Cliff Lake at sunset. Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area, Kootenai National Forest, northwest Montana.
THE CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN

Lower Clark Fork

After collecting the Blackfoot, Bitterroot, and Flathead rivers, the Lower Clark Fork becomes deep and wide as it flows toward Lake Pend Oreille. Here, creeks cascade through lush forest habitat. Abundant fish, birds, and wildlife live along this stretch of river, which supports ancient cedar-hemlock forests in one of Montana’s wettest regions. You can still find threatened bull trout in the tributaries to the Lower Clark Fork, and much of the area is listed as critical habitat for this iconic native trout.

Our focus in the Lower Clark Fork

Boost watershed health, resilience, and protection in the Lower Clark Fork by carrying out long-standing commitments.

Unfortunately, proposed mines threaten to discharge polluted wastewater into the river—forever. The Coalition has spent decades protecting this watershed from the potentially devastating impacts of proposed copper/silver mines that would tunnel beneath the wilderness. And all our work upstream to remove legacy pollution, return flows, and rebuild resilience affects the health of the waterways and communities downstream.

Current Work

What’s happening now in the Lower Clark Fork

More Work in lower clark fork
You Can Help

A clean and healthy Clark Fork isn't possible without you.

If you’ve floated, fished, or just visited the awesome rivers and beautiful creeks of the Clark Fork watershed, you know how much they add to our lives. Did you ever wonder how you could give something back? The Clark Fork still suffers in many places from pollution and lack of water and is now facing new threats from climate change. The good news is, because people stepped up to help, this river is on the mend. All it needs now is you.