From Energy Keepers
Balancing Multiple Needs
Polson, Mont. – At a critical time to capture water in Flathead Lake, CSKT and EKI are implementing a solution to balance the multiple needs of the community. EKI will implement a 45 percent reduction in the license required minimum flows from 12,700 cfs to 7,000 cfs. The reduction will be impactful to the lower river fishery and electricity production for the remaining days of June. However, both impacts will be offset in the last half of July and August with the shift of water volume in the lower river. A trade-off that will provide 46 days of lake access in the top 12 inches and 62 days of access in the top 18 inches as opposed to zero days and 9 days at these elevations without the adjustment. August lake elevations are still projected to decrease to nearly three feet below full pool by August 31. The required approval from the Secretary of Interior was received by EKI Friday allowing the instream flows to be implemented.
“We received approval from the Secretary of the Interior to cut our required instream flows below the usual levels,” said Brian Lipscomb, CEO of EKI. “This sacrifice is forecasted to keep lake levels within twelve inches of full pool through the end of July. This will come at a financial cost for operations during the early summer, serve the minimums of robust fisheries, and allow more boat dock users to remain viable during a busy summer season.”
Projections during early June put lake levels as down nearly two feet below full pool by the Fourth of July weekend and nearly three feet below full pool by August 31. Full pool is 2893.
EKI worked with the Natural Resources Department staff of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to reach this compromise. Tribal Council voted Thursday to approve the effort to seek the variance from the U.S. Interior Department, which came Friday.
“Under challenging situations, we applaud our staff for presenting a solution,” said Council Chairman Michael Dolson. “We supported this action to be good stewards of the resources, good economic partners, and also good neighbors.”
Unprecedented hot and dry temperatures arrived in the spring and did not fade away before reducing snow pack levels that support spring runoff into the Flathead Lake basin. Modeling based on projections revealed a critical situation of low lake levels that only worsened into May and early June. EKI worked with SKQ operators to work within license required minimums to pursue aggressive refilling efforts. These conditions have forced operations at SKQ to again be at license required minimums and filling Flathead Lake as aggressively as possible while avoiding flood control limits. In spite of these operational sacrifices by EKI, the melted snow remaining will not get Flathead Lake to full pool without an approved deviation to the required minimum flows.
While recreational boating and fishing can continue at any lake elevation with the accessible public boat ramps, lake users should be aware that lakefront boat storage and dock access may be affected if these water level forecasts are realized. These alterations should keep lake levels within 12 inches of full through the end of July.
“These operational changes come with a financial and ecological sacrifice that will impact power generation at SKQ,” said Brian Lipscomb. “We plan to make up some of that difference in August. The lake will draft beginning in August down to the original projection levels of three feet below full pool. We want everyone to know that now so they can prepare accordingly.”
As forecasts are updated through the months of June and July EKI will update the public to any changes.
Please see updated forecasts on Flathead Lake levels with inflows and outflows, and frequently asked questions with answers: https://energykeepersinc.com/flathead-lake-data/
About Energy Keepers, Inc
Energy Keepers, Inc (EKI) is a federally chartered corporation created and wholly owned by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) of the Flathead Reservation, pursuant to Section 17 of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. As well as developing economically, the CSKT are nationally recognized as a leader amongst Tribal nations for exercising their sovereign powers to preserve and protect cultural, wildlife and natural resources of their traditional homeland now and for future generations. CSKT and EKI are the co-licensees of FERC Project No. 5, the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Project located on Tribal Land six miles below the natural outlet of Flathead Lake on the Lower Flathead River.
Photo: Megan Strickland Sacry
