The University of o f Cr o w n t h e Co n t i n e n t E – Notes fall 2009, No. 1

Flathead Lake n March 1, 1812, David Thompson, famed explorer and fur trader, crested a hill near present- Oday Polson. “we alighted on the E-Magazine Highlights top of A Bare Knowl, commanding a very Crown Issues, Research The Crown of the Continent—what some extensive view of the lake and coun- basin scoured out by a massive gla- call “The Backbone of the World”—serves try far around,” Thompson wrote cier that inched down the Rocky as a living laboratory for climate change, a when he saw an immense, crystal- Mountain Trench from Canada about stage for urban-wildland interface issues and clear lake stretching north toward 40,000 years ago. About 12,000 a tapestry of human and geographic history. glistening white mountain tops. years ago, the ice reached its maxi- The Crown of the Continent Initiative at the Dense conifer forests dominated mum southern advance, dumping University of Montana launched a biannual the shoreline on both sides of this all matters of rubble and creating, electronic magazine that, like this newsletter, helps to shed light on and bring information, wide body of water. On the east, just south of today’s Polson, what stories and photos from this incredible eco- the slopes rose quickly, culminat- is known in geo-speak as a terminal system. Look for the next issue this winter. ing in jagged snow-covered peaks moraine. thousands of feet above the valley At first sight, the ridge looks like To access the E-Magazine, go online to http:// floor. Today, these heights are called a natural barrier holding back Flat- issuu.com/crown_of_the_continent and click the Mission Mountains. The gentle head Lake. However, the moraine on the cover under publications. For more rises he noted above the west side doesn’t dam the lake. In the south- information on the initiative or to request an electronic copy of the E-Magazine and of the lake are the Salish Mountains. west corner of the basin, glacial melt subsequent issues and newsletters, e-mail Thompson was the first white man water broke through mud and sand [email protected]. These publica- to view a site that still holds today’s to reach solid bedrock, then eroded tions are brought to you free of charge, but travelers in awe: Flathead Lake. a narrow gorge through the hard we appreciate your donations. Please see the The blue waters of this sparkling rock. An overlook of the passageway next page for how to help. gem fill a huge Continued on PAGE 4 PAGE 1: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1 Welcome We’d Like Your Help Donations large and small—$5, Coming Home $10, $25 or more—are needed as By James P. Foley, UM Executive Vice President we grow our efforts to bring you “The Crown” in a variety of ways aving spent many years away from Montana, where and formats: Symposia, such as the HI was born and raised, to work on Capitol Hill in one we recently held in Kalispell, Washington, D.C., I think of the Crown of the Continent book projects, newsletters, regu- e-publications as an adaptable memoir for those who lar issues of this E-Magazine, etc. experience northwest Montana, Flathead Lake and Your contributions also will enable Glacier National Park. The pictures in the E-Magazine us to get students “into the field” and E-Notes don’t so much tell the stories as evoke them. in Crown areas, offer courses for Instead of relating memories, they conjure them up. The them and the general public, Crown of the Continent is everyone’s place, and, hope- support student research projects, fully, there is a picture and a story for everyone. and provide you and other inter- ested parties with accessible and There is an almost palpable energy growing out of high-quality information about our these e-publications—it also demonstrates that the wonderful and fascinating Crown. Crown of the Continent will thrive for many generations EriK Steinbakken Donations are tax-deductible and to come. For many, the Crown and Montana hold cher- should be sent to: ished names and places which will continue to take on meaning for more people. Most importantly, the Crown changes, but the familiar feelings it brings remain. The University of Montana Foundation, In the Crown of the Continent, one can feel most comfortable with oneself. It’s a P.O. Box 7159, place to begin and grow from. Missoula, MT 59807 I see Mt. Brown and still feel the fatigue, aches and pains from the 8.5-mile grueling hike to the lookout with my longtime friend Randy Harrison. There—in Please make checks payable to the serenity of the park—we would pick berries, talk about fishing and rehash our the UM Foundation with a notation time spent there. When we returned, footsore from up and down the mountain to be directed to the “Crown of we of course would announce that it was be time for a swim in the cold waters of the Continent initiative.” You also Lake McDonald—which would take our breath away during the first plunge. may donate online at https://safe. The Crown evokes memories of an August Congressional recess many years onlinemontana.com/online ago when Montana’s Sen. B.K. Wheeler and U.S. Sen. Tom Walsh sat on the shores montana/fundraiser/?s=6070. Sel- of Lake McDonald. With streams gurgling below and the stars overhead, Walsh ect your desired gift amount, desig- said, “Burt, we are so fortunate no king in the world could have anything better nate it to the College of Arts & Sci- than this.” ences and note that your gift should I was fortunate, more fortunate than my mother and father, who were from go to the “Crown of the Continent Initiative” on the “Additional Com- Butte and Anaconda, to have the luxury of a lifelong connection to the Crown ments/Instructions Regarding Your of the Continent. But that’s enough of my memories and impressions—turn the Gift” page. Thank you. pages and you will find your own.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA CROWN OF THE CONTINENT INITIATIVE Department of Geography – Old Journalism Building The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812 Administration Faculty and students from many University of Montana departments contribute George M. Dennison to the Crown of the Continent Initiative’s overall efforts, including this publication. President Royce C. Engstrom Staff Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs Rick Graetz – Initiative Co-Director, Geography faculty James P. Foley Jerry Fetz – Initiative Co-Director, Professor, Dean Emeritus, Coll. of Arts & Sciences Executive Vice President Keith Graham – Art Director, School of Journalism faculty Dan Dwyer Ashley Zuelke – Designer and Copy Editor, Journalism and Political Science Student Vice President for Research & Development Joe Veltkamp – Web Designer, Economics and Media Arts Student, Spectral Fusion Christopher Comer Susie Graetz – Editorial Consultant, International Programs Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Any use or reproduction of this work requires permission of the directors of the Crown of the Continent Initiative. © The University of Montana Published by The University of Montana Press. PAGE 2: from the directors First E-Notes Offers Crown News, Events for Fall By Jerry Fetz and Rick Graetz tile. We thank the Mis- Welcome to the first issue of what we soulian for the latter are calling the Crown of the Continent article, which we have E-Notes. As we indicated in the first is- reprinted here. sue of the Crown of the Continent E- You will see informa- Magazine that launched last spring, tion about upcoming it is our intention at the University of events in and about the Montana’s Crown Initiative to publish Crown, many of which electronically two issues each of the are sponsored by our magazine and Notes each year. partners in this Crown We have been very pleased by the of the Continent Initia- positive response and comments we tive. On page 9 you will have received from many of you about see the entire sched- the first magazine issue. Although ule for these E-Notes are meant to serve a Community College’s somewhat different purpose, we hope 2009 Crown of the Con- that you will find them useful and infor- tinent Lecture Series mative as well. that begins Sept. 15. In this first issue we focus some of our Finally, we will strive attention on one of the many “gems” in to let you hear directly the Crown, Flathead Lake. You will find from our partners, such a few photos of this marvelous lake and as the story in this issue the mountains that surround it, a “state about the National Park of the lake” report from Jack Stanford, Association/National director of UM’s Flathead Lake Biologi- Geographic Crown of cal Station, as well as a short descrip- the Continent Map tion of how the lake came into being MISTAKIS INSTITUTE Project. In the next is- sue, we will focus more and has changed in the past century. its many partners and supporters. on the work our partners in Canada. With this issue, we will also attempt You will also notice in this first issue Once again, we thank you for your to let you know what kinds of events, that we are featuring an article about a interest, comments, suggestions and, exhibits and opportunities are in the research project that focuses on the ef- even, your financial support. We hope works to celebrate the upcoming 100th fects of irrigation in the Flathead River you have lots of opportunities to en- anniversary of Glacier National Park and Basin, as well as one about the recent joy the Crown directly as we enter the suggest how you can find out about change in ownership of an “institution” colorful fall season. more of what is scheduled by GNP and in the Crown, the Polebridge Mercan-

