POLSON - Flathead Lake's water levels continue to drop and have reached historical lows.
The low water level has raised concerns for everything from environmental to economic impacts.
Energy Keepers Inc., the tribally owned corporation tasked with managing SKQ Dam, says climate change is having a major impact on the dam and lake.
In an interview with MTN News, Energy Keepers CEO Brian Lipscomb said water levels are expected to continue dropping for about a week before stabilizing.
He explained why it seems like an abnormal year for Flathead Lake.
“Normally we get a lot of fall rain or we get a lot of rain-snow mix the snow comes the snow leaves when it melts it goes into the ground. We didn't get that. The snow came and it stayed on top so a lot of people might say we had a terrible winter,” Lipscomb explained. “We did have a colder than average winter, but the snow and amount of moisture we got was below average.”
“As you go north the farther north...the drier it got, And so, the basin as it unfolds to the north of us was below average snowpack in every month except for May,” Lipscomb continued. “We were below average and then we get to May and the opposite happens. We go from winter to summer literally at the first of May, end of April. “And we go to near 90º for a couple weeks at the beginning of May. All the snow we did have melted immediately."
Glacier National Park is also reporting low levels on some rivers that feed into Flathead Lake.
