Monitoring the Future: FRA’s 2025 Water Quality Monitoring Program
As stewards of one of America’s most treasured waterways, the citizens and partners of Flathead Rivers Alliance (FRA) are stepping up once again in 2025—engaging volunteers, strengthening partnerships, and safeguarding the pristine health of the Three Forks of the Flathead Wild & Scenic River.
Program Overview & Training
This year’s Water Quality Monitoring season is May and through September, continuing the vital work of collecting baseline water data. The program assesses key parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, salinity, temperature, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus at designated sites on the North and Middle Forks.
To equip citizen scientists for accurate and impactful monitoring, FRA hosted a training session on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM at the Blankenship River Access Site. This training is part of FRA’s ongoing effort to build capacity for credible water quality data collection.
Training was conducted with expert support from Dr. Rachel Malison, Jared Glass, and Brianna Elizondo of the Flathead Lake Biological Station’s “Monitoring Montana Waters” initiative—thanks to support from a grant provided by Montana Monitoring Waters (MMW). Learn more about Montana Monitoring Waters (www.flbs.umt.edu/newflbs/monitoring/mmw/monitoring-montana-waters-mmw)
Citizen Science Legacy & Continuity
From 2020–2023, Adventure Scientists conducted a national baseline study of Wild & Scenic Rivers, including the Flathead’s Three Forks. FRA began building on those efforts with a pilot program in summer 2023, ensuring continuity and meaningful data collection.
This year’s efforts not only gather baseline data but also feed into a broader vision: informing nonpoint source pollution outreach, refining education initiatives, and expanding monitoring where it's most needed.
Capacity Building & Partnerships
Beyond field sampling, FRA is advancing a guiding framework to coordinate water quality monitoring across agencies and communities. This “Building Capacity Around Water Quality Monitoring” initiative aims to map needs, extend outreach, reinforce education on nonpoint source pollution, and help ensure protection of outstanding water quality—per the Comprehensive River Management Plan.
A Call to Stewardship
The success of this program hinges on volunteer involvement. FRA enlists passionate individuals to join as citizen scientists—helping collect vital data and bolster stewardship of the Flathead River system.
Why This Matters
Continuity of Data: Extending the baseline data collection begun by Adventure Scientists helps track long-term water quality trends.
Community Empowerment: Citizen scientists gain scientific skills and directly contribute to meaningful conservation outcomes.
Collaborative Reach: Through a guiding framework and strong partnerships, FRA ensures monitoring efforts are well-coordinated and impactful.
Protection of Wild & Scenic Values: With rising recreation, population, and environmental pressures, these efforts are essential for protecting the Flathead’s exceptional water quality.
Get Involved
Interested in joining the effort?
Volunteer as a citizen scientist for hands-on monitoring work.
Support capacity-building initiatives that extend public education and outreach.
Register for training opportunities, connect with FRA, and help preserve the future of this extraordinary river.
Programs like these aren't possible without our incredible partners and donors like you. The 2025 Water Quality Monitoring season was boosted by funding/grants through Flathead Lake Biological Station’s Monitoring Montana Waters, Glacier Raft Co/PURSUITS Promise to Place, Glacier Guides & Montana Raft Co, American Rivers, and Flathead Resource Advisory Committee.
YOUTH STREAM ECOLOGY PROGRAM
Huge thanks to our friends at Glacier and Columbia Falls Ace Hardware for stepping in and donating $3,000 to cover the purchase of a stream ecology education class set when we experienced an unexpected federal funding freeze. Their support allowed us to purchase a classroom set of multi-indicator quality sampling test kits, (10) field microscopes, hip waders to collect benthic macro invertebrates and water quality samples from river, (2) D-kick nets, and so much more!