By the numbers: The Nature Conservancy in the crown — Conservation Buyers Properties include all of the former Plum Acres (Est.) Creek land in the Blackfoot Community Project and Montana Legacy 70,779 in 76 Conservation Easements Project. Some have been sold to private parties with easements on in Preserve Properties them. Of those The Nature Conservancy still owns, some will go to 14,331 government or private parties restricted by conservation easements 194,734 in 21 Conservation Buyer Properties held by either governmental or non-governmental organizations.

20,142 in 10 Assists — Assists are properties in which TNC has helped place under ease- 66,328 in 45 Co-op Properties ments to be held by other entities.

320 in 2 Deed Restrictions — Co-op Properties are areas TNC owned at one time, but have sub- sequently been sold to various government agencies and conservation buyers. 366,634 total acres of protected land www.nature.org * Areas include the Blackfoot, Rocky Mountain Front, Swan, North Fork of the Flathead and Montana Legacy Project Land.

PAGE 3: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1 Rick and susie graetz Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, at sunset. Continued from FRONT PAGE generates hydroelectricity and controls from Demersville (four miles south of of the Flathead River and Kerr Dam now the lake’s water level. In winter, when Kalispell on the Flathead River, and now clearly displays the gorge and the soft water is released, the lake sits at its pre- only a memory) to Polson. A one-way sediments above it. dam pool and is kept at this stage to trip took three to four hours. Present-day Flathead Lake fills a ba- contain spring runoff. By late May, Flat- Traveling the shores in the days be- sin that was a lingering mass of the gla- head Lake reaches its maximums—370 fore roads could be an adventure and cier while it melted. Geologists surmise feet in its deepest place and 2,893 feet stories abound. A road of sorts along that lobe of ice survived while the rest in elevation. the west shore came along in the of the glacier melted because it was in- This, the largest body of freshwater 1880s. It lead from Polson to the north sulated beneath a large accumulation west of the nation’s heartland, now end but was steep and hazardous, so of broken rock and soil from landslides stretches north and south for 27 miles much so that reports say wagons had that dropped onto the ice in numer- and averages seven miles in width,15.5 to be lowered downslope by ropes. ous places during the glacier’s passage miles at its widest point. Its 187 miles of Completion of the roads along the south through British Columbia. shoreline—on its main lake and islands shores eventually ended the steam- Melting ice filled most of the - Flat —are washed by water collected from boat business. head Valley floor with deposits of sand mountain snows, lakes and springs that Compared to other parts of Mon- and gravel. Meanwhile, water running feed the three forks of the Flathead Riv- tana, towns along the lake came late. off the glacial remnant beneath its er before they empty into the lake. Polson was the first settlement. In 1880, earthy cover carried sediment from the The beauty of the place attracted it went by the name Lambert’s Landing, ice elsewhere. When the last of the gla- white settlers, and by the 1880s esti- after Harry Lambert who had opened a cier finally melted, the place left unfilled mates had the scattered population store there. After the site started grow- by sediment became Flathead Lake. of the Flathead Valley at 2,000 people. ing, and an actual town was estab- In 1939, at the end of the Depression From 1885 to 1930, steamboats carry- lished, it was named for David Polson, a Era, Kerr Dam was built in the gorge ing passengers and freight plied the rancher who lived in the Mission Valley that carried the overflow of the lake. waters of the grand lake, as it was dif- to the south. The post office there was This 204-foot-high concrete structure ficult to negotiate the irregular shores. opened in 1898. The steamers traveled back and forth Somers, founded in 1901 as a mill

PAGE 4 NEWS AROUND THE CROWN Glacier National Park Celebrates 100 Years n May 11, 1910, Glacier Na- to them. It is our hope that park friends Otional Park was signed into law as and neighbors will personally recognize our nation’s tenth national park by Presi- the centennial as well. dent Taft. Today, the park is working with Many cultures and people share the a team of volunteers to help plan and story of Glacier National Park’s past, implement a community-based Centen- present and future. Deeply-rooted nial Program. personal connections characterize this As we move into the park’s second exceptional story. The park’s centen- century our focus is to celebrate the rich nial provides all Americans and world history of preservation, inspire personal citizens a chance to find an increased connections and partnerships, and en- understanding of and dedication to gage future stewards. With neighboring the rich history and preservation of this communities and partners, the park will pristine treasure. provide a diverse range of centennial op- Glacier National Park is truly the portunities—from educational programs crown of the continent—a place where and commemorative events to legacy residents and visitors alike may create projects. Everyone directly involved with cherished memories. We look forward to the centennial has a personal story of Pete Thomas sharing the story of this landscape dur- why Glacier National Park is important “Goat’s-Eye View from Mt. Siyeh” ing the coming months.

