Environment

Governor Greg Gianforte toured Flathead County on Monday to get an update on flooding in the area. Conditions on the ground, evacuation notices and orders keep shifting along with river levels.

Flathead County commissioners declared a state of emergency Wednesday due to flooding from recent heavy rains. The move will give county agencies access to emergency funding.

Heavy rain and high flows on the Flathead River are putting a damper on the early summer season for rafting and fishing guides near Glacier National Park. Some business owners are finding alternatives.

A disputed rule that sets an acceptable level of selenium pollution in a northwest Montana lake will stay in place after environmental officials agreed it complies with state law.

In a news release, Gianforte’s office said the governor’s personal trip out of the country has been long-planned with First Lady Susan Gianforte, and they left late last week. It's unclear where the governor is and when he will return.

Portions of Yellowstone National Park may reopen as soon as this weekend after the park was evacuated due to floods. Homes outside the park are flooded or lost and major roads are washed out.

Montana Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras is the acting executive of the state while Gov. Greg Gianforte is out of the country. The governor’s office did not say where Gianforte is traveling.

Major flooding in south central Montana has destroyed homes, roads and bridges. Reporter Nick Mott lives in Livingston, where the Yellowstone River crested around 11 p.m. last night. He describes what the town looks like today.

All Livingston HealthCare patients and staff are safe after rising flood waters Monday prompted the evacuation of the hospital.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is asking residents in low-lying areas of the county to evacuate as a precautionary measure due to risk of flooding. The middle fork of the Flathead River has swelled in recent days to over 16 feet.