Page 28 - Flathead Beacon // 7.22.15

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LETTERS
Flathead Lake Levels and Our Drought Management Plan
Drought throughout the West, in many places extreme, is impacting nearly all aspects of our lives. Farmers and ranchers, river guides, recreation- alists, fish and wildlife, and all aspects of our economy are being hurt.
Northwest Montana, often the wet- test part of the state, has in recent weeks been torched by temperatures that have cracked the 100-degree mark. The lack of moisture and heat caused early run- off of an already below-normal snow- pack. Now we are faced with persistent low flows in the Flathead River drainage.
As the holder of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license to oper- ate Kerr Dam near Polson, NorthWest- ern Energy operates within strict con- straints on how Flathead Lake elevation levels and stream flows on the Flathead River below Kerr are managed. We do this work in close coordination with a large number of state and federal agen- cies, along with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. We’ve also worked hard to keep the public informed of the drought situation and its effect on the Flathead region.
NorthWestern and others first talked to the public about the impact the drought could have on lake levels and river flows in May. Fortunately, Mother Nature allowed us to bring Flat- head Lake to its summer full-pool level in mid-June. Unfortunately, our ear- lier concerns about the drought have become a reality – stream flows into Flathead Lake are too low to keep it at full pool and maintain minimum flows in the river below Kerr as prescribed in the operating license.
When confronted with the severity of drought that we are currently facing, NorthWestern, per the Kerr operating license, is required to implement the Drought Management Plan (developed in 2002 through a public process). This plan spreads the adverse impacts among all interests and manages the Flathead system consistent with three objectives:
1. Use the water storage of the fed- erally-owned and operated Hungry Horse reservoir at the Bureau of Recla- mation’s direction while preserving the reservoir’s biological and operational constraints;
2. Maintain a reasonable Flathead Lake level for recreational and biologi- cal purposes; and
3. Maintain reasonable river flows below Kerr for recreation and biologi- cal needs.
This structured approach, which bal- ances needs and wants including recre- ation, commerce, and fisheries, results in adverse effects at all three key geo- graphical areas – Hungry Horse, Flat- headLake,andtheFlatheadRiverbelow the dam. This is an unfortunate result of the drought. However, this approach also minimizes the pain for each area. No one area will bear the full brunt of this drought.
This is why we are working to keep Flathead Lake at one foot below full pool, gradually reducing flows on the Flathead River, and continuing to coor- dinate with the Bureau of Reclamation for flows from Hungry Horse. (Hungry Horse is already well below full pool.)
As the summer unfolds and assuming these challenging conditions persist, the goal will be to maintain Flathead Lake level at 2,892 feet and provide minimum flows consistent with the Drought Man- agement Plan in the Flathead River. We likely have a hot summer ahead of us; let’s all hope rain and cooler tempera- tures prevail. Improved weather condi- tions will certainly help, but in the mean time we will focus on continued coordi- nation and cooperation. This balanced approach makes sense from both a bio- logical perspective and a recreational perspective.
In these difficult times we appreci- ate the understanding of those most affected as we implement solutions that best meet all of the Flathead’s needs; such understanding is a hallmark of life in Montana and one that we believe will serve all of us well in the coming weeks and months.
John Hines, vice president, supply NorthWestern Energy
Thank You for Supporting the Land and Water Conservation Fund
Thank you to Sen. Steve Daines for being a strong champion for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Daines has pressed Appropriations Commit- tees in both the House, when he was Montana’s representative, and also in the Senate for the most robust fund- ing possible. Recently he offered an amendment, adopted in the Senate Appropriations Committee, to ensure LWCF did not lose out – and restored funding to enacted levels. Additionally, Daines recently cosponsored S. 338, a bill sponsored by Senator Burr (R-NC) and co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester and others on both sides of the aisle, to make permanent the authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF) and to ensure portions of the Fund are reserved for public access to existing public lands – a provision espe- cially important to Montana sportsmen. This isn’t about politics; it’s about what’s best for Montana. Simply put, LWCF impacts every Montanan, it’s good for business, and it improves our quality of life here – whether you’re an outfit- ter, hunter, hiker, a kid or cowboy. Mon- tana benefits from LWCF more than any other state, and uses that funding to secure access or critical winter range. Reauthorizing and funding LWCF is a no-brainer - it’s fitting that the Mon- tana delegation leads on this issue and we’re very grateful that they do. With less than 80 days left until this program expires, we urge the Montana delega- tion to work together, build consensus across the aisle and in both chambers of Congress to ensure this program is reauthorized.
Mac Minard, executive director Montana Outfitters and Guides
LWCF Works for Montana
The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been getting a lot of attention in Montana lately. Sportsmen’s groups, conservation groups, business organi- zations and those in the tourism indus- try have been rallying to encourage our members of Congress to do what is right with respect to getting this vital pro- gram reauthorized before it sunsets in September.
The pressure hasn’t always been easy to take, to be sure, but the voices have been steadfast, and the message has been clear and firm: LWCF works for Montana, and our members of Congress need to stand up and get on board with reauthorization before time runs out.
Last week, Daines took a stand; he made a choice to do what he knows to be right for the people and businesses of Montana by deciding to co-sponsor a bill that would permanently reauthorize LWCF before it expires. Together with Sen. Jon Tester – also a co-signer on the bill – they are setting the precedent to lead, and to fight for LWCF because it’s the right thing to do.
Daines is to be thanked, and com- mended, for backing his words with action, and for supporting this legisla- tion that will permanently reauthorize LWCF. It shows he has listened, and that he stands by what the people of Mon- tana have voiced. Well done, Senator.
Dori Gilels, Mamalode Member of Business for Montana’s Outdoors
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JULY 22, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
LETTERS
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