UPCOMING CENTENNIAL EVENTS Sept.15-Oct. 6, 2009 Nov. 5, 2009-February 2011 Dec. 31, 2009 Crown of the Continent Lecture Series Glacier Centennial Exhibit Centennial New Years’ Eve Celebration Flathead Valley Community College, Montana Historical Society Museum, Belton Chalet, West Glacier, MT Kalispell, MT Helena, MT

For more information, go to http://www.glaciercentennial.org or call Kass Hardy, centennial coordinator, at 406-888-7971. town, served as a central point for large the crop. As spring comes to the state, tablished The University of Montana’s logging operations until about 1948 killing frosts are common. But along the Flathead Lake Biological Station in Big when the Somers Lumber Company shore, water heats slowly and retards Fork. In1908 it was moved to its present closed. Bigfork was platted in 1901 by the arrival of spring, thus ensuring the location at Yellow Bay on the lake’s east Everit Sliter, and named because the cherry blossoms will not bud too early side. A National Wildlife Refuge graces Swan River, a fork of the Flathead River, and be claimed by frost. Warmer water Flathead’s north shore. flows into the lake at this point. in the fall, after summer heating, shel- Placid water in the morning and In October 1891, the formation of ters the trees from an early freeze that whitecaps in the afternoon is a com- the Flathead Reservation (formerly the would destroy them. mon situation on the lake. Storms Jocko Reservation) brought together Wildhorse Island, rising 850 feet capable of destroying docks and boats the area’s original Indian populations above the water in the Big Arm area, is are not uncommon. Boaters going out as the Confederated Salish and Koote- Flathead’s most prominent landmark. in the open need to know the weath- nai Tribes. The southern half of Flathead Only a few wild horses still roam this er forecast and pay heed to lake wind Lake is part of the reservation. Montana State Park—a herd of big- warnings. Sailors find plenty of natural Say “the Flathead” and sweet cherries horn sheep (80-90 in number) is now power to propel their boats on the big come to mind. Their delicate white blos- the main wildlife species. Eagles, owls, lake. soms in May signify spring as much as geese and osprey also spend time Sightings of the legendary Flathead their green branches laden with ruby- on the island. Aside from Wildhorse, Lake Monster have been the source red fruit do summer. The micro-climate five other state parks and several fish- of folk tales for more than 100 years. of this part of the valley is conducive to ing access points are found along the Some try to explain the strange wakes the cherries’ growth. More moderate perimeter of the lake. moving slowly along the water with no weather than the rest of Montana and In 1899 Morton Elrod, a scientist boat in sight as being caused by a giant few rapid temperature changes protect and accomplished photographer, es- sturgeon. But then, who knows?

PAGE 5: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1 NEWS AROUND THE CROWN National Geographic, Local Partners Map Stories of the Crown By Steve Thompson Senior Program Manager, National Parks Conservation Association

What’s special about your place in the Crown of the Continent? And, what are people doing to keep it that way? Those are the questions posed to the public by a diverse alliance of communities, business- es, conservation groups, tribes and local gov- ernments in the Alberta, British Columbia and Montana reaches of the Crown. The result: A unique type of community-based map devel- oped in partnership with National Geographic Society. The partners were unified around the con- cept of geotourism, defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical char- acter of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.” The community mapping process was led by the Glacier office of the National Parks Conservation Association. The Crown of the Continent Geotourism MapGuide was completed in March 2008 along with the web- based companion, www.crownoftheconti- nent.net. The partnership that created the map and Web site is the Crown of the Continent Geo- tourism Council. Following completion of the MapGuide, council members agreed to main- tain the partnership to advance the project’s long-term goals of economic development, regional communications and stewardship. The council aims to engage and inspire com- munities and visitors to celebrate, enjoy and take care of this special place. “The Crown of the Continent is one of the most intact natural ecosystems in the temper- ate zones of the world,” said Jonathan Tourtel- lot of National Geographic Society, senior edi- tor of the Crown of the Continent MapGuide. “It’s also a place with a rich cultural heritage: Sovereign first nations still occupy the same territory after thousands of years, alongside loggers, ranchers, miners and, more recently, an influx of new residents who have brought far-flung business ventures and incomes. This map tells the stories tied to this very special landscape.”

