Clark Fork River

Ravalli County Sheriff Holton confirmed on Thursday afternoon that a 17 year-old male from Sanders County drowned in the Clark Fork River after fleeing from law enforcement.

With the heavy rain that Missoula has received over the past 24 hours, there has been some concern that rivers might have more water overflowing their banks, but the National Weather Service says not necessarily

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the Bitterroot River as it flows through Missoula.

The Clark Fork River, as expected, overflowed its banks this week and neighborhoods located near the river are now experiencing flooding.

The National Weather Service has been keeping a close eye on the Clark Fork River as the weather has been warming, and they are now predicting that the Clark Fork River will exceed the 7.5 foot flood stage this week, according to meteorologist Jennifer Kitzmiller.

On Wednesday evening at Hawthorne School residents in the Orchard Homes area met with various county and other governmental officials to hear about the 2019 flood season.

The National Weather Service has issued the second flood advisory this week for the Clark Fork River as it flows through Missoula.

Last spring’s flooding changed the landscape of the Clark Fork River to the point where the flood stage level has been reduced by nearly three feet.

Even though the National Weather Service is not predicting a repeat of last spring’s devastating flooding of the Clark Fork River, Chief Hydrologist Ray Nickless is still concerned about localized flooding in certain areas.

Missoula County Sheriff’s deputies pulled an unidentified body from the Clark Fork River on Thursday afternoon.

With temperatures into the 80’s in western Montana, the temptation to grab the float tubes and hit the river can be irresistible, however, officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks urge caution after the just finished flood season.

Continuous rain in the Clark Fork basin could cause the river to rise by as much as a foot and a half to about the nine foot level by Wednesday evening.