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Letter

Let’s Rename Lake Koocanusa ‘Lake Koousa’ — or Just ‘Lake USA’

What to do with a shared Montana-Canada reservoir now that relations have soured

By Tom Muri

There is a lake, or more accurately, a reservoir in Northwest Montana that is half in Montana/USA and half in British Columbia/Canada. Its length is 90 miles/145 kilometers, with 48/77 miles/kilometers in Montana and 42/68 miles/kilometers in British Columbia.

It was created in the late 1960s and early 1970s by the construction of the Libby Dam on the Kootenai River.

The name originated by blending the name of the Kootenai River, which originates in Canada, together with CANada and USA. Apparently this name was chosen from a naming contest when we liked each other.

Since Canada is treating President Trump so poorly, it is incumbent on Montanans and Americans to step in and demand it be renamed to reflect American values, such as stupidity and pettiness, to just Lake Koousa, or better yet, Lake USA. Eh? 

Tom Muri
Missoula

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