Federal regulators last week said the Salish Kootenai Dam didn’t draw too much water out of Flathead Lake last summer. Some residents blamed the dam operator for the lake's historically low water levels.
Flathead Lake’s low waterline last summer was the result of a shallow snowpack and warm temperatures melting that snow quickly.
Residents filed complaints with federal energy regulators arguing that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) drew too much water out of Flathead Lake. They said that harmed the tourism industry.
Regulators said the dam stayed within the bounds of its license.
The CSKT are fending off another complaint, too.
A separate group of residents and business owners argued the dam should follow an old management plan that would keep more water in Flathead Lake.
CSKT officials said that plan was never approved and would reduce downstream flows, harming fish and other aquatic species.
