'Our' fish will feel brunt of mining

The potential downstream impacts of mining development in the Canadian Flathead can be difficult to comprehend in terms of long-term water quality degradation.

Sediments and heavy metals can slip through the Flathead River system to Flathead Lake, causing slow degradation over time.

But the impact of mining on fish is a more tangible matter.

And that's why it's so gripping to look at recent findings about the relationship between Montana fisheries and Canadian waters.

A good share of the westslope cutthroat and bull trout that can be found in Flathead Lake and the main-stem river, it turns out, spawn in Canadian tributaries just below areas proposed for open-pit coal mining and coal-bed methane development.

Because they spawn in those waters, it's highly likely that these "Montana fish" originated in Canada.

There hasn't been any mine development - yet - in the Canadian Flathead. But if development proceeds, the projected impacts on Montana's fisheries are dire.

The British Columbia provincial government insists on evaluating mining proposals in the Flathead drainage one at a time. But in reality, that's not how development is likely to occur.

Once the roads and other infrastructure are in place in an area that is currently highly inaccessible, the table is set for more than just one mine - and several mine sites already have been explored in the Flathead drainage. The most imminent proposed open-pit coal mine would amount to removing a mountaintop directly above spawning streams used by Montana fish.

Coal-bed methane development involves tapping gas trapped in coal seams, a process that produces huge volumes of wastewater that is generally warmer, saltier and chock-full of heavy metals.

The methane industry can in some places inject wastewater back into the ground, but that's unlikely in the broad and saturated flood plain of the Canadian Flathead.

Make no mistake: Montana fish will bear the brunt of mining development in the Canadian Flathead.