10/02/2025
In 2022, a Pacific atmospheric river storm triggered devastating floods around Yellowstone National Park. With increasing intensity of precipitation events across the U.S., we started looking into the likelihood and potential impacts of a megaflood in the Flathead Valley on par with the historic 1964 Flathead flood. Similar to the recent Yellowstone flood, the 1964 flood in NW Montana is considered a 500-1000 year event based on historical records.
On Thursday, October 23, we will launch our 1964-scale flood scenario project to boost flood preparedness, mitigate risk, and reduce home insurance premiums through community awareness and action.
Join us for this free event at 7 p.m. as Montana filmmaker Hugo Sindelar screens his 54-minute documentary, One in Five Hundred, about the impact of the 2022 flood on Yellowstone gateway communities. This will be followed by a panel discussion with Sindelar alongside a community leader from Park County and Flathead residents who directly experienced the 1964 Flathead flood. They will discuss lessons learned for when the waters rise again.
The event will be hosted at Columbia Falls High School by the student Conservation Crew, co-sponsored by the Flathead Conservation District, Western Montana Conservation Commission, and Upper Flathead Neighborhood Association.
Learn more about the October 23 event at https://climatesmartglaciercountry.org/2025/09/23/when-the-waters-rise-again-october-23-event-will-launch-flood-preparedness-project/
