River levels drop after weekend peak

Water levels in snowmelt-swollen rivers in Northwest Montana are declining after peaking on Saturday.

River levels that neared or passed flood stage over the weekend are expected to drop steadily throughout the week.

At the river gauge in Columbia Falls, the mainstem Flathead River peaked at 13.88 feet on Saturday. Flood stage is 13 feet but few effects are seen unless the river is at 14 feet or higher.

After Hungry Horse Dam sharply reduced outflows on Saturday, the Flathead River dropped and was at 13.36 feet on Monday. Hydrology forecasts call for the river to decline another two feet by next weekend.

The Middle Fork of the Flathead River as measured at West Glacier reached as high as 9.23 feet on Saturday before dropping to 8.46 feet Monday afternoon.

Flood stage on the Middle Fork is 10 feet. The Middle Fork is predicted to continue to decline to a level of 7 feet by Friday.

The North Fork of the Flathead River on Monday was running 1.5 feet below flood stage.