Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) closed the Clark Fork River to all recreation today, from Reserve Street Bridge in Missoula to Kona Bridge, due to dangers caused by downed power lines in the river and high-water levels full of hazardous debris.
The Incident Command for the Missoula 2018 Flood recommended the closure for public safety, after flood waters tipped power poles into the Clark Fork on Sunday. FWP says the closure will remain while power lines and other river debris are creating unsafe conditions.
The closure applies to all water-based recreation, including, but not limited to: wading, swimming, fishing, floating, boating.
Many upstream and downstream Clark Fork River access sites remain closed or under limited (walk-in only) entry, as well as some sites on the Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers. Even in areas free of closures and restrictions, safety concerns persist due to high water and heavy debris. Use extreme caution near the water.
For more information on FWP river access site closures and restrictions visit the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions/.
