How to Comment on Comprehensive River Management Plan Proposed Action

A River Worth Protecting

Safeguard the Future of the Flathead River System

Together we can work towards the collective vision of a resilient and healthy river ecosystem with people interacting respectfully and responsibly. The 219+ miles of the three forks of the Flathead (North, South, & Middle Forks) are nationally designated wild and scenic rivers. Usage and visitation has dramatically increased over the last decade while resource management agencies have been increasingly unsupported and have been challenged to keep up with the increasing threats to the resource. Updating the outdated 1980 river management plan provides an opportunity to further balance recreational use with the protection of the river's other outstanding remarkable values. Flathead National Forest is inviting public input on proposed action updates to the Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) for the Flathead Wild & Scenic River. Now is your opportunity to provide input on several components of the proposed plan.

Submit Written Comments
The 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).

Comments may be submitted electronically on the Forest Service website.

Mail or hand deliver comments to either:

Chris Prew, Recreation Program Manager
Flathead National Forest Supervisor’s Office
650 Wolfpack Way
Kalispell, MT 59901

Or,

Chris Prew, Recreation Program Manager
Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District
PO Box 190340
10 Hungry Horse Dr
Hungry Horse, MT 59919

Thank you for sharing your love of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River!

For questions or information about the Forest Service’s proposal, please contact Chris Prew at 406-758-5322 or christopher.prew@usda.gov.

Please submit comments to help the Forest Service improve their Comprehensive River Management Plan!

CRMP Planning Project Milestones

Now – Scoping Period
Forest Service released proposed action plan 1/6/2025 and is gathering input on user capacity, management actions, and monitoring. Public input was originally solicited for this project in August 2019. Comments from the initial scoping period were utilized to identify public concerns and guide development of the CRMP, and a new request for public comments on the updated proposed action are being accepted with Feb. 7, 2025 deadline.

August 2025 (estimated) – NEPA Analysis
Draft CRMP and Environmental Assessment (EA) will be released for public review and comments. EA will evaluate issues, consider alternatives, and analyze effects of the proposed action and any alternatives. There will be an additional 30-day public comment period.

December 2025 (estimated) – Final Review
A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) / Decision Notice (DN) will be issued, followed by a formal Objection Period.

March 2026 (estimated) – Final Plan Implementation
Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) finalized and put into action.

Open Houses

On January 21st & 22nd, the Flathead National Forest hosted two hybrid Open House Public Info Sessions, at Flathead Valley Community College, ahead of the February 7th deadline for comments on their proposed action plan for Flathead Wild & Scenic River Comprehensive River Management Plan. Agency staff specialists from Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, and Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks were on hand to answer questions related to the proposed action plan. Approximately 200 people attended in person, along with additional virtual attendees.

In the News

Flathead Beacon: User Capacity Among Public’s Concerns as Flathead River Management Plan Update Proceeds https://flatheadbeacon.com/2025/01/24/user-capacity-among-publics-concerns-as-flathead-river-management-plan-update-proceeds/

NBC Montana: Public input wanted on Flathead River management plan https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/public-input-wanted-on-flathead-river-management-plan

Bigfork Eagle: Comment period for Flathead River management plan ends February 7 https://bigforkeagle.com/news/2025/feb/05/comment-period-for-flathead-river-management-plan-ends-february-7/

Daily Inter Lake: Plan to manage Flathead River recreation garners mixed reactions https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2025/feb/05/forest-service-calls-for-comments-on-flathead-river-management-plan/

Missoula Current: Comment Period to Close on Flathead River management draft https://missoulacurrent.com/flathead-river-management/

Hungry Horse News: Rivers meetings draw crowds, concerns https://hungryhorsenews.com/news/2025/jan/29/rivers-meetings-draw-crowds-concerns/

KPAX News: U.S. Forest Service seeking public input on long-awaited Flathead River plan https://www.kpax.com/news/local-news/flathead-county/u-s-forest-service-seeking-public-input-on-long-awaited-flathead-river-plan

Hungry Horse News: Rivers plan calls for free, unlimited, mandatory use permits https://hungryhorsenews.com/news/2025/jan/15/rivers-plan-calls-for-free-unlimited-mandatory-use-permits/

Flathead Beacon: Forest Officials Reopen Public Engagement Process on Long-awaited Flathead River Management Plan https://flatheadbeacon.com/2025/01/07/forest-officials-reopen-public-engagement-process-on-long-awaited-flathead-river-management-plan/

Hungry Horse News: Flathead National Forest releases proposed action for rivers https://hungryhorsenews.com/news/2025/jan/08/flathead-national-forest-releases-proposed-action-for-rivers/

FLATHEAD WILD & SCENIC RIVER

The Flathead River system was the inspiration behind the Wild & Scenic River Act of 1968 that created the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System. Designated in 1976 as a Wild and Scenic River, Three Forks of the Flathead encompasses the North Fork of the Flathead from the Canadian border to its confluence with the Middle Fork, the entire Middle Fork, and the South Fork from its headwaters to Hungry Horse Reservoir. A total of 219+ miles of the Flathead River are included in the designation. The river system flows through the traditional homelands of the Ktunaxa, Kootenai, and Séliš (Salish) Peoples who have long stewarded this landscape and the Pikuni (Blackfeet) Peoples who often traveled in the river corridor.

Formed in 2019, the Flathead Rivers Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Flathead River System. Our mission at Flathead Rivers Alliance is to support and enhance the outstanding and remarkable Three Forks of the Flathead River.