Monitoring Whitefish River

The Whitefish River begins at Whitefish Lake in the town of Whitefish, Montana. The river flows southward from the outlet of Whitefish Lake and is a tributary of the Stillwater River which then flows into the Flathead River. The Whitefish River is part of the Columbia River basin, as the Flathead River is a tributary of the Clark Fork, which is a tributary to the Pend Oreille River, which is a tributary to the Columbia River.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) determined in 2014 that the Whitefish River was temperature-impaired, meaning that high temperature impairs aquatic life and a reduction in water temperature is recommended for stream health.

Land uses within approximately ¼ mile along this river vary from agriculture, a golf course, a lumber mill, homes with acreage and high-density housing. An unknown number of the homes are not on a city sewer system and have septic systems instead. Very little of the original vegetation exists, as this valley has been populated since the late 1800’s, with logging, sawmills, and ranching/farming as the main industries.

Residents living near the Whitefish River, in the absence of other long term water quality monitoring, are volunteering to establish a long-term monitoring effort. The team lives in a large (400+) mostly owner-occupied planned community that abuts approximately one mile of the Whitefish River. Many residents use the river loop trail for exercise, and therefore see the river as it changes seasonally. Some residents kayak the river. Children play in the river. By encouraging community members to participate in monitoring efforts and by reporting to the HOA on their findings, the team hopes to raise awareness about the health of the river.

The team will evaluate current nutrient and other water quality conditions in a section of the Whitefish River to establish a baseline for future comparisons and trend analysis. The team plans to start long-term monitoring that will provide consistent baseline data on the water quality of the Whitefish River. With consistent monitoring of three designated sampling site, the group hopes to learn if the land uses are influencing or changing aquatic habitats. The hope is that the long-term monitoring will assist resource managers and Flathead County administrators in planning future land use policies.

Approximately 28 miles of the Whitefish River will be monitored at three locations. The river is part of an extensive tributary system terminating at Flathead Lake.

Click on each picture below to zoom in on the monitoring location.

MMW helps citizen-led groups provide the critical data needed to make sound decisions and better sustain our freshwater resources and protect our native fish populations and angling industries for years to come.  Learn how you can help MMW provide critical support to citizen-led watershed groups throughout the state  .