Phillip's Natural World: Montana: A River Runs Through It. . .

Perhaps one of the most beautiful drives in the USA is along Hwy 37 in the Kootenai National Forest of Montana near the Canadian Border. Hwy 37 runs north-south from near the frontier at Eureka to Libby, Montana.

Above I stand along the Koocanusa Reservoir near the town of Rexford, Montana (the population of Eureka and Rexford is about 1,100). Behind me are the Purcell Mountains.

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Above: The Koocanusa Bridge located at Mile Post 53, approximately 6 miles south of Rexford. It is the longest and highest bridge in Montana. The bridge connects Hwy 37 to the Western side of the reservoir. I bought a relatively detailed road map because the GPS wasn't reliable. The bridge was not on the road map so we decided to not attempt to cross it. We'd already been on several roads that ended abruptly.

Heading south Hwy 37 cuts through the Salish Mountains. The scenery is spectacular. The temperature was a balmy 65° F. (18° C.)

Above and Below: I loved the waterfalls all along the route. Some were fast-flowing. . . others were just dribbles.

Below: Looking south toward the Libby Dam. Approximately 60 miles of the reservoir are within the United States. The reservoir contains a large population of Kookanee salmon, Kamloops (rainbow) trout, bull trout, West slope cutthroat trout and burbot.

Below: Sitting atop the Libby Dam.

Libby Dam Project is a multi-purpose water resource development. Its purposes are flood reduction, hydropower, recreation, and environmental stewardship. The dam is administered by the Seattle District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

There wasn't much water passing through the dam and I estimated the reservoir to be down about 100-150' from normal. When full the reservoir is 370' deep. Built in 1972 the dam can generate 600 megawatts (120 million watts) at peak times.

Lake Koocanusa holds 13 percent of the total water stored in the Columbia River system, The value of this water is multiplied because it will be used to produce power sixteen times before it reaches the Pacific Ocean.

Below: Another waterfall along Hwy 37. There were eagle's nests all around but I was more fascinated with the rocks and waterfalls.

Above and Below: The Libby area of the Kootenai River. Spectacular. This is perhaps one of our favorite locations in Montana. . . just north of Libby.

Above and Below: The Kootenai River is identified as a “blue ribbon trout stream." The Purcell Range is located north of the River and features numerous peaks at 6000’ elevation. Turner Mountain Ski Area is located 22 miles north of Libby, providing 2200’ of vertical and 1000 acres of terrain for alpine skiing.

Below: The foothills of the Cabinet Mountains begin rising higher and higher as one approaches the town of Libby.

Below: Soon the Cabinet Mountains rise dramatically in the southern sky.

The Cabinet Mountains sport many peaks at 7500’ elevation. Snowshoe Peak at 8738’ is the tallest peak on the Kootenai National Forest.

Below: "I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched. On the river the heat mirages danced with each other and then they danced through each other and then they joined hands and danced around each other. Eventually the watcher joined the river, and there was only one of us. I believe it was the river."

Below: Approaching the town of Libby, Montana. The little town disappears into the foothills of the Cabinet Mountains to its south. The town sits at 2,066' above sea level. Its population is about 2,600. The county of Lincoln has about 18,000 permanent residents.

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs."

Quotes from A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT.

While Norman Maclean was talking about the Big Blackfoot River. . . I couldn't help but remember his words while admiring the spectacular view along the Kootenai near Libby. . .and I don't imagine he would have minded.

Meanwhile back in Florida. . .

Photo: Cristobal Herrera/European Pressphoto Agency

Miles of Algae
and a Multitude of Hazards

The stench from decaying algae began rising from coastal waterways in southeastern Florida early this month, shutting down businesses and beaches during a critical tourism season. Officials arrived, surveyed the toxic muck and declared states of emergency in four counties, then took off for Cleveland for the Republican National Convention.

Photo: Rhonda Wise/Agence France-Press/Getty Images

Photo: Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post/AP

Florida Governor Rick Scott doesn't believe in global warming or climate change anymore than does Donald Trump or Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and why should they care? They don't live amongst the dead fish and dying waterways of southeast Florida, and their reelection campaigns are largely funded by Big Sugar which polluted Lake Okeechobee and caused the algae bloom in the first place.

Road to Rio