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Kootenai County commissioners approve Aquifer Protection District FY26 budget totaling about $840,000
Summary
The county’s Aquifer Protection District advisory board sought funding for monitoring, education and a new aquifer model. Commissioners voted to adopt the district’s FY26 budget, which uses part of the district’s fund balance to cover increased requests.
The Kootenai County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 27 approved the Aquifer Protection District’s fiscal year 2026 budget after a presentation from the district’s advisory board.
The advisory board recommended a FY26 budget totaling $839,947, including $787,000 in external funding requests and $52,275 in internal projects. The advisory board proposed using about $321,000 from the district’s fund balance; the board noted the district’s overall fund balance was about $1,200,000 and that the district’s target unallocated balance is about $300,000.
The advisory board’s presentation said the district’s revenue comes largely from a parcel fee that currently is $5.74 per parcel and from a $100,000 annual payment from Burlington Northern for a conditional-use-permit refueling depot. That combination was described in the presentation as roughly $540,000 in annual revenue.
Nisha Maiani, who led the presentation for the Aquifer Protection District advisory board, said the district funds work aimed at groundwater protection across the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. "This aquifer supplies water to more than 500,000 people," Maiani said, noting work ranges from hazardous-materials inspections to sewer and stormwater management conducted by cooperating agencies.
The budget recommendation included funding requests the advisory board described as important for the aquifer’s protection: the Confluence Project (an education program for 10th–12th grades), Spokane River Forum conference and waste-disposal directory, a county-side model of the Rathdrum Prairie aquifer to match modeling on the Washington side, well monitoring and septic-education work requested by Green Prairie Water and Sewer District, and measurement upgrades for the Twin Lakes Spillway and Fish Creek.
Board chair Larry Sims (Aquifer Protection District) and presenters said the largest share of funds typically goes to Panhandle Health District and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for monitoring, inspections and education. The advisory board also budgets $36,000 to reimburse county staff for administrative support.
Commissioners approved the Aquifer Protection District FY26 budget by motion and roll call vote. Commissioner Duncan moved approval; the motion passed with all three commissioners voting aye.
The advisory board’s materials and the county’s presentation note that federal and state designations recognize the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer’s importance; the advisory board also referenced IDAPA rules previously used by Panhandle Health District and local implementations such as the county’s five-acre rule and critical materials program.
The board adopted the budget at the public hearing and commissioners directed staff to post budget documents on the county website for public review.
