Controlling Nutrients Key to
Flathead Lake’s Future

Lakers members and guests in the grand dining hall at the Glacier Camp Lodge.

Spectacular views of Flathead Lake and the Mission and Swan Mountains reward those who visit the Glacier Camp on the west side of Flathead Lake.

Flathead Lake is the biggest jewel in the Crown of the Continent, claimed Flathead Lake Biological Station Director Jack Stanford at the Flathead Lakers’ annual meeting. “It is great to see so many people come out in support of water quality and this grand place,” he said. Stunning views of the lake from the deck of the Glacier Camp & Conference Center near Lakeside corroborated his assertion.

Over 200 members and friends celebrated the Flathead Lakers’ 50th anniversary and long history of lake stewardship last Wednesday. The Flathead Lakers is a nonprofit organization working to protect clean water, healthy ecosystems and lasting quality of life in the Flathead watershed. “Over the years there have been many challenges, including a new dam proposal in the 1960s, coal mining proposals in British Columbia, polluted runoff and exotic species,” said President Dan Barz. “The Lakers organization is still here defending the lake and clean water after 50 years because so many people continue to care about this special place and support our work to protect it.”

Rick and Susie Graetz’s photos of the Flathead Lake “jewel” and its larger “crown” and their accompanying remarks reminded those present how truly special this place is and inspired some of them to plan to get out and see a few more of its many amazing and beautiful natural attractions. “The Crown of the Continent is one of the most intact natural systems in the world,” said Rick Graetz. Susie Graetz added “what the Flathead Lakers do makes a real difference. Keep up the good work and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

State of the Lake Report

Stanford’s state of the lake report this year touched on both the lake’s past and future as well as its current status. He predicted that there is a “pretty good possibility of coming back 50 years from now and seeing pretty good water quality in spite of the fact that there will be a lot more people” He said our goal should be to maintain the lake’s “phenomenal” water clarity for the next 50 years.

The lake has seen its share of changes just like the rest of the valley. In the early 1900s, people “caught cutthroat by the bucketful and a lot of bull trout too,” said Stanford. The fishery and food web have changed and that has a big impact on the lake we see today. The appearance of Mysis shrimp in the lake in the early 1980s forever changed the ecology of the lake.

Stanford reported that a local occurrence this spring demonstrated that “if we don’t control the amount of nutrients reaching the lake, it can bloom in bad ways.”

A specific algae species bloomed in May just outside of Yellow Bay. The area gets a lot of groundwater seepage from the slopes above and a monitoring well exhibited “ alarmingly high nitrogen levels - levels that can cause health problems.” Stanford said the occurrence was likely due to combination of a number of factors, including very hot temperatures, a couple very calm days with little water circulation and the high nitrogen levels. This shows “the lake has a tipping point, he said. “If we continue to add nutrients it will bloom.”

Stanford said that to prevent algae blooms we need to be vigilant in minimizing runoff from the valley’s expanding urban area and minimize nutrient pollution from other land uses and the atmosphere. He seconded the Graetz’s conclusion that the lake and its surroundings are truly an amazing landscape worth all of our efforts to keep it that way.

Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes Receive Stewardship Award

Paula Webster, the water quality manager for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes accepts the annual Stewardship Award from Lakers President Dan Barz. Laney Hanzel prepared the 1985 NASA photograph of Flathead Lake from the space shutter Challenger.

The Flathead Lakers Stewardship Award is given annually to someone who has made a significant contribution to preserving the quality and beauty of Flathead Lake. The Lakers gave the 2008 award to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Clean water has been central to the Salish, Kootenai and Pend d’Oreille people, their livelihood, and their culture and traditions for thousands of years.

Barz cited the Tribes’ many current programs and actions that help protect water quality and special landscapes, including wetlands protection, land use planning programs, water quality and lake shore protection programs, the fisheries co-management plan developed and implemented with the state, river and lake honoring student education events, reintroduction of the trumpeter swan, aquatic weeds research on the lake, and support for North Shore conservation and erosion control.

Paula Webster, Water Quality Manager, accepted the award on behalf of the Tribes. Webster said she was honored to be invited to accept the award in the place of Chairman James Steele. She mentioned the many changes she has seen in her lifetime and the importance of cooperation to achieve our common goal of water quality protection.

Local newspapers praise & report on Lakers 50 years of stewardship

Kalispell Daily Interlake Editorial, July 7, 2008:

Stories from the Bigfork Eagle:

• Bigfork Eagle, July 17, 2008. Flathead Lakers celebrate 50 years
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• Bigfork Eagle, July 24, 2008. Party, passion fill Flathead Lakers 50th anniversary celebration
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• Bigfork Eagle, July 24, 2008. Lake in good shape, despite potential for trouble