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 reduced instream flows to be implemented.

The yellow lines show projected lake levels and project outflows with the approved deviation. The black lines show projected lake levels and project outflows without the deviation.

SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.

Prolonged hot and dry forecasts continue to decrease the streamflow runoff forecasts for the Flathead Basin significantly. The lake was as full as allowed for flood risk management on May 26 and then the project ramped down to required minimum outflows to fill the lake as much as possible with the remaining runoff streamflows. This week’s expected inflow forecast would slowly fill the lake to 2891.9 feet before the inflows go below the minimum outflow requirement which will cause the lake levels to decrease. The lake may lower an additional foot to be nearly 2 feet below full pool by 4th of July weekend and potentially 3 feet below full pool in August.

SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.

Prolonged hot and dry forecasts have decreased the streamflow runoff forecasts for the Flathead Basin significantly. The lake was as full as allowed for flood risk management on May 26 and then the project ramped down to required minimum outflows to fill the lake as much as possible with the remaining runoff streamflows.

SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.

Snowpack and streamflow runoff forecasts for the Flathead Basin are near 80% of average. The lake is steadily filling and is anticipated to reach full pool in early or mid-June.

Both weather and streamflows are highly uncertain. A warm and rainy event can rapidly increase streamflows in the spring, and similarly a cold and dry event can keep the streamflows quite low compared to normal. Temperatures, precipitation, and snowpack conditions such as density, all play a part in determining how high or low stream flows move as well as the timing of the runoff.

SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.

Streamflow runoff forecasts for the Flathead Basin are near normal for May and below normal for June through August. The lake is steadily filling and is anticipated to reach full pool in early or mid-June.

Both weather and streamflows are highly uncertain. A warm and rainy event can rapidly increase streamflows in the spring, and similarly a cold and dry event can keep the streamflows quite low compared to normal. Temperatures, precipitation, and snowpack conditions such as density, all play a part in determining how high or low stream flows move as well as the timing of the runoff.

SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.

Snowpack and streamflow runoff forecasts for the Flathead Basin are near 85% of average. The lake is steadily filling and is anticipated to reach full pool in early or mid-June.

Both weather and streamflows are highly uncertain. A warm and rainy event can rapidly increase streamflows in the spring, and similarly a cold and dry event can keep the streamflows quite low compared to normal. Temperatures, precipitation, and snowpack conditions such as density, all play a part in determining how high or low stream flows move as well as the timing of the runoff.

SKQ project outflows and the Flathead Lake elevation are dependent on many variables including lake inflows, weather, the demand for electricity, and non-power constraints such as the downstream fishery and flood risk management needs.