Flathead County officials are keeping an eye on area rivers, streams and lakes for the next couple of days, following higher weekend temperatures and a forecast for more rain in the next few days.

Scott Sampey, Flathead County director of emergency services, said all area rivers are expected to "get near or barely nip flood stage" on Wednesday. By the end of the week, river levels are expected to drop.

The National Weather Service in Missoula issued a flood watch for Flathead County on Monday afternoon. A flood watch means there is potential for flooding.

"Snow melt will combine with excessive rainfall amounts through Tuesday evening. This will result in sharp increases in rivers and streams," the weather service advisory stated. "All stems of the Flathead River ... will have the potential to reach flood stage by midweek."

The weather service's river level gauges indicate peak flows are expected at all county rivers mid-afternoon Wednesday. The North Fork of the Flathead River is to peak at 10.24 feet. However, action stage of that stretch of the river is 12.5 feet.

Gauges show the Middle Fork of the Flathead should hit 9.96 feet, above that river's 9-foot action stage. The Flathead River is expected to hit flood stage of 14 feet.

The Whitefish River, at 8.6 feet, is to exceed it's 8.5-flood flood stage level. And, the Stillwater River at Lawrence Park in Kalispell is expected to peak at 7.47 feet, above the 7-foot action stage but below the 7.5-foot flood stage.

The Swan River at Bigfork is expected to exceed its 6-foot action stage at 6.47 feet.

Sampey explained the various definitions of flood stage.

This week, Flathead County is technically at "action flood stage," he said. That means rivers and streams are above normal and will cause some problems. One or two streams will likely be at flood stage.

"It's not that disastrous, yet, but it's serious for those who are affected. No massive flooding, but minor flooding in some areas," he said.

The next level is flood stage, he said. "There's more water and someone is going to get a flood."

Moderate flood stage means "there's definitely some flooding." And major flood stage, "that's 1964," Sampey said.

"It's still amazing that things aren't really massively flooding. It's kind of odd, when are these mountains going to melt?" Sampey asked rhetorically. Not that he wants to rush any mountain snowpack runoff.

Specific spots in the county have an abundance of water, however, Sampey said. Trumbull Creek near Columbia Falls "is at a record high." The creek has flooded some fields, but no structures have been reported flooded from Trumbull Creek, he said.

Ashley Creek still is running high, as are most other creeks. County officials have no reports of anyone being displaced anywhere in the county from creek flooding.

Some residents who have been cut off from their Star Meadow properties remain cut off by flooded road access, Sampey said.

Banks of the Stillwater River - which has been at or near flood stage for weeks - are beginning to erode badly, he said. That can result in entire trees falling into the river, "not just parts of trees like we had a couple of weeks ago."

When a loaded tree including root ball and leaves falls into the river, Sampey said, "it's a little bit of a concern because we can't just go in and cut it. You have to somehow pull the entire tree out of the water."

That's challenging, Sampey said, because when the river bank erodes, heavy equipment can't be driven to the water's edge to remove a tree.

So far, that situation hasn't occurred, but logjams are expected and Sampey and personnel from the sheriff's and road departments are hammering out potential fixes in advance.

Bank erosion is worse on the Stillwater than any other local river, he said. But some erosion is occurring on the Whitefish River, too.

The Swan River has "behaved the most, if you want to call it that," Sampey said. It is expected to "barely hit flood stage" midweek and then drop.

The county continues to make sand and bags available at various sites, including Polebridge, Columbia Falls, Evergreen, West Glacier, Bigfork, Ferndale and Marion.

"We're still in great shape for our supply of sandbags," he said.

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.