Flathead River plan out for public comment

It's no secret the Flathead rivers have been discovered.

From fly fishing to whitewater rafting, the rivers of northwest Montana are seeing exponential increased use. The Flathead National Forest has now released a draft management plan that will guide river management into the future.

“We have a high level of river recreation from all over the country and the world. All three forks are highly sought after for recreation opportunities, and this draft plan is an important step towards long-term river management and protection of this world-class resource” Rob Davies, district ranger for the Hungry Horse and Glacier View Ranger Districts, said.

He said the 1980 plan is past due for an update, and the Flathead National Forest has been deeply engaged in this multi-agency project. David said Glacier National Park, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, community members, nonprofit organizations, outfitter and guiding partners have all contributed to the development of this draft plan.

The Forest has released a draft Comprehensive River Management Plan for the three forks of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River and associated draft environmental assessment of the plan. Both draft documents are available for public review on the project webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/flathead/projects/56536

 
The draft Flathead Comprehensive River Management Plan and draft environmental analysis outline the existing condition of the three forks of the Flathead River; identify the values and desired conditions; and identify user capacities and articulate management actions that would be taken to protect these values into the future.

The draft also contains a monitoring plan designed to gather real-time data on river use, track long-term trends and assess the effectiveness of management actions.

The draft plan incorporates 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.

“This project has received a high level of public and stakeholder investment from the start, and the demand for protection of the outstandingly remarkable values found on these river segments has driven the development of the draft plan” said Anthony Botello, Flathead National Forest supervisor. “We are all eagerly waiting for this river plan. The passion and support that exists for the three forks of the Flathead and the protection of the Wild and Scenic River is inspiring. We are privileged to steward and protect the three forks of the Flathead.”

Wild and Scenic River management plans protect and enhance the outstandingly remarkable values identified in Wild and Scenic designations. The draft Comprehensive River Management Plan revises the existing 1980 river management plan and brings it into compliance with the statutory requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The final Comprehensive River Management Plan is expected to be released in summer of 2026, accompanied by the final environmental analysis document. 
Two opportunities to join us for a project information session:
6 – 8pm on Tuesday Feb. 17
6 – 8pm on Wednesday Feb. 18
Both information sessions will be open-house format at Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology building, room 139 (AT-139), with information stations staffed by members of the project team.
Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park will provide information on the draft Comprehensive River Management Plan and will be available to answer specific questions. The sessions will start with a brief presentation with an option for virtual attendance. Link to attend virtually will be made available under Project Documents on the project website.
How to submit comments on the project:
This public comment period will be open for 30 days, concluding March 13, 2026. Comments and attachments may be submitted electronically at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=56536.
Written comments may be mailed, or hand-delivered Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays, to the Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger Station (P.O. Box 190340, 10 Hungry Horse Drive, Hungry Horse, MT, 59919) or to the Forest Supervisors Office, (650 Wolf Pack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901).
Additional information can be found HERE: