Dam operators predict that Flathead Lake will remain within 12 inches of full pool throughout August following a month of unusually wet weather.

Energy Keepers, the tribal entity that manages the SKQ Dam at the southern end of Flathead Lake, previously predicted that the water level would fall 3 feet below full pool by Aug. 31 as a result of warm and dry spring conditions. 

That forecast didn’t account for a deluge of summer rainstorms. Weather stations throughout the Flathead Basin reported 200-300% of average July rainfall, resulting in a late-season influx to the area’s rivers and streams. Unseasonably cool temperatures may have helped alleviate drought conditions and boost streamflow by reducing evaporation. 

“The amount of rain we’ve gotten in the month of July is just unprecedented,” said Energy Keepers CEO Brian Lipscomb. “The rivers are starting to respond to that water level.” 

Along with the unexpected weather patterns, Lipscomb said an early-summer mitigation plan helped maintain Flathead Lake near full-pool throughout July. In mid-June, after the initial forecasts were released, the United States Department of the Interior approved a request from Energy Keepers to temporarily reduce outflows from the SKQ Dam by 45%. 

“If we wouldn’t have held back that water in June, the lake would have sunk, and we would have never caught up,” said Lipscomb. 

The reduced outflows were initially expected to delay, but not reduce, the 3-foot drop in the water level. Back in June, Energy Keepers predicted the lake level would reach 2,892 feet by Aug. 1 and 2,890 feet by Aug. 31. 

As of July 29, Flathead Lake remained at about 2,893 feet, which is considered full pool during the summer months. Energy Keepers is anticipating a steady drop-off in the water level over the coming weeks, resulting in an elevation of 2,892 feet by Aug. 31. 

Weekly updates and forecasts for the water level are available on the Energy Keepers website. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].