(MISSOULA) Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks on Monday closed the Clark Fork River to all recreation, from Reserve Street Bridge in Missoula to Kona Bridge, due to dangers caused by downed power lines in the river and high water levels full of hazardous debris.
New aerial footage from UAVWS shows the extent to which floodwaters have brought down power lines into the Clark Fork River near Tower Street.
The Incident Command for the Missoula 2018 Flood recommended the closure for public safety, after flood waters tipped power poles into the Clark Fork on Sunday. FWP says the closure will remain in effect while power lines and other river debris are creating unsafe conditions.
The closure applies to all water-based recreation, including, but not limited to, wading, swimming, fishing, floating and boating.
Many upstream and downstream Clark Fork River access sites remain closed or under limited (walk-in only) entry, as well as some sites on the Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers.
Even in areas free of closures and restrictions, safety concerns persist due to high water and heavy debris. Use extreme caution near the water.
