High water but no flooding expected this weekend

While water levels are high in all the branches of the Flathead River, the National Weather Service is not predicting any major flooding this week and into the weekend.

The weather is expected to remain warm, with highs in the 70s to near 80 on Thursday. This weekend, temperatures will cool a bit and there’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms with highs in the 70s. But rain is expected to be a big concern, National Weather Service hydrologist Ray Nickless said.

The mainstem of the Flathead River could reach the flood stage of 13 feet in Columbia Falls this weekend, but that will depend on how much water is released by the Hungry Horse Dam, Nickless noted.

There has been some flooding already. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has closed the fishing access sites at the Old Steel Bridge on the east side of the river in Kalispell and at Kokanee Bend just south of Columbia Falls.

Nickless said the greater concern for flooding will come later in the month and in early June when Flathead Lake reaches full pool.

Snowpack in the mountains is still above normal,about 140 percent of average, although lower elevation SNOTEL sites, below 5,600 feet, are now showing little or no snow.