From the Flathead Beacon – 03/14/2013 Not long ago, the Flathead basin had the largest and healthiest population of native bull trout in the country with possibly 20,000 or more adult fish. Angler harvest of bull trout in the Flathead River system was 6,000 to 8,000 bull trout each...

August, 1998, 27 rail cars hauling barley and wheat went upside down, spilling their loads east of Essex, MT near Bear Creek, a tributary to the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead River. March 2011, 19 rail cars came unglued four miles west of Essex. One car...

It is now halftime at the 2013 legislative session, and legislators have headed home for a few days. If your legislators are planning local meetings during the break, we encourage you to attend and engage them in how they’ve been treating rivers, water and fish at the Capitol. You...

Dear Flathead Valley TU members and Friends, Tell your Montana House member TODAY to oppose HB 561, which sanctions unlimited use of groundwater sources that are critical for recharging trout streams. Background The Montana House is considering HB 561, sponsored by Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick (R-Great Falls) and supported by...

Last week, Idaho Fish and Game held their annual “State of the Lake” meeting for Pend Oreille to discuss developments in the Fishery Recovery Effort on the lake during the past year and the news is pretty much all good for the Pend Oreille fishery. In 2006, IDFG began...

Here is some good information on House Bill 187 which provides for an exemption from licensing requirements for “outfitters assistants”. This is another one of those bill that looks fairly reasonable until you dig into the details. The bill passed the House on a vote of 98-0 on Feb....

Okay, so it’s probably not likely that you are going to make it to the big climate rally in Washington D.C. this Sunday. That’s no excuse to sit on your collective duffs. There are three climate rallies scheduled for the Flathead this Sunday Feb. 17 in conjunction with the...

February 1, 2013 As the Montana Legislature rolls into February it’s still hard to determine what this legislative session portends for water, fish and recreational access to streams. So far, big picture items have revolved around fiscal matters, such as shoring up the pension system for state employees, modifying...

I was perusing the recent U.S. Geological report, on How Will Native Rocky Mountain Trout Fare with Climate Changes? Modeling forecasts consistently have demonstrated that the geographic ranges of Rocky Mountain trout species will shrink by some 20 to 90 percent over the next 50 to 100 years as...

There was news this morning of a minor BNSF derailment near West Glacier. The eastbound freight train was carrying Washington apples and frozen meat. No one was hurt and no cargo spilled. This is not big news in Northwest Montana. In fact derailed trains along the BNSF route are...