by Skip Via
skip@westvalleynaturalists.org
This is a recreation of a presentation given to the Flathead Audubon Society in April 2024 during the Warbler Weekend at Tally Lake. I had several goals for the presentation. One was to lay out in a very basic way the geological history of our valley–how we got here and why things are the way they are. Another was to look at some basic hydrology issues in our valley–streams, lakes, and other resources–in the context of the constant geological and developmental changes that we are experiencing, both natural and human caused. Finally, I wanted to put all of these issues into a context that might help us think about what the future holds for us in terms of our access to water, wildlife, and recreation in the valley.
This presentation intentionally raises more questions than it provides answers. I would welcome comments, suggestions, criticisms, and other points of discussion.
You may watch the entire video (44 minutes; yep, kinda long…) by clicking on the video at the end of this article. Because of this video’s length, you may experience some ads that YouTube inserts whether I like it or not. (I don’t…) If you’d like to skip to a specific section of the video, use the links below.
Geology
- Introduction
- Formation of Glacial Lake Missoula
- Cordilleran Ice Sheet, Formation of the Flathead River
- Precambrian Era, Columbia Supercontinent, Formation of the Belt Supergroup
- Plate Tectonics, Formation of the Rocky Mountains, Lewis Overthrust, Argillite
- Formation of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park
- Flathead Valley Basin and Range Topology
- Geologic Time Line Review
- Formation of Our Valley Aquifers
Water in the Flathead Valley
- Questions About the Future of Our Aquifers
- Current Water Resources in the Flathead
- Influent and Effluent Streams
- Kettle Ponds
- Oxbow Lakes
Water Issues Worldwide
- Water in the US West
- Groundwater Pumping and Subsidence
- Water Issues in the Flathead Valley
- Our Dependence on Water
Three Ideas
The Future of Water in the Flathead
