Public land puzzle comes together

Two deer jumped out of the underbrush on Otter Island Monday, dipped their muzzles in a cool backwater channel of the Flathead River and fled out of sight.

A bald eagle soared on the afternoon currents high above the river, and just upstream two fishermen pulled in a cutthroat trout and a bull trout from shore.

This was all taking place on public lands just downstream of Old Steel Bridge. A small piece of the land-access public puzzle is coming together with the possible acquisition of 20 acres of land on the Flathead River near Otter Island. The land purchase would connect two large portions along the west side of the Flathead River near Old Steel Bridge, and would provide about three river miles of continuous public land ownership.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment for the Otter Island Fisheries Conservation Area, a proposal to acquire 19.72 acres of island habitats along the Flathead River. If acquired, the land will be added to the existing Otter Island fisheries conservation area along the west side of the Flathead River, about 1.5 miles east of downtown Kalispell.

The land would be purchased using money from the Bonneville Power Administration to help offset the fishery impacts due to inundation of the lands behind Hungry Horse Dam. The parcels would be managed primarily for their habitat values and public recreation.

The land acquisition would provide access for public hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, hiking, and other public recreation.

   Otter Island is 147 acres currently, and is adjacent to Old Steel Bridge fishing access site. The proposed 20-acres connects to the Owen Sowerwine area that is managed by Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The purchase of the land would connect the three areas. “It’s a patchwork quilt that we’re tying together,” Tempel said.

There are three other fisheries conservation areas on Flathead River system and Flathead Lake: Foys Bend, a 245-acre property on the Flathead River; Osprey View on Flathead Lake near Bigfork, and the Hay Creek conservation area on the North Fork of the Flathead River.

Cost for the acquisition of the 20 acres for Otter Island is $160,000.

A representative of the Bonneville Power Administration toured the site with project leader Kris Tempel Monday. Fred Walasavage of the BPA said the Otter Island fisheries conservation area fits perfectly with the goal of the BPA restoration money. His site visit on Monday was intended to find out if there were any hazardous waste issues on the private land they are seeking to purchase. Often when the BPA is purchasing private lands on the Flathead River there are agriculture-related waste issues. None of those exist on Otter Island. “We like to put our funds toward the intended purpose of fisheries conservation, not hazardous waste cleanup,” he said.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks hopes to complete the purchase by the end of September.

Walasavage said the regional Fish, Wildlife and Parks has been diligent in identifying for purchase viable conservation lands in Northwest Montana. He’s seen other properties in the four states he visits that are less wildlife-friendly.

“I’m always impressed with the land that the public is able to pick up here,” he said.