Western Montana dam managers are waiting for a late runoff that has
thrown a kink into reservoir refill plans.
Cool weather has slowed the spring runoff substantially and the stubborn
alpine snowpack has created unusual refill conditions.
The situation has influenced this month’s water releases from Libby
Dam for threatened white sturgeon.
For flood control reasons, Lake Koocanusa was drafted in March to an
extremely low elevation of 2,320 — nearly 140 feet below full pool —
in …