Spring is here on the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River and on cue the first day of season was marked with snow and rain showers. Spring is a perfect time to start trip planning, join or sign-up for river volunteer trainings and river cleanup events, attend our 2025 Spring River Safety Workshop and/or participate in a Flathead-based or local to you river skills trainings. We’ve pulled together a quick reference guide to get you started!

How are we weathering recent federal funding freeze and mass agency staff terminations on the river system? Flathead Rivers Alliance was established to be the lead non-profit organization to serve as a nexus of stakeholders, resources, education and stewardship surrounding the river system that inspired that the creation of the National Wild & Scenic River Act & System.

Together we can work towards the collective vision of a resilient and healthy river ecosystem with people interacting respectfully and responsibly. Flathead National Forest is inviting public input on proposed action updates to the Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) for the Flathead Wild & Scenic River. Forest Service has asked for feedback on the desired conditions, user capacity, and proposed management actions included in the Proposed Action. Comments are due Friday, February 7th, 2025 11:59:59 PM (Mountain Standard Time).

Formed in 2019, Flathead Rivers Alliance has established itself in a short time as the standard bearer for conservation and stewardship of the three forks of the Flathead River. We understand the magnitude and privilege it is to boost stewardship, education and community surrounding the river system that inspired the passage of the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. Our ability to bring a diverse group of individuals, agencies, local businesses and conservation organizations has resulted in several significant accomplishments.

Flathead Rivers Alliance (FRA) and partners have moved forward with Phase II of improving American Disability Act (ADA) accessibility on the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River.

Thanks to a Flathead Electric Coop Roundup for Safety Grant, Flathead Rivers Alliance (FRA) was able to partner with Great Northern Whitewater Rafting to host a private Women's Specific River Rescue Course Aug. 17-18, 2024, out of West Glacier, MT.

2024 marked the 4th Annual Flathead Waters Cleanup event. The event is a Flathead Basin wide event bringing together agencies, organizations, and community members in an all-day volunteer event to clean-up trash and celebrate the region’s incredible waterways.

This year we hosted an array of partners to chat fisheries: trends, population health, monitoring, river management, history and so much more.

Partnered with West Glacier Elementary School for a 3rd year of stream ecology programming. Students K-6th grade participated in our Spring 2-day stream ecology + river safety program that wrapped with the creation of this Flathead Wild & Scenic River mural.

Attendees learned from leading experts about cold water immersion, safety gear, river condition forecasts and handling spring river conditions. Representatives were on hand to walk you through proper gear, demonstrations and share river search and rescue stories. 

Here's to the river! Thursday, April 25, the 19th annual World Tour Paddling Film Festival tour brought water sports to the screen with whitewater and sea kayaking, canoeing, rafting, stand-up paddle boarding and environmental documentaries. Flathead Rivers Alliance and Montana Kayak Academy joined efforts to co-host second year of film festival, in Whitefish, Montana.

Flathead Rivers Alliance teamed up with Wild Montana's Flathead-Kootenai Chapter for annual 2024 Earth Day River Access Cleanup. Participants joined us on Sunday, April 21st, 2024 to clean up several fishing access sites along the Flathead Wild & Scenic River.

Through 2023 Montana Waters Clearly Connected- Flathead Basin Reusable Water Cleanup Bag Stations and Leave No Trace Messaging we were able to distribute approximately 5,000 reusable cleanup bags across the Flathead Valley creating new and strengthening existing partnerships with (15) businesses and agencies, including Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes.

About 30 to 40 volunteers are needed for the river ambassador and citizen science monitoring programs to help protect the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act-designated three forks of the Flathead River.