U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) urging a long-term solution to decreased lake levels at Flathead Lake.
“We are writing regarding ongoing challenges at Flathead Lake in northwestern Montana. Over the last several years, we have seen unseasonably warm conditions that have resulted in accelerated runoff in the northern reaches of the Flathead basin. Decreased inflows into the lake have precipitated lower lake levels, adversely affecting environmental and economic conditions for residents and visitors alike. I appreciate your responsiveness and decisiveness toward granting a temporary modification from minimum instream flow requirements from the Séliš Ksanka Qlispé (SKQ) Project. This, combined with significant increases in precipitation levels for July, helped avoid catastrophically low lake levels. Given the drought conditions over the last few years, I urge you to identify a path forward that does not depend on granting annual emergency authorities to maintain sufficient lake levels for the local communities that call Flathead Lake home…
…I request that you collaborate with various relevant parties to identify a solution that maintains hydropower production and economic development, abides by statutory requirements
and other legal obligations, including President Trump’s recent Executive Order 14154- Unleashing American Energy, respects property rights, promotes outdoor recreation, has the
support of the local communities, and minimizes future conflict,” the senators wrote in the letter.
Read the full letter HERE.
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Contact: Matt Lloyd, Gabby Wiggins