With Flathead River’s receding water levels leaving the boat ramp at Sportsman’s Bridge high and dry, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) officials are penciling in plans to improve the ramp starting next week.
Last spring, the Montana Department of Transportation (DOT) and FWP relocated the Sportsman’s Bridge Fishing Access Site from the east side of the river to the west to create space for the bridge’s replacement. Construction on the Flathead River bridge began in August and excavation work has continued throughout the winter on the south side of the existing structure.
With the boat ramp relocated and installed in springtime, construction crews were only able to complete a short section of the planned ramp due to rising water, FWP officials said. Over the summer, boaters balked at large rocks near the new ramp that obstructed some of the launching area, and the ramp’s length.
FWP officials said that as of March 1 water levels had dropped below the end of the ramp, making launching anything other than small boats extremely difficult.
Starting March 16, the boat launch will be closed so that FWP crews can improve the concrete ramp by steepening and lengthening it and removing the large rocks. Construction is expected to continue until mid-April.
“As the water continues to drop in March and April, crews will be extending the ramp as far as possible,” FWP officials said in a press release Monday.
During the closure, FWP officials encourage boaters and anglers to access Flathead Lake and the river using other FWP, county or tribal launch sites.
I’m Zoë Buhrmaster. Let’s launch into the rest of today’s newsletter.
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