Swan Lakers is devoted to preserving and improving the water quality and natural, cultural, and historical resources of Swan Lake, Montana, including its headwaters, its drainages, and appurtenant lands.
Established as a non-profit 501(c) (3) in 2005, Swan Lakers is a group of friends and neighbors who value the unique character and quality of our community, much of which is based on the pristine nature of the Swan Basin watershed. Our efforts to preserve and protect this valuable resource include Water Quality Studies, Aquatic Invasive Species Inspections, the Adopt-a-Highway MDOT program, and Swan River Cleanups. Our organization serves members and the greater community by providing the data, discussion, and educational material necessary to make informed decisions regarding issues that affect the watershed’s present and future well-being. Through collaborative efforts with other community organizations and government entities, we work to build a consensus that allows all those who appreciate our special home, residents and visitors alike, the opportunity to maintain the quality of life we all enjoy. Participation from all who share the Swan Lakers vision is encouraged. Photos for Banner by Kay Bjork
FEELING LIKE SPRING!
Please join us for our Spring Adopt-A-Highway on April 26th at 10:00 am. We will meet at the St. Patrick’s Church parking lot and will go from there. The more volunteers the merrier and will go quickly!
Swan Lakers Scholarship – A $2,000.00 scholarship will be awarded to Kendhal Sherman from Bigfork High School at the end of the school year. Congratulations Kendhal!!!
Aquatic Invasive Species – (AIS) Swan Lakers has carried out boat inspections twice-weekly in July and August at the USFS Boat Launch in the town of Swan Lake for 12 years. It is a very important part of our mission to keep Swan Lake pristine, it is fun, easy and worthwhile! We are planning on 3 days a week in 2025, June through August.
PLEASE CONSIDER BEING AN AIS INSPECTOR AND MARK YOUR CALENDAR
A huge thank you to everyone who have participated in inspections in the past! We inspected 976 watercrafts in 2024. In 2023, we inspected 719. Last year’s increase to 976, is consistent with our inspecting on more days. A close look at the data shows the daily activity was about the same in July and August, between 2023 and 2024.
We know it can be boring at times, very busy other times, hot at times, cold and damp at times, with the occasionally grumpy boat owner thrown in. But what we are doing is important. Swan Lake is one of the headwaters of the Columbia River system. If invasive mussels were introduced to Swan Lake, they could eventually make their way downstream to the mouth of the Columbia, spreading destruction as they go. Our efforts are both for detection and education. There’s value in just talking up the subject with the boaters. Who knows…. our short chat may just make someone alert to a mussle fouled boat that they see somewhere else.
With regard to AIS, its spread is a growing problem across the United States and Canada. AIS that threatens Montana includes Quagga and Zebra mussels, Curly Leaf Pondweed, and Eurasian Milfoil. Unfortunately, Quagga and Zebra mussels have been found in Montana this past year. Their presence in our state is proof of how easily they can be moved from place to place on trailered watercraft. The introduction of these mussels would be a catastrophe for Montana’s waterways in terms of appearance and the effect on fishing. They reproduce rapidly in the millions of fouling shorelines, clinging to structures like pilings, and clogging irrigation systems. They are filter feeders that interrupt the food chain that supports our fish populations. They can literally destroy a fishery. Be aware and concerned.
2025 Annual Meeting and Appreciation Party – Sunday, August 3rd. Save the date!
VOLUNTEERS
Thank you to all of our enthusiastic volunteers for coming out on a cool, but bright and shiny day for our Fall Highway Cleanup. We had 20 people and picked up 17 large bags of trash…keeping Ferndale Beautiful!
We also had a great turnout for our Swan River Cleanup, thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers! All in all, for the third year in a row the river is pretty clean and trash free, even with very heavy usage during the busy floating season. We believe much of this is due to our trash bags we provide at the Rainbow Drive River access. Let’s continue to keep Swan River Lovely! Here is a photo of our colorful, enthusiastic group…
Over the past few years, we have mentioned the project to restore the wildlife refuge at the south end of Swan Lake. The completion of this project in late 2022 is a hugely positive achievement for preserving water quality in Swan Lake. Attached is a link to a well written story about the project. It was prepared by Swan Lakers’ member Kay Bjork and appeared in the Flathead Beacon in May of this year. The story describes the multi-year effort required to bring this project to its conclusion.
Our sincere thank you to everyone who was involved in the project, but especially to our partner, Swan Valley Connections who carried out the original mapping of the area, obtained the needed funding, and procured the contractors needed to ‘move the dirt’. It’s an excellent read. Simply click on the link below.
Rewilding the Swan Valley – Flathead Beacon
Swan Lakers offered a $2,000.00 scholarship to a graduating senior from either Bigfork High School or Seeley-Swan High School graduating in 2024. We are happy to announce Jalen Kauffman from Seeley-Swan High School will be receiving the scholarship award. Jalen plans on pursuing Marine/Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana, which fits right in with the Swan Lakers Mission. Congratulations Jalen!
Septic Tank Maintenance – Make no mistake, improperly functioning septic systems are the greatest threat to water quality in Swan Lake and the Swan River Watershed. The following link is to an article that appeared recently in the Bigfork Eagle, it speaks to the urgency of properly maintaining septic systems.
https://bigforkeagle.com/news/2022/jun/22/deep-dive-flbs-flatheads-future-terrible-thing-was/
Also, Flathead and Lake County Conservation Districts offer financial assistance for having your septic system pumped and evaluated. The following link describes the program and gives instructions on how to apply. We strongly urge you to take advantage of this program.
https://lakecountyconservationdistrict.org/septic-maint-reimbursement/
Swan Lake Map – We have for sale a map that displays Swan Lake and its surrounding mountains. The map displays the depth contours of Swan Lake and identifies the names of various features around the lake. It was produced by the Flathead Lake Biological Station and is similar to those also made for Flathead Lake and Whitefish Lake. All revenue will be applied to support the Swan Lakers’ monitoring and conservation efforts. The poster is 24″ x 18″ and the cost per poster is $10, shipping and handling included. If you are interested in purchasing a map, please email info@swanlakers.org
Swan River Gauging Station Click on the link below for up-to-date data.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/uv?12370000
