WELCOME TO THE CLARK FORK - PEND OREILLE WATERSHED
The Clark Fork-Pend Oreille watershed encompasses about 26,000 square miles across western Montana, northern Idaho and northeastern Washington. The Clark Fork River begins along the west slopes of the Continental Divide near Butte and drains most of western Montana before entering Idaho’s Pend Oreille Lake. Water leaving the lake forms the Pend Oreille River, which flows across the Idaho Panhandle and Washington’s northeastern corner and then drains into the Columbia River just past the Canadian border.
This watershed lies within two regions of the U.S. EPA, three states, fourteen counties, and several Indian reservations. Its huge expanse, coupled with the multitude of federal, state, local and tribal jurisdictions, creates a special challenge for protecting water quality. Through this basinwide stakeholder group, the Tri-State Water Quality Council, a successful, collaborative watershed management approach is being taken to improve and protect the basin’s water resources.
See the Clark Fork- Pend Oreille Watershed Map to view the entire basin and the Watershed Boundaries Map to see all the smaller watersheds encompassed within the basin.