Kaniksu Land Trust asks Bonner County to validate shoreline right-of-way for Lake Pend Oreille water-trail planning

Kaniksu Land Trust sought Bonner County’s help on Jan. 16 to confirm public access along Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River and to clear one blocked boat launch so the site can be part of a planned water trail.

Kaniksu Land Trust Executive Director Katie Cox told the Bonner County Waterways Advisory Committee that the trust, the Kalispel Tribe and other partners have inventory work and a grant-funded planning project for a paddlecraft water trail. "The purpose of that is to, to be able to, have people understand how to navigate the river, to showcase some of our beautiful natural resources…and to showcase those public access points along the lake and the river that are already existing," Cox said.

The trust’s shore‑access inventory identified a West Cedar Lane site that appears on county maps as a public right‑of‑way but is blocked by a cable lock and private‑property signage. Cox said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also has signage at the site. She said the blockage appears to have been placed by a resident who owns property on both sides of the access and that survey marker confusion may have contributed to the dispute. "They applied the cable lock," Cox said.

Why it matters: the trust plans to map public access points as a GIS layer so residents and visitors can see staged put‑in and take‑out locations for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Including validated public access sites would help agencies apply for small site grants to improve launch points and parking and would support preservation of historically important locations, Cox said; the Bonner County Historical Society and Museum is a project partner.

What Kaniksu asked the committee to do: Cox asked the advisory committee to recommend that the Bonner County commissioners (1) conduct a right‑of‑way validation for the West Cedar Lane site and (2) if the county confirms public right‑of‑way, apply for an after‑the‑fact encroachment permit with the Idaho Department of Lands for an existing dock. Cox said the trust has documented other shoreline sites with similar access questions.

Committee response and next steps: the committee discussed survey costs and local options. One committee member said a county survey expense would be appropriate, and staff noted the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) told the trust an after‑the‑fact encroachment permit could be sought for an existing dock. Because the advisory committee did not have a quorum at the Jan. 16 meeting, members did not vote; the trust and committee agreed to bring the item back once a quorum is present so the committee can formally recommend action to the county commissioners.

Quotations are from the meeting transcript of the Bonner County Waterways Advisory Committee, Jan. 16, 2025.