PAGE 6 Company Widens Gold Search Montana Senators Push for Transboundary Agreement above Glacier National Park Salazar Suggests Protections for Glacier Within Year Expanded gold exploration north of Near the confluence of theN orth Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead River, Glacier National Park has Montana in- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in mid-August he would like some type of terests worried about downstream en- designation protecting Glacier National Park and the Flathead Basin from up- vironmental and economic impacts. stream natural resource development in place by next year. “The mining company has appar- “Where we have to aim is for an international covenant between the Unit- ently made a business decision that ed States and Canada that will protect the Flathead water basin,” Salazar said, investment in the Canadian Flathead flanked by Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester. may bear fruit for them,” said Will Ham- “I will be working closely with Senator Baucus and Senator Tester to try to merquist of the National Parks Conser- figure out the next steps, and it will include conversations that we will have vation Association. Hammerquist called with the Canadian government and my counterparts in Canada,” Salazar add- the gold exploration another example ed. “How exactly we will move forward—that is still to be determined. But I of industrial land use that fails to recog- would hope that that pathway leads us to some greater sense of protection by nize the area’s importance. the time we get to the centennial of Glacier National Park.” The mining zone about 10 miles The visit occurred as attention to potential environmental threats to Glacier north of the Montana border drains Park and the Flathead Basin are—once again—ramping up. In June, the UNES- south into the North Fork Flathead CO World Heritage Committee approved a resolution designating that an in- River. That waterway forms the western ternational team of researchers travel in September to the Flathead Valley and edge of Glacier Park before reaching British Columbia to assess whether a proposed coal mine and coal-bed meth- Flathead Lake. ane drilling operation above the park necessitate declaring Waterton-Glacier For decades, a transboundary clash International Peace Park “in danger,” due to environmental degradation. has centered on coal mining propos- A new mining project surfaced shortly afterward. Salazar noted the economic benefits of Glacier Park as well as touted the als, often pulling both federal govern- roughly $40 million in stimulus dollars allocated to the park. But he also noted ments into the fray. In early August, the difficulty of resolving decades-long disputes between Montana and Brit- Max Resource Corp. announced it will ish Columbia over proposed Canadian mining projects. B.C. officials, however, double its area of gold exploration, have long contended that they have a right to develop their natural resources potentially by drilling samples on the responsibly, and that critics of such development simply want to establish a western banks of the river. Plans call for new national park in the Canadian Flathead, which could restrict activities like exploration investment of more than hunting and snowmobiling. $1 million by June 2013. Baucus and Tester said that for too long state officials opposed upstream The area is part of a protected “re- development projects as they rose up—a tactic Baucus compared to the serve” created in 2004 in response to a “Whack-a-Mole” carnival game. The time has come, Baucus said, to take a more controversial coal mining proposal. The offensive approach to reach some sort of long-term agreement with Canada. British Columbia officials said the region In the meantime, however, Baucus hopes mining projects, like the new gold was too politically and environmentally mine proposed by Max Resource Corp., will succumb to public pressure once it sensitive for mining operations. grows clear how deeply opposition to such projects runs in Montana. Leonard MacMillan, spokesman for Max Resource, said he was unaware of the site’s controversy, and stressed the does not involve the same water pollut- Glacier Park and part in the Canadian potential gold prospects in the area. His ants, and so “doesn’t have to be looked Flathead. company has discovered apparently at in the same way.” Glacier and its Canadian neighbor, rich ore, he said, “and we think we have But looked at it surely will be. Waterton Lakes National Park, are des- an angle on where to do some work.” Hammerquist says the mountain be- ignated a World Heritage Site, and in The work—“shallow drilling to ing explored—Trachyte Ridge— is clear- July a United Nations committee asked determine the size and direction of ly visible from Glacier National Park, and the two countries to submit a “conser- mineralization”—will be done on a even as far south as Polebridge. As gold vation report” on the disputed region. lease held by Eastfield Resources, where exploration moves closer to the river, UNESCO officials also asked Canada to company leadership is well aware of the he said, downstream concerns grow forestall any mining activity pending land’s history of international dispute. increasingly acute. environmental review, and promised a But Eastfield President Bill Martin In addition, biologists now worry scientific site visit by an international said the biggest resistance has been about industrial operations fragment- delegation. to coal bed methane development, ing habitat used by transboundary because of the vast amounts of waste- wildlife, including wolves, elk and griz- Stories by Michael Jamison of the Missoulian water discharged. A gold mine, he said, zly bears that live part of the year in PAGE 7: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1 Clean and Clear, but Warmer The State of Flathead Lake 2009 By Jack Stanford research vessel, Jessie B, collecting water one of the jewels of the Crown of the Director, Flathead Lake Biological Station samples for laboratory analyses. They Continent. obtain profiles of temperature, dis- With help from Daniel Goodman, Researchers at the Flathead Lake solved oxygen, chlorophyll, conduc- an environmental statistician at Mont- Biological Station have produced tivity, light penetration, water clarity ana State University, Ellis recently re- periodic reports that describe water and other measures with sophisticated analyzed all the Flathead Lake data, quality in the big lake back to 1899. electronic sensors that are lowered including all of the fisheries monitoring The older studies describe Flathead through the water column from data collected by biologists working for as it was before Kerr Dam and other the boat. The Flathead Lake water the Confederated Salish and Kootenai human-caused influences such as flow quality database is one of the Tribes and Montana Fish Wildlife and regulation, lakeshore erosion, pollution longest and most-detailed for large Parks. The analysis shows that water from sewage treatment plants and dif- lakes worldwide. quality gradually declined as the fuse inputs from urban and agricultural These data have allowed Ellis and human footprint in the Flathead Basin lands began to change water quality. her colleagues to describe the long- increased. Starting in 1977, water quality data term trends in water quality that are However, the biggest change in the have been collected routinely by coherent with the expanding popul- lake was not due to pollution, but was Bonnie Ellis and Jim Craft, Flathead ation and changing land uses in the clearly and directly related to the intro- Lake Biological Station scientists. At Flathead Basin. Her studies provide duction of various fish species during least 15 times a year, Craft and El- a basis for minimizing pollution and the early years and a mysid (“opossum”) lis are out on the lake in the station’s maintaining clear, clean water in shrimp species in early 1980s.

