Flathead Basin Commission Meeting
Thursday, May 4th | 12:30pm - 4:30pm
Whitefish Community Center (with virtual option)
121 E Second St, Whitefish, MT 59937
Join the Flathead Basin Commission (FBC) for a meeting featuring FBC project updates, wrap up of commission business and discussions about the soon to be, Western Montana Conservation Commission.
All meetings are open to the public. See the DRAFT agenda below. To participate in the meeting virtually please register in advance with the button below.
Senate Bill 83: Create the Western Montana Conservation Commission awaiting Governor Gianforte's signature.
Senate Bill 83 introduced and carried by Senator Mike Cuffe consolidates the Flathead Basin Commission and Upper Columbia Conservation Commission (UC3) into the new Western Montana Conservation Commission (WMCC). The bill has passed both the House and the Senate and is awaiting Governor Gianforte's signature. The bill concept originated with Governor Gianforte's Red Tape Initiative, aimed at providing efficiencies within and the refinement of the state government process. The new commission merges the mission, duties, and scope of the UC3 and FBC together to provide aquatic resource protections, both water quality and aquatic invasive species, throughout the entire Upper Columbia Basin. Two commissioners from each commission will be voted forward onto the new WMCC to provide continuity.
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Flathead Basin Septic Risk Model Now Live!
 The Flathead Basin Septic Risk Model was created from the work of the FBC's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Committee and partners at River Design Group, to visually display the risk of underperforming onsite wastewater treatment systems (i.e., septic systems) in the Flathead Basin. The model incorporates both physical landscape characteristics and the age and density of existing septic systems, where data allowed.
The model is now publicly available on the Flathead Basin Commission website. Check out our New User Guide to walk you through how to use the tool. To learn more about why and how the model was created and FBC’s work, visit the Project Summary page!
FBC 2021-2022 Biennial Reports Now Available
View them on our website or contact staff to receive a hard copy.
Programs & Resources
 Montana Waters: Clearly Connected Education & Outreach Campaign
Whether you treasure the water coming from your kitchen tap, flowing in the river, or nourishing your crops: all water is connected and in turn, connects all of us. The Flathead Basin Commission has been working with partners to create a large multi-issue outreach campaign dedicated to educating the public on what they can do to protect the incredible water quality of the Flathead Basin. The campaign's website will launch in 2022, along with other new products including promotional videos, educational materials, and more!
Protect Local Waterbodies with Adopt-a-Drain Kalispell
 Adopt-a-Drain is The City of Kalispell's newest volunteer program! Created by the City with support from Flathead Basin Commission, the program sets up residents to help improve water quality and decrease localized flooding by being a steward of a storm drain in their neighborhood. Stormwater is rain that flows across the landscape. As it flows, it has the potential to pick up and carry pollutants, including nutrients from yard or pet waste as well as trash. Locally, stormwater discharges into our local ponds, streams, and lakes, most of the time without treatment. Watch the video to learn more and click the button below to Adopt-a-Drain today!
The Flathead Rain Garden Initiative is a collaborative program with the Flathead Basin Commission, the Flathead Conservation District, and the City of Kalispell. Rain gardens are landscaped depressions that are designed to capture, filter, and absorb runoff from hard surfaces, like rooftops and sidewalks. Like native plants and helping protect your yard from flooding? Installing a rain garden may be the solution for you! Click the button below to learn more about how you can get involved!
 The Septic Maintenance Reimbursement Program is open and taking applications! Click the button below to check out the program and see if you are eligible for reimbursement on your septic maintenance.
In the News
04.19.23, Flathead Beacon, A New Water Quality Watchdog for Western Montana
04.01.23, NBC Montana, Rain garden workshop planned in Whitefish this May
03.30.23, Lake County Leader, Former FBC Commissioner David Stipe Obituary- Ronan, MT
03.24.23, Daily Interlake, Bill creating Western Conservation Commission resurrected in the House
03.20.23, Daily Interlake, New executive director leads conservation commissions
03.16.23, Char-Koosta News, Ravalli AIS Check Station Open for Watercraft Inspections
03.08.23, Missoula Current, EPA announces $65M toward three Montana Superfund sites
Upcoming Events
Montana Legislative Session, January - April 2023
Whitefish Lake Institute Science Quencher, April 21: Whitefish, MT
Flathead Valley Earth Day Celebration, April 22: Kalispell, MT
Montana Watershed Coordination Council Annual Meeting, April 26: Helena, MT
Northwest Montana Lakes Network Volunteer Monitoring Training, April 29: Kalispell
Flathead Basin Commission Meeting, May 4: Hybrid/Whitefish Community Center
2023 Family Forestry Expo, May 8-13: Kalispell, MT
DEQ/FLBS Volunteer Water Monitoring Training, May 10-12: Flathead Lake Bio Station
Flathead Rain Garden Workshop, May 17: Kalispell, MT
Upper Columbia Conservation Commission Meeting, May 31: Hybrid/Missoula, MT
2023 Flathead Waters Cleanup, August 12: Across the Flathead Watershed
Montana Lakes Conference, October 18-20: Whitefish, MT
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