Councilor says motorized watercraft a river hazard

Richard Hildner has kept a watchful eye over the Whitefish River for decades — long before he became a Whitefish City Councilman. In fact, it was his concern with powerboats and jet skis speeding up the river that first prompted him to take an active interest in city government.

In 1989, as a concerned citizen, Hildner helped establish a no-wake zone on the river from the mouth at Whitefish Lake to JP Road.

Now with a seat on the council, Hildner is asking the city to consider designating the river as the first totally non-motorized waterway in the state.

Hildner presented council with a draft proposal for the non-motorized waterway at the city’s April goal-setting work session. His plan calls for prohibiting motorized watercraft from the train trestle below the outlet of Whitefish Lake up to the bridge at Highway 40.

He says with more kayaks, canoes and paddleboards taking to the river in recent years, powered watercraft are becoming a safety issue. He’s seen party boats go as far upstream as the culverts at Spokane Avenue, and in the peak summer months it’s not uncommon to see jet skis playing in the river on a weekly basis.

“As use increases, so does the potential for serious conflict between motorized and non-motorized uses,” Hildner said.

He notes that the upper reach of the river narrows to about 46 feet in places and has a minimum sight distance of 278 feet, or less than the length of a football field. According to his research, the stopping distance of a Kawasaki jet ski at full speed is about 328 feet.

The no-wake restriction he helped enact 24 years ago, he says, has been difficult, if not impossible, to enforce.

“A jet ski at full throttle can be down the river and back into the lake before law enforcement can respond,” he said.

It’s time the city takes a proactive stance in promoting safe use of the river, he said.

“Limited sight distance, a narrow river and increased float and paddle use are incompatible with motorized use,” he said.

Hildner goes on to argue that the wake from motorized watercraft is also contributing to unnecessary erosion of the riverbank. He points to his photographic evidence at Riverside Park that shows how much material has been washed away since the 1980s.

The fine silt found along the edge of the river, he says, often contain pollutants such as pesticides and herbicides and are carried downstream by wave action.

“The net result is further degradation of water quality in the Whitefish River, and ultimately, Flathead Lake,” he said.

Motorized use, he goes on to say, will contribute to loss of solitude and potential disturbance of wildlife habitat.

If council approves a resolution to establish a non-motorized waterway, the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission would make the final decision.