Tolo Lake Dig Delayed By Rain

Rainy weather has stalled efforts to resume work at Tolo Lake, where the remains of six ancient mammoths and two bison were discovered last year.

Archaeologists and palentologists from Idaho State and the University of Idaho hope to move into the area for more work next week. And they’d like to find some signs of humans, too.

Last year, the Fish and Game Department drained the lake to improve fish habitat. Instead, the low water levels showed prehistoric mammoth remains.

A little work was done last year before everything was covered up. Idaho State and Idaho donated $25,000 each toward the project and the Idaho County Historical Society put up another $3,000.

Robert Yohe of the Idaho State Historical Society, who is heading the Tolo Lake project, said evidence of human involvement at the site would elevate the find to a world class excavation, and possibly generate additional funding.

ISU paleontologists hoped to start work last week but it was too wet. xxxx