Greetings, Beacon Nation! Tristan Scott here to help ease readers into a workweek that’s forecast to be a bit wetter than last week’s run of sunshine.
You may recall Beacon reporter Maggie Dresser introducing the phrase “early-onset spring runoff” to our hydrological lexicon. I’d urge you to commit the phrase to memory because it’ll figure prominently into discussions about the health of our waterways for months to come.
As Dresser explained, “After multiple feet of snow fell in the upper elevations of the Flathead, Whitefish and Swan ranges just before St. Patrick’s Day, a heat wave caused rapid melting soon after, bringing the Middle Fork Flathead River to 14,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) by March 21, a flow typically not seen until mid-spring.”
For the second consecutive spring, that runoff has converged this week with a forecast of rain to prompt an emergency closure of Blankenship Bridge, which is located northwest of Columbia Falls near the confluence of the Middle and North forks of the Flathead River.
The Flathead National Forest on April 10 issued an emergency closure order for the Blankenship Bridge area due to high water on the Flathead River northwest of Columbia Falls.
Seasonal runoff, combined with recent and forecast rains, has created increased water levels on the Flathead River, which has submerged the access road to the Blankenship Bridge gravel bar southwest of Blankenship Road, according to Flathead National Forest officials.
The area is closed to all camping and motorized vehicle use while the emergency closure is in place.
The closure order is effective immediately and remains in place through June 27 at 6 p.m., unless rescinded, according to the order.
Violating the order could result in a fine of up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or imprisonment for up to six months.
“The short-term closure order has been put in place for public safety and will be lifted when water levels recede,” according to a news release announcing the closure.
For more information, contact the Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District at (406) 387-3800 or the Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office at (406) 758-5208.
Flathead County Commissioners Grant Lakeshore Permit Extension for Lakeside Marina
Despite a stop work order on the project as details surrounding the dock’s length proceeds in court, commissioners approved the extension for the lakeshore permit that was set to expire at the end of the month
Columbia Falls City Council Opts Out of Owner-Occupied Short-Term Rental Permit Restrictions
Instead, councilors agreed to move forward with city staff’s short-term rental policy framework, which would take a slower, more incremental approach to adjusting the city’s current structure
Education Advocates Pitch Altered School Funding Formula at School Funding Interim Commission
The proposal from the Coalition of Advocates for Montana’s Public Schools is the first official pitch the commission has seen to alter the funding formula, though there’s been widespread consensus it needs to be changed.
The project, a collaboration between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the city of Polson, will improve the site’s dynamic equilibrium beach. The beach absorbs the energy from waves using layers of gravel.
Whether you’ve been here for decades, or you’re new to the Flathead Valley, our reporting is here to help you feel smarter and in the loop about the issues most important to Northwest Montana. With your support, we can build a more engaged, informed community.
