Echo Lake causeway to be repaired, reopened

The Flathead County Road Department hopes to begin repair work on Causeway Lane at Echo Lake next week, with the goal of reopening the flood-prone road in two to three weeks.

County Public Works Director Dave Prunty told the county commissioners on Monday that water is now receding at a pace of about 1 to 2 inches per day. Causeway Lane has been closed for a couple of months because of high water. As recently as mid-July, the water level was still rising in Echo Lake.

Prunty said there’s been more damage to Causeway Lane this year than at the same point last year, with high pool about two feet over last year. He said he didn’t know if boats or wind were to blame for the damage.

The commissioners considered a temporary no-wake zone on Echo Lake earlier this summer to prevent wave damage but opted not to take that action. The standard no-wake rule — in effect within 200 feet of shorelines — applies to Echo Lake.

“We’re getting a couple of phone calls a day” from residents wondering when Causeway Lane will reopen, Prunty said. “There are a bunch of citizens interested in getting the road back open again, especially from people taking kids to school.”

Last year the quarter-mile-long road was closed June 27 and did not reopen until Dec. 9 because it was covered with water as deep as 18 inches in some places.

“We’re about two months ahead of last year,” Prunty said.

The county will need to get approval for the emergency repairs through the lakeshore permitting process handled by the Planning Office.

Heavy rainfall in June, spring mountain runoff and the natural springs that feed Echo Lake all are contributing to the high water levels. Echo Lake has no outlet to drain excess water.