rick and susie graetz Above: Flathead Lake has not frozen over since 1988, which can be seen in this view from Somers. Opposite: Cherry blossoms. PAGE 8 The native fish community, notably have become a popular sport fishery nutrient supply increases. Ellis’ analy- bull and cutthroat trout, have almost in Flathead Lake. Ironically, bull and ses show that nitrogen inputs have completely disappeared from Flathead cutthroat trout populations are robust steadily increased over the last decade. Lake. The food web has changed due to in the South Fork of the Flathead River Managers and the public must be the shrimp and interactions between because blocked vigilant and proactive to preserve the native and non-native fishes have been immigration of non-native species and healthy state of Flathead Lake water strongly negative, especially with quality. We have adequate laws the case of lake trout that repro- to protect water quality if the duce in the lake. Juvenile lake trout statutes are enforced. Nonethe- feed effectively on the abundant less, conversion of ag lands to shrimp, allowing for more adult urban and commercial uses in fish than was possible in the pre- the Flathead Valley is gradually mysid period. Hybridization with increasing the spreading inputs non-native brook and rainbow of pollution to the Flathead Riv- trout also is contributing to na- er and the lake. Gravel mining tive fish decline. along the Flathead River is reduc- On the other hand, water qual- ing the resiliency of the alluvial ity in Flathead Lake—measured aquifer to reduce pollutant loads. in terms of water clarity, algae Encroachment of human uses into production and deep water oxy- Flathead Lake Biological Station riparian buffer zones along the gen content, among other key river and lake increases every variables—remains remarkably Monitoring Program year, reducing natural trapping good given the large number of For more information, go to www.umt.edu/flbs. of nitrogen and phosphorus that people living around the lake and increase algae production in the in the Kalispell Valley. lake. Plans for giant strip mines In fact, Flathead Lake remains among the reservoir provides an adequate to remove coal in the Canadian North the cleanest of the world’s large lakes rearing habitat. Fork of the Flathead River are still mov- owing to two key attributes. First, the Perhaps our native fishes can be ing forward in spite of repeated dem- Flathead River dominates the water preserved there in the long term but onstration that negative effects will flux through the lake and its water is preventing introductions via bait extend to Flathead Lake and the Gla- clean, clear and cold because it comes buckets or illegal planting will be prob- cier-Waterton International Peace Park mostly from Glacier National Park and lematic for managers. Likewise, new and World Heritage Site. the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex. introductions into Flathead Lake are a Continuing the Biological Station Second, water quality management real threat. Zebra mussels and walleye monitoring program is essential to in the lake basin is very good overall. are likely candidates—and a great deal keep track of changes in water quality All of the urban centers have good more effort than currently exists will be and to stimulate proper management sewage collection and treatment required to prevent another bad intro- responses. The monitoring program facilities. Kalispell’s is among the best duction, if it has not already occurred. costs $200,000 per year for the full in the USA. Flathead Lake in 2009 is clean and suite of variables and sites that should Best management practices on forest clear. Nothing unusual has occurred so be routinely sampled. Flathead Lake lands are well established and monit- far this year in the monitoring record. water quality monitoring by the Bio- ored basin-wide. But, agricultural It does appear that the lake is get- logical Station is funded by legislative activities are poorly monitored and ting warmer year by year, however. In- appropriation and Environmental Pro- some of the ground-water monitoring deed, the volume of the warm upper tection Agency clean water dollars that wells have high nitrate, pesticide and layers in the lake during has increased are passed through the Department of herbicide concentrations. substantially since 1990. The lake has Environmental Quality. Unfortunately, Not much can be done about not frozen over since 1988 and per- the monitoring program currently is the food web changes that Ellis and sistence of ice in the bays is declining. running on a bare-bones budget be- colleagues have documented. Bull Summer surface temperatures rou- cause the department has been un- trout likely cannot hang on in the face tinely exceed 21˚C (70˚F), too warm for able to maintain their share. Private of the burgeoning lake trout popula- cold-adapted cutthroat trout to grow, contributions to the monitoring tion that has spread from Flathead thus compounding the food web prob- program may be made at www.umt. Lake to all the big lakes in Glacier Na- lem that has pushed cutthroat to the edu/flbs. tional Park where bulls and cuts once brink of extinction. Moreover, pollu- After all, what’s more important than were abundant. Moreover, lake trout tion algae thrive in warm water as the Flathead Lake?

PAGE 9: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1 change in diversion will not harm other Human Dimensions of Irrigation water-right holders. While the permitting process is in the Flathead River Basin meant to protect water-users, it often By Joel Brown creates an unfamiliar and unappetizing procedure that irrigators, who tradi- tionally manage water with handshakes rather than expensive consultants, are not thrilled about. In addition, irriga- tors also must handle rising electricity infrastructure installation costs, making the installation of new pumps a costly venture. Utility companies in the 1990s un- derpriced power-line and transformer- installation costs, counting on large returns because of rapid development in the Kalispell and Whitefish areas. When these returns were not as sub- stantial as hoped, companies raised prices to recoup costs. The second major location of irri- gated agriculture in the Flathead River basin sits south of Flathead Lake. Sepa- rick graetz Combines in a wheat field near Pablo, Mont. rated only by the length of the lake (30 miles), this basin area holds a much dif- Late spring signals the start of an is being done in conjunction with ferent set of water policy issues than its annual rite of passage for water mol- the Inland Northwest Research Alli- northern counterpart. This area stretch- ecules in the Crown of the Continent. ance’s Water Resource Consortium. es the entirety of the Mission Valley, Slowly, as the winter snowpack starts The consortium aims to foster a holistic spilling over to the south into the Jocko to melt, the water it holds begins to understanding of water resources in the Valley. To the west, agriculture extends move in an endless trek known as the Intermountain West. into the Moiese Valley and the Camas hydrologic cycle. Runoff flows into high Water policy in the Flathead River area. mountain gullies and collects in swol- basin is complex, and initial findings The Flathead Irrigation Project (FIP) len creeks and rivers. To the farmers have uncovered a diverse range of irrigates almost this entire agricultural and ranchers along the western flank issues that irrigators face. swath. The FIP is the largest irrigation of the Crown, spring runoff from the Irrigation in the basin primarily oc- project in the state and among all 16 winter snowpack also signifies the be- curs in two locations. An area north of projects run by the Bureau of Indian ginning of irrigation season. Flathead Lake, in the Stillwater and Flat- Affairs. In total, it serves more than The western edge of the Crown of head River drainages, contains a mix of 128,000 acres of land. Its size and vari- the Continent, stretching from White- irrigated and non-irrigated agriculture. ety of water sources also makes it one fish to the Jocko Valley, is dotted with In 2007, the USDA Census of Agriculture of the most hydrologically complex more than a thousand farms and ranch- reported that Flathead County, where projects in the U.S. The FIP stores water es that depend on irrigation water to this northern agricultural area lies, con- in 15 different reservoirs and delivers it survive. sists of more than 250,000 acres, more through thousands of miles of canals, More than 90 percent of water con- than half of which are irrigated. ditches and laterals. sumption in the Flathead River basin is One issue irrigators face in this re- While the delivery of water with- used for irrigation. This year, the Geog- gion is the rising cost in the time and in the project is physically complex, raphy Department at the University of money they must spend on water rights issues surrounding its management Montana began conducting a study to permitting and processing. Permit ap- may be even more complicated. Irriga- explore how water policy and percep- plications to change points of diversion tors on the project struggle with what tions of drought and water availability can take more than a year to process they see as major inefficiencies in its affect water management in the basin. and be expensive, as consultants are management. The project, headed by professors usually hired to prove the legitimacy of One irrigator mentioned that project David Shively and Sarah Halvorson, existing water rights and show that a employees only work Monday through

