Local meetings will consider Columbia Treaty

There will be meetings in Kalispell and Eureka this week on the Columbia River Treaty.

Enacted in 1964, the treaty between the United States and Canada pertains to hydropower, flood management and fisheries in the transboundary Columbia River Basin.

It will soon be the focus of State Department-level negotiations because the treaty is set to expire in 2024 and amendments or other proposed modifications require 10 years’ notice, making 2014 a year for proposals to emerge.

This week’s informational meetings, organized by the Bonneville Power Administration, are 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the RiverStone Lodge in Eureka and Thursday at the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell.

A total of 14 meetings are being held through the Columbia Basin.