Flathead National Forest releases proposed action for rivers

After years of delays, the Flathead National Forest has released another proposed action for a Comprehensive River Management Plan for the three forks of the Flathead River that are designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

The document is available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/flathead/?project=56536

The proposed action document outlines desired conditions, as well as indicators that will be monitored throughout the life of the plan, to protect and preserve outstandingly remarkable values of the three forks of the Flathead River System. The proposed action document describes user capacity, proposed management actions and monitoring indicators, and identifies upper thresholds of use for the different river segments that would trigger additional management actions needed to protect Wild and Scenic River values into the future.

A proposed action was initially released in 2019, but that document never evolved into an actual plan. This latest proposed action is another attempt to finish the process and comply with federal law.

The next step, a draft river management plan, is still being developed and will be modified throughout the NEPA analysis process. Public input on the proposed action will be considered and influence the environmental analysis. A draft of the Comprehensive River Management Plan is expected to be released in summer of 2025, accompanied by the environmental analysis document. At that time there will be an additional 30-day public comment period, the Forest Service said in a release.

Wild and Scenic River management plans protect and enhance the outstandingly remarkable values identified in Wild and Scenic designation. Management of the three forks of the Flathead (about 219 miles total) is currently directed by the 1980 Flathead Wild and Scenic River Management Plan and the 1986 Recreation Management Direction.

The Comprehensive River Management Plan project will revise the 1980 Plan and bring it into compliance with the statutory requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Forest Service said in a release.

 The plan will reflect and account for the changes that have occurred since the Wild and Scenic designation, including visitor use patterns, environmental conditions, Endangered Species Act species listing, and other laws that affect resources within the Wild and Scenic River corridor. It will also provide direction towards meeting and maintaining desired conditions, as well as monitoring indicators, triggers, and thresholds for adjustment to management of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River into the future.

There will be two local opportunities to attend an an information session on developing the revised Comprehensive River Management Plan:

Tuesday Jan.  21 at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Wednesday Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Both meetings are at the Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology building, room 130 (AT-130)

Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park will provide background on river management, information on the development of the Comprehensive River Management Plan, history of the three forks, and Wild and Scenic designation. Both information sessions will be open house format with information stations staffed by members of the planning team available to answer specific questions. The sessions will start with a brief presentation with an option for virtual attendance.

How to submit comments on the project:

The public comment period will be open for 30 days, concluding February 7, 2025. Comments including attachments may be submitted electronically at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/