PAGE 10 Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This kind of schedule is not conducive to farming, as irrigators cannot 2009 Crown of the Continent Lecture Series easily get their water turned on and off when Flathead Valley Community College desired to maximize water-use efficiency. Other issues center on the bureaucratic All lectures are free af charge in Arts and Technology Building Room 139. management style that the BIA, as a federal agency, must adhere to. Irrigators have not- Sept.15, 7 p.m. ed that it takes excessively long to fill vacant “First Peoples, Two Countries, Three Voices: 10,000 Years of jobs due to hiring procedures that may take Human History in the Crown of the Continent” more than six months to complete. Addition- A conversation with leaders of the Blackfoot Confederacy, ally, this spring an order of pesticides used Salish-Pend Oreille, and the Kootenai/Ktnuxa nations. to clean out moss-clogged canals has been Speakers: Salish Elder Tony Incashola, Director of the Committee, Salish-Pend d’Oreille Culture; Kootenai Member Dr. Vernon Finley, delayed for months due to BIA ordering pro- Instructor, Salish-Kootenai College; Piikani-Blackfoot Elder Reg Crowshoe, cedures. Executive Director of the Oldman River Cultural Center. Despite these perceived inefficiencies in Moderator: Steve Thompson, Project Coordinator, National Geographic project management, some irrigators note Crown of the Continent Geotourism Mapguide. that the problem does not lie specifically with the FIP management team, but with the Sept. 22, 7 p.m. management policies that the project, under “The Crown Region: Setting the Stage” the BIA, must adhere to. An overview to establish the broader geographical elements In response to perceived inefficiencies, irri- that help define the Crown of the Continent. gators have long wanted to transfer manage- Speaker: Dr. Jim Byrne, Chairman, Geography Department., ment of the irrigation project away from the University of Lethbridge. BIA and into the hands of non-tribal irrigators Sept. 29, 7 p.m. who are represented by the Flathead Joint “Defining the Ecology of the Crown of the Continent” Board of Control. The Confederated Salish A review of the characteristics that distinguish the Crown and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reserva- of the Continent from neighboring and global ecosystems, tion, however, have traditionally rejected this including flora and fauna. as an option due to its movement of resourc- Presenter: Dr. Chris Servheen, Adjunct Research Associate es to a non-tribal entity. Professor of Wildlife Conservation, Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator, For many years this conflict has brewed University of Montana. animosity between the Confederated Salish Oct. 6, 7 p.m. and Kootenai Tribes and the board. Both of “Seeing Across the Rockies: Reaching for Montana 1787-1812.” these groups, however, started working to- An exploration of the period of contact and the relationship ward transferring control from the BIA to a between Lewis & Clark, David Thompson, and Thomas Jefferson. cooperative management entity that repre- Thompson’s map of the 1820s integrated with Lewis & Clark’s sents both parties’ interests. map provided the first accurate map of the Crown region. Concurrently, the Confederated Salish and Presenter: Jack Nesbit, author, Sources of the River: Kootenai Tribes also are negotiating with Tracking David Thompson across Western North America. the state to finally quantify the tribal wa- ter rights in the basin. These decisions carry Sept. 26, Field Trip great weight and could strongly alter water “Along the Buffalo Cow Trail: History & Ecology policy and the management of water in the of the Trans-boundary North Fork” Flathead River basin. A hike in the Canadian Flathead to Hornet Lookout on the The basin is home to a number of diverse Kishenehn Trail. Follow in the footsteps of the First People and challenging water-management issues. on the 10,000 year old trail. Transportation provided. The UM Geography Department’s research Bring sack lunch, water, snacks, comfortable shoes and passport. will continue to explore how water policy Moderate hiking ability required. there evolves and affects water manage- Leaders: Dr. Lex Blood, Retired Geology Instructor, Flathead Valley ment. Community College & Steve Thompson, Project Coordinator, National As an interconnected hydrologic system, Geographic Crown of the Continent Geotourism Mapguide. the future of water resources in the Crown of $65 per person. Space limited; advanced registration required. the Continent ecosystem will depend on hu- man needs and water management decisions Call 406-756-3832 to register for the field trip made in the Flathead River basin. and for more information.

