Flathead Lake Protection Association

Keep Flathead Lake Blue

The Flathead Lake Protection Association is a volunteer non-profit corporation dedicated to preserving and enhancing water quality in the Flathead Basin.

Since 1980 the FLPA has been involved in water quality issues as a strong citizen group, advocating the need for pro-active public participation in all water quality issues and policies which affect the Flathead drainage.

Information and education are the keys to the public being involved with sound water policy.  In the Flathead Basin there are over 270 public and private interests or groups which use water.  In order to assist the public interest in understanding these complex issues, the FLPA is currently participating or has participated in these issues.

**Kerr Dam Mitigation--FLPA solicited public respond to the FERC, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, mitigation hearing which set the stage for stream flow and operations of the lower Flathead River and Lake for the next 45 years.  The recommendations adopted by the FLPA were very similar to those supported by Trout Unlimited and the Flathead Lakers organizations.  These three groups represent a large body of people who care about and are vitally interested in the future of the water usage and water quality as it pertains to the Flathead drainage and the world.

**Hungry Horse Dam Mitigation--This on-going process concerns not only how Hungry Horse Dam will be operated in the future, but also how available money will be spent for the damages created to the ecosystem by Hungry Horse's past operational standards.

**Monitoring of the Burlington Northern Super Fund Clean Up at Somers.  The FLPA, by providing 30% matching funds, was able to receive a $57,000 Technical Assistance Grant form the EPA for monitoring the process and participated with technical input during the clean-up process.  Due to the significance and dangers this clean-up posed to Flathead Lake and the immediate area, the FLPA applied for additional funding.  This helped the FLPA in the public interest to be able to hire technical assistance in the monitoring process.

**Educational videos--The FLPA funded the production of three of a series of six half-hour videos on water and water quality issues and complexities.  These videos were broadcast on PBS, as well as on FRED TV, a cable channel from Kalispell.  The videos, which are in local schools as well as the public library, each run approximately 28 minutes.  #1 is called "The Science of Water",  #2  "The Uses and Abuses of Water", and #3  "The Economics of Water".

**Sewage Treatment--The FLPA has consistently supported the need to implement propert sewage treatment for all densely populated communities in the area.  This includes Kalispell, Whitefish, begfork, Columbia Falls, Polson, Evergreen, and the Upper West Shore (Lakeside to Somers).

**Other Issues--The FLPA was actively involved in passage of the banning of phosphate soaps, the Cabin Creek coal issue, North Fork drilling, NW Montana toxic waste sites, lakeshore regulations, forestry and road building practices, planning and zoning, boating safety regulations, as well as many other direct and indirect water related issues.

The FLATHEAD LAKE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION AND THE FLATHEAD DRAINAGE NEEDS YOU HELP!!  NOW!!  -- As you can see, there are many issues and many needs to be addressed if we are to preserve the water in the Flathead drainage.  We need your support in order to fund our mailings and other water issue involvements.  We ask you to join the Flathead Lake Protection Association, Box 679, Lakeside, MT 59922.  Send $5 or more for an annual membership.  

IT'S YOUR LAKE--BE INVOLVED!!!

Tax Deductible Donations can be sent to:

Flathead Lake Protection Assn.

P.O. Box 679

Lakeside, MT 59922

email: President of Flathead Lake Protection Association

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