Flathead Lakers

Flathead Lakers Working for clean water, healthy ecosystems and lasting quality of life in the Flathead watershed in northwestern Montana.

Save the date for our final Science on Tap of the summer.On Wednesday, September 2, we're joined by Melissa Maggio, Mont...
08/26/2026

Save the date for our final Science on Tap of the summer.

On Wednesday, September 2, we're joined by Melissa Maggio, Montana's Biocontrol Project Coordinator, for a look at new biological control options for four of the region's toughest w**ds: flowering rush, oxeye daisy, whitetop, and houndstongue.

Melissa will cover the fundamentals of w**d biocontrol, the status of these newer biocontrol agents, and how they fit into an integrated w**d management plan.

Wednesday, September 2, 6:30 pm at Bunker's Bar & Grill in Polson. $5 tickets at https://givebutter.com/science-on-tap-september-2026

Great news from Idaho’s fight against invasive mussels. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture reports quagga mussel ...
08/25/2026

Great news from Idaho’s fight against invasive mussels. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture reports quagga mussel detections in the Snake River dropped 77% this year compared to 2025, based on more than 420 samples collected in the infested stretch near Twin Falls and over 3,000 samples collected statewide. Officials credit aggressive treatment, expanded diving surveys, and mandatory watercraft inspection zones for the decline. A new round of treatment is planned for late August, with details to be made public before work begins.

Idaho’s progress shows what is possible with early detection and sustained response, and it is exactly why prevention matters here on Flathead Lake. Clean, Drain, Dry every time you move your watercraft between waters.

Read more at https://agri.idaho.gov/pressrelease/sampling-shows-another-decline-in-snake-river-quagga-mussel-population/

Watercraft inspectors and survey staff kept up the fight against aquatic invasive species through the heat of July, incl...
08/25/2026

Watercraft inspectors and survey staff kept up the fight against aquatic invasive species through the heat of July, including 115 degree days in Eastern Montana. Here is where things stand.

Prevention and Watercraft Inspection:
Over 70,000 watercraft have been inspected so far this season. 23 mussel fouled watercraft have been intercepted statewide to date, including one on July 24th at the Dillon inspection station.

Early Detection:
Over 1,200 AIS early detection samples have been processed this season with no evidence of invasive mussels found. More than 100 eDNA samples were also analyzed, with no mussel DNA detected.

Follow-up surveys at Beaver Lake near Whitefish and Nilan Reservoir near Augusta found no evidence of Eurasian watermilfoil, with one more survey planned this season to help confirm eradication.

Thank you to the watercraft inspectors, survey staff, and Boater Information Gathering project teams working around the state to protect Montana’s waters.

See inspection station locations and hours at fwp.mt.gov/conservation/aquatic-invasive-species/watercraft-inspection-stations.

On Monday, August 17 at 2:20 pm, the Wibaux inspection station intercepted a mussel fouled inboard/outboard boat. The bo...
08/21/2026

On Monday, August 17 at 2:20 pm, the Wibaux inspection station intercepted a mussel fouled inboard/outboard boat. The boat had last launched a year earlier in Lake Superior, Minnesota, and was traveling through Montana en route to the owner’s residence in Jackson, Wyoming. The next launch location was unknown, though the owner planned to launch somewhere in Wyoming.

The boat had already been professionally cleaned by a shop in Minnesota, but station staff still found numerous large, attached mussels in the gimbal and motor area. A full decontamination was completed on site and the boat was locked to its trailer. FWP was notified and will follow up with the owner, and the Wyoming AIS team was also alerted to the boat and its travel route.

Great work by the Wibaux station catching what a professional cleaning missed, and great coordination getting Wyoming looped in before this boat reached its destination.

Questions? Reach out to Flathead Lakers at [email protected].

Flathead Lake's water is clear partly because its headwaters carry so few nutrients. Lawn fertilizer can change that. Wh...
08/21/2026

Flathead Lake's water is clear partly because its headwaters carry so few nutrients. Lawn fertilizer can change that. When we over-fertilize and then it rains, the excess washes into streams and eventually the lake, feeding algae growth that turns water green and uses up oxygen fish need.

Montana has already declared Flathead Lake's water quality impaired due to human-caused nutrient pollution, and small algal blooms now occur occasionally around the lake in summer.

A few changes help a lot:

1. Mow at least 3 inches high, and cut less than a third of the height at a time
2. Leave clippings on the lawn with a mulching mower
3. Skip fertilizer unless a soil test shows you need it; if you do fertilize, choose a zero-phosphorus, slow-release nitrogen product and apply in fall
4. Sweep up any clippings or fertilizer that land on driveways or walkways

Full guide:https://www.flatheadlakers.org/s/Lake-friendly-lawns-Final.pdf

Ever wonder what happens after you flush? Most septic systems have two main parts: a tank and a drainfield.In the tank, ...
08/20/2026

Ever wonder what happens after you flush? Most septic systems have two main parts: a tank and a drainfield.

In the tank, solids settle to the bottom and grease floats to the top, while the liquid in between flows out to the drainfield. The drainfield is where the real treatment happens. Effluent moves through gravel-filled trenches and perforated pipe, and the surrounding soil filters out solids and breaks down bacteria and viruses as the water moves downward.

It's a simple system, but it only works if it's maintained.

Read more about how your system works and how to keep it running: www.flatheadlakers.org/understanding-septic-system

Curlyleaf pondw**d was first reported in Lake County back in 1973, and it's now considered abundant and widespread acros...
08/19/2026

Curlyleaf pondw**d was first reported in Lake County back in 1973, and it's now considered abundant and widespread across much of Montana.

It outcompetes native plants early in the growing season, and when large mats decay mid-summer, they can drop oxygen levels in the water enough to stress fish.

It's a good reminder that invasive species don't need decades to become a permanent fixture if nothing slows them down. Early action matters.

More on the species we're watching: https://www.flatheadlakers.org/other-aquatic-invaders

The last step in the routine is also the simplest: let your boat and gear dry out completely between trips. Air drying i...
08/15/2026

The last step in the routine is also the simplest: let your boat and gear dry out completely between trips. Air drying is one of the core recommended steps for stopping invasive species from spreading between water bodies.

If you're heading back out within a day or two, this is the step that matters most since you won't have time for a deep clean between launches. Park in the sun, open compartments, and give it time.

Full checklist: https://www.flatheadlakers.org/what-you-can-do

Did you know? Bull trout are one of the most sensitive fish species in North America -- they can only survive in the col...
08/14/2026

Did you know? Bull trout are one of the most sensitive fish species in North America -- they can only survive in the coldest, cleanest water available.

In the Flathead Basin, bull trout are both a native treasure and an indicator species: where they thrive, the watershed is healthy. Where they disappear, something has gone wrong with the water.

Protecting Flathead Lake and its tributaries protects bull trout -- and protecting bull trout is one measure of how well we're doing everything else.

Summer isn't over -- and neither is the AIS risk.As boating season rolls toward Labor Day, Montana's watercraft inspecti...
08/13/2026

Summer isn't over -- and neither is the AIS risk.

As boating season rolls toward Labor Day, Montana's watercraft inspection stations are as important as ever. Late-season boats returning from out-of-state trips, end-of-summer lake weekends, and rental boats all factor in.

Before every launch through the end of the season:
CLEAN. DRAIN. DRY.
Stop at inspection stations.

Flathead Lake is still mussel-free. Let's finish the season strong.

Address

110 Main Street Suite B1
Polson, MT
59860

Telephone

+14068831346

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