PAGE 11: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1 “I totally believe the Merc has a life of its own,” Deb said. “We just excited Where Their Heart Is its life a little bit. It was asleep when we got here—the spirit of Polebridge was A young couple takes the reins of a North Fork institution asleep in the Merc.” By Michael Jamison of the Missoulian It’s a feisty spirit, they said, a demand- ing and sometimes arbitrary spirit. Because they’re thinking of commu- “But those are all rather ingratiating an Kaufman has long lived in the nity, and also of long mountain hikes. qualities,” Dan said, “because I’ve always Dcozy rooms upstairs, where fresh- They’re thinking of preserving the wanted to live by my wits.” baked smells have soaked the warm heritage, while bringing in solar pan- The store, he said, chooses people, walls. But now, he’s moving out. els. They’re eyeing the old homestead and not the other way around. Some The saloonkeeper next door might hops, and thinking of microbrew. actually cried when they saw the For put him up for the summer, in a hut out The Polebridge Mercantile stands Sale sign in the window. back, or a tent, or maybe even a tree- stiff and square against ragged peaks, Reiswig and Coats weren’t looking house. He’s in the barn, for now. bright red on bottomless blue sky, the for a business. They just wanted to find Kaufman’s in the barn because he dream of an earlier idealist who looked a place to get married, somewhere up and wife Deb have sold the Polebri- to carve a lifestyle among lions and ea- around Glacier. dge Mercantile—their rooms with the gles and bears. “But everything was so expensive,” views, their gateway to Glacier—to a Bill Adair built the place in 1914, four Flannery said. starry-eyed young couple from Mis- years after Glacier Park became a park. So they took a detour, pulled into Po- soula. He fished, drank and grew great big lebridge on a sunny October afternoon “We have no idea what we’re doing,” cabbages while his wife ran the hard- when the larch were golden, the peaks admits 25-year-old Stuart Reiswig, “but scrabble storefront. Adair’s hops grow dusted white and the sky the color of a we’re doing it with confidence.” up the saloon wall. deep mountain lake. What he’s doing, with partner Flan- “We just fell in love with the place,” nery Coats, is pioneering a lifestyle that “You don’t choose this she said. just happens to come with a business, Stuart had been here before, had an off-the-grid enterprise at the heart place. It chooses you.” seen the sign in the window. Wouldn’t of Montana’s last outpost. —Dan Kaufman it be cool if it were still for sale? It was, Polebridge is located just short of of course. the Canadian border, on the stunning Dan Kaufman doesn’t know much “We suddenly had a purpose,” Flan- western edge of Glacier National Park, about hops, but he sure knows his nery said. “Let’s just buy this place and in the remote North Fork Flathead Riv- huckleberry bearclaws. A baker by get married here.” er Valley, home to more endangered trade, Kaufman and wife Deb bought Never mind the fact that they’d never species than people. It’s a wilderness the place back in 1994, and since have run a business. Never mind that they’d widespot on a rough road where the turned it into an institution. never lived like this, so far off the grid. rattling throb of washboards is inter- It’s known as home to the park’s Never mind the 950,000 other prob- rupted only by random jolts of sharp wilds, of course, and home to the North lems presented by the asking price. stone. There’s no pavement here, no Fork Flathead River and dog sled races “You don’t choose this place,” Dan phone, certainly no cellular service. and summer music festivals. But most- said. “It chooses you.” Never mind living here, or making a ly, the Merc is known as home to the Stuart and Flannery had met in col- living here—just getting here is adven- bakery, and to the delicious smells that lege, over in Oregon, had hooked up ture enough for most. have warmed the rooms upstairs. again while working with street kids “You have to be an idealist to choose “We had a guy in here this morn- in Ecuador. Later, they’d landed in Mis- Polebridge,” said Oliver Meister, who ing,” Reiswig said, “who drove 650 miles soula, were considering medical school owns the hostel up the road. “That’s out of his way for one of the breakfast in Cuba, were working at the Poverello what it takes—a certain idealism. And sandwiches.” and at WORD. Last year, they’d patched a certain ignorance, too, so you don’t The fellow was in Minot, N.D., on his the gaps with food stamps. know quite what you’re getting into.” way to West Virginia, and figured - since But with a bit of luck, a little tenacity, Meister reckons the newcomers he was so close - that he’d just drive on a business class or two, all that ideal- have just what it takes. So does Heath- out to Polebridge for a muffin and then ism, and a hint of help from family, the er Dana, that saloonkeeper next door. fly east from the Flathead. couple pitched a low-ball offer to the Together, they make up the rest of Po- “Dan and Deb really turned that Kaufmans. And to their unending sur- lebridge’s commercial district. place into a real business,” Meister said. prise (delight? dismay?), Dan and Deb Stuart and Flannery, Dana said, “are “It’s a destination, now. An icon.” accepted. more than a natural fit for this place. The Kaufmans, however, give all the There had been other offers, of They’re a supernatural fit.” credit to the spirit of the store itself. course, some for more money. But Stu- PAGEPAGE 12 12 Deb and Dan Kaufman, left and center, recently sold “The Merc” to Stuart Reiswig and Flannery Coats. MICHAEL GALLACHER art and Flannery just fit. They didn’t lation that, ironically, forces you ever mans finally do move on, they’ll leave want to create a snowmobile rental closer to your neighbors. Polebridgers important parts of themselves behind. hub, a golf course, a heli-skiing opera- fight about land use, and about endan- There are no words of wisdom to fill tion, or a four-star resort. gered species, and about whether to that gap, although everyone, it seems, “We just want to sustain the mo- pave that godawful road. has some welcoming advice for the mentum that Dan and Deb have built,” “But we all love this place,” Flannery newcomers. Reiswig said. said. “The place is our common denom- Get out and play, Meister says, be- They hope to remain a community inator.” cause work, work, work is not what Po- center, and a grocer of last resort, and She and Stuart are bringing new lebridge is about. an all-purpose old-school mercantile ideas, notions about sustainability and Have some fun, Heather warns, where you can buy organic wine and the economics of wildland conserva- and don’t be afraid of what you don’t chain saw oil, power steering fluid and tion, but they’re also clinging fast to know. goat’s milk soap, bug dope and wool the know-how of old-timers. Make a good list, Dan advises, before socks and Spam. They even want to “Everyone,” Reiswig said, “cares so you trek to town. bring the Post Office back to town. much about the North Fork. We want And never, ever, come back from Flannery’s apprenticed to Dan in the to be a part of the community, to serve town, Deb warns, without toilet paper. bakery—he’s staying the summer, in everyone who lives up here. The peo- “They could’ve done something else, the barn, to teach her the ropes—and ple up here are the livelihood. We have but instead they did their heart thing,” if Stuart gets that brewery brewing to be there for them.” Dan said, and he was talking about Stu- they’ll have the town’s first-ever “drunk- Just as Dan and Deb Kaufman have art and Flannery but could just as eas- en donuts.” been these past 15 years. Deb’s head- ily have been referring to himself and Flannery calls Polebridge a “leap of ing back to Idaho, but Dan’s going to Deb. “It may not be mentally sound, but faith,” and it’s a two-way leap—because stick around for a while, helping the it is a path with heart.” in a place with only a couple dozen new owners. Deb laughs, and seems to let go a wintertime residents, you need every- The Merc, he said, “has a hold on me. bit, and sees a bit of her younger self one and everyone needs you. I think it’s as much a matter of it letting reflected in this young couple. There are, of course, politics in the go of me as it is of me letting go of it.” “I think,” she concludes, “they’re go- extreme, opinions distilled by an iso- You get the idea that when the Kauf- ing to be just fine.”

