Underwater Secrets of Idaho’s Deepest Lake

Did you know that the U.S.’s top submarine outpost is located right here in Idaho? That's right, land locked Idaho does some of the most top secret Sub testing for the Navy in an Idaho lake that is nearly 1200 feet deep.

Lake Pend Oreille, in the North Idaho pan handle, which in addition to being one of Idaho’s most beautiful lakes is Idaho’s largest, and deepest body of water. It’s also home to one of the state’s best kept secrets…Which makes it a perfect location for top-secret underwater missions.

It's called the U.S. Navy Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) and it still remains one of the Navy's best-kept secrets even today.

Why is this area in northern Idaho so important? Because before these underwater military vessels can be added to the naval fleet, each piece of state-of-the-art technology on board must be tested under open water conditions…but not in dangerous open ocean.