testing is the responsibility of the well owner. Nitrate is the most common and widespread contaminant in Idaho’s groundwater and can cause serious health problems. Participating well owners will receive free well sampling for nitrate and individual sample results.

How to participate:

To see if your well qualifies, contact DEQ Source Water Analyst Nicholas Howell at (208) 736-2190 or [email protected] by August 30, 2026.

Learn more: https://www.deq.idaho.gov/deq-seeks-participation-in-private-well-sampling-in-minidoka-county-idaho/

Minidoka County
Idaho Rural Water Association

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: Smoke and haze will remain widespread across Idaho through the week as ongoing wildfire activity ...
08/04/2026

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: Smoke and haze will remain widespread across Idaho through the week as ongoing wildfire activity across the Pacific Northwest continues to generate and transport smoke eastward.

⚠️𝐀𝐢𝐫 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 - 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝. Check the Outdoor Open Burning Restrictions map to see restrictions by county: https://www2.deq.idaho.gov/air/AQIPublic/Map/OutdoorBurn

𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑: Most wildfires are human-caused and preventable. We can all help prevent wildfires and wildfire smoke by preventing wildfires:

🔥Never leave campfires or debris burns unattended.
🔥Avoid burning during windy conditions. Wind can cause embers to spread quickly, igniting dry vegetation.
🔥Ensure campfires and hot coals are completely extinguished by drowning, stirring, and feeling for heat.
🔥Use spark arresters on equipment. Chainsaws, ATVs, and other machinery can produce sparks that ignite dry grass and brush.
🔥Don’t drive or park on dry grass. The undercarriage of your car is hot and can catch vegetation on fire.
🔥Don’t let tow chains drag. Dragging chains can cause sparks.
🔥Obey all local fire restrictions. Check before starting any outdoor activities that involve fire.

DEQ's Idaho Falls Regional Office received the Henry's Fork Foundation Conservation Award, honoring their collaborative ...
08/01/2026

DEQ's Idaho Falls Regional Office received the Henry's Fork Foundation Conservation Award, honoring their collaborative efforts to help resource managers better understand and address water quality concerns in the upper Snake River watershed!

Here's how Idaho Falls DEQ and Henry's Fork Foundation (HFF) have been partnering up:

🔵For several years, DEQ's Idaho Falls office has helped support HFF’s water quality monitoring in the Island Park reservoir by providing water quality sampling equipment and field support.

🔵Idaho Falls DEQ staff deployed a new water quality monitor in the Teton River that now provides data to HFF's existing real-time river conditions data network.

🔵Idaho Falls DEQ worked with HFF and a contractor to develop water quality models to understand factors influencing temperature dynamics in the Island Park Reservoir and the Henry’s Fork River.

🔵 Over the next 5 years, Idaho Falls DEQ, HFF, and Idaho Fish and Game will collect continuous water quality data at several locations in Henrys Lake to better understand how water quality affects Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout production.

Congratulations to our Idaho Falls staff for earning the HFF Conservation Award! Partnerships like this maximize our potential to track water quality and protect Idaho's resources.

Photo: DEQ Watershed Analyst Cherie Windsor and HFF Executive Director Brandon Hoffner

Here's some talking points to get you started:😎If you see "weird stuff" floating in a waterbody, it could be a cyanobact...
07/30/2026

Here's some talking points to get you started:😎

If you see "weird stuff" floating in a waterbody, it could be a cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom (HAB) or it could be something harmless like pollen or wake foam. To be safe, report a potential bloom to Idaho Department of Environmental Quality at deq.idaho.gov/habs

DEQ may then schedule a site visit and determine the risk level based on observations, field tests, or laboratory testing. Remember, when in doubt, stay out of the water, and keep pets out.

🟢Cyanobacteria are a natural part of Idaho’s water bodies, but when their populations bloom they can release toxins into the water. Exposure to cyanotoxins through skin contact or ingestion can cause skin irritation, upset stomach, and more serious symptoms. Effects can be more serious in animals since they are more likely to drink the water. 🟢

Join our team!🫡 DEQ has new job opportunities:✅Senior Hydrogeologist - Boise (closing July 28)https://css-idaho-prd.tam....
07/27/2026

Join our team!🫡 DEQ has new job opportunities:

✅Senior Hydrogeologist - Boise (closing July 28)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24603%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Administrative Assistant - Boise (closing July 30)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24648%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Seasonal Smoke Specialist - Lewiston (closing August 16)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24736%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Financial Specialist - Boise (closing August 6)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24798%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Hazardous Waste Rules and Policy Coordinator - Boise (closing August 6)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24799%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Drinking Water Supervisor - Idaho Falls (closing August 10)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24900%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

✅Records Program Lead - Boise (closing August 10)
https://css-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/Jobs/navigation/JobPosting%5BJobPostingSet%5D%28LUMA%2C24904%2C1%29.JobPostingDisplayNav?csk.JobBoard=STATEOFIDAHO&csk.HROrganization=LUMA

Address

1410 N Hilton Street
Boise, ID
83706

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12083730502

Website

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