PAGEPAGE 13: 13: Crown Crown of of th the eContin Continentent E- E-NNototes,e s,NO NO. 1. 1 27 lakes Jewel Basin 35 miles of trails A Crown of the Continent Gem Aptly named, Jewel Basin is perched high in the north- ern , southeast of Kalispell and just above Hun- gry Horse Reservoir. This 15,349-acre mountain landscape holds 27 alpine lakes and is crisscrossed by 35 miles of trails. Jewel Basin is designated as a hiking area— no motorized vehicles, bicy- cles or horses are allowed. Fishing for cutthroat trout in the basin is excellent. On the west side, Jewel Basin may be accessed from tony dumay the Big Fork area and may be Left: Twin Lakes, a popular Jewel Basin trek. reached by following High- Above: A young Mountain goat plays on one way 83 to the Echo Lake Road of the basins many trails. turnoff, and then north to Jewel Basin Road. Picnic Lakes to a switchback that heads The road climbs to a park- west and 2 miles downhill to Camp ing zone, Camp Misery, where Misery. (You’ll need the map for this.) several trails begin. Another This trip is easily done in a day, but western access point is from camping in areas where it is allowed Foothill Road to Krause Creek, (see maps and trailhead signs) makes or Forest Road 5390 on most the trek even more enjoyable. It is not maps. necessary to get a permit for camping On the east side, trails leave from the the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex within Jewel Basin, but in finding a tent west shore of Hungry Horse Lake. Exam- come into view. site, it is best to get away from the trails, ine the map or Basic hiking rules in Jewel Basin limit wet meadows, lakes and streams. The a Jewel Basin hiking area map sold by party size to 12 people. Outfitting and basin is quite fragile. the U.S. Forest Service for this access guiding are prohibited. Also, dogs must As this area is close to Kalispell and point. Information can be obtained by remain on a leash at all times, or the other towns in the Flathead Valley, sum- calling the ranger station in Hungry owner will be cited. mer weekends become crowded and Horse at 406-387-3800, the Swan Lake A favorite trip for those of us involved cars fill the small parking lot. Weekday Ranger Station in Bigfork at 406-837- in the Crown Initiative at The University use is best for those who favor fewer 7500, or the Flathead National Forest of Montana is to leave the trailhead at people and more solitude. office in Kalispell at 406-758-5200. Camp Misery, then follow the trail to The Jewel Basin area accumulates One of the highlights of hiking in the Noisy Face (an avalanche slide area) huge amounts of snow in winter, es- Jewel Basin is to climb the highest and Twin Lakes. Just above Twin Lakes pecially on the east side of the crest. summit, Mount Aeneas, at 7,528 feet. and beyond the face, the path crosses Hikers may encounter snow banks into Though low by Montana standards, through a gap and crest of the Swan July. Winter access is somewhat limited, it’s the highest summit around and the Range. but it’s a rewarding place to backcoun- views are superb. Twin Lakes is approximately a 2-mile try ski. In the west, one can see much of the hike in. From the overview of the lake, Paying close attention to avalanche Upper Flathead Valley, including a sig- the trail goes south on the east side of conditions is a must. Avoid Noisy Face nificant portion of Flathead Lake. To the the crest for about 1.5 miles to the Pic- in winter. It would be best to talk to north and northeast, the peaks of Gla- nic Lakes. After that, a little more than a the folks at the Swan Lake Ranger Sta- cier tower on the horizon. To the east mile’s climb puts one on the summit of tion in Bigfork before attempting any and southeast, Hungry Horse Lake and Mount Aeneas. winter treks in Jewel Basin. the Great Bear Wilderness segments of To return, follow the trail back to the —Story by Rick and Susie Graetz

PAGE 14 Montana Project Examines Climate Change Effects By Ann Carlson Climate Associate, The Wilderness Society The Wilderness Society recently ex- conducted additional studies that large landscape conservation and panded the scope of its climate change provided evidence that lower stream restoration to protect vital watersheds, program to include an new project that flows are a direct result of climate and allowing wildlife species to adapt focuses on Montana, with an emphasis change in the region. to dramatic changes in their environ- on the Crown of the Continent. In addition to Running’s and Leppi’s ment. In the northern Rockies region, Ongoing work includes a part- continuing work, the new project will the Crown of the Continent is expected nership with University of Montana compile reports from scientific lit- to play an essential role in these pro- ecology and forestry professor Steve erature on a range of climate change cesses over the next century, and the Running, one of the nation’s lead- effects in the northern Rockies and new project will highlight the ways in ing experts on climate change and Crown of the Continent. Priority topics which this is expected to occur. a shared recipient of the 2007 Nobel include changes in snowpack, the fre- For more information, e-mail Anne Peace Prize for his work on this subject. quency and severity of forest fires, the Carlson at The Wilderness Society at Running is currently developing a high- status of trout fisheries, effects on key [email protected]. precision model of climatology that wildlife species, will help predict precipitation and pine-bark beetle temperature changes during the outbreaks, and the next 100 years in the northern Rock- spread of invasive ies. This will then be used to model weeds. future vegetation shifts, and predict I n f o r m a t i o n reservoir storage and energy output from the project for seven major streams in Montana. will be available Jason Leppi, a UM master’s stu- through a series of dent, is working with Running on the factsheets and via project. During the past year, Leppi a new interactive has carefully summarized 50 years of Web site, expected August stream flow data from sites in to be up next year. Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. After Major themes statistical analyses showed significant of the project are the importance of Rick and susie graetz losses in stream flow over time, Leppi The Blackfoot River Valley.

Contributors Jack A. Stanford is an ecology professor and Director of numerous books and papers on Montana, regions of the UM’s Flathead Lake Biological Station. He is most noted for USA, and titles for countries in Asia and the West Indies. his long-term studies of the Flathead River-Lake ecosystem They also write a syndicated newspaper column titled “This in Montana and British Columbia. In June 2004 he received Is Montana.” the Award of Excellence of the North American Benthologi- cal Society, the leading professional society in the world Steve Thompson is the editor of www.crownoftheconti- concerned with river ecosystems. nent.net and the coordinator and destination editor for the National Geographic Crown of the Continent Geotourism Jerry Fetz is a native Northwesterner, having grown up and MapGuide project. He works for the National Parks Conser- lived in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and, since 1970, Mon- vation Association in Whitefish. tana. He retired in December 2008 as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UM, where he had served as a professor Joel Brown is a graduate student in the Department of Geog- (German studies and humanities) and administrator (chair of raphy at the University of Montana. His research interests in- the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and clude water policy and irrigation in the American West. Joel’s dean of the Davidson Honors College) for 39 years. Though graduate research is being funded through a grant provided retired, he continues to teach part-time and is involved with by the Inland Northwest Research Alliance, a water resourc- this Crown of the Continent Initiative. es consortium. UM Geography professors David Shively and Sarah Halvorson wrote the grant request. Rick Graetz is a member of the University’s geography fac- ulty as well as co-director of the Crown Initiative and the UM Michael Jamison has reported on the Flathead region for Press. He is the founder of Montana Magazine and American the Missoulian since 1997. Geographic Publishing. Susie Graetz is a researcher and visiting scholar in the University’s Central/Southwest Asia Ann Carlson is an associate of the Bozeman-based Wilder- Program. Together the couple has authored and published ness Society who works on climate change issues.

PAGE 15: Crown of the Continent E-Notes, NO. 1