In May 2014, Energy Keepers Inc. published the following press release about their pending September 2015 tribal acquisition of Kerr Dam. It says in part:
“By acquiring the Kerr Project, CSKT will be restoring ownership and control over lands of the Flathead Indian Reservation, our treaty-reserved homeland,” Lankford said. “By assuming control over Kerr Dam, CSKT will be asserting management and control over Flathead Lake and the Flathead River, two critically important water resources of the Flathead Indian Reservation.
And by selling the electricity generated at the Kerr Project, CSKT will receive more income than it gets from rental of the Project land, which will allow the tribe to better meet the needs of our people.
Lankford concluded her testimony by thanking the Committee for working toward empowering tribes to develop and manage their energy resources.
“Your support for tribal self-determination and tribal sovereignty is greatly appreciated,” she said. “Indian energy development is a key component of our ability to control our destiny and provide for our people. We look forward to working further with Congress to figure out how CSKT and other tribes can further maximize our energy potential, and we invite future discussions on how to create win-win scenarios for both the tribes and the federal government.”
Kerr Dam: More Questions than Answers
So how is it that the federal government and the state of Montana allowed the Kerr Dam situation to get to this place?
Why did the federal government fail to “capture” the dam in 1985, and allow it to go to the CSKT?
What is the federal Tribal Energy Bill and what does it have to do with Kerr Dam?
What is the relationship between Northwestern and the CSKT and are there plans for additional dams?
How did the tribe get the dam for practically nothing?
How is it possible that all of this happened without real public scrutiny or due diligence or transparency?
We hope that the documents found below can help to begin to answer these questions and many others.
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS
1930 Flathead Power Development Report – Scattergood
1930 Original Kerr License
1934 Indian Reorganization (Wheeler-Howard) Act
1936 CSKT Corporate Charter
1969 Document related to Taking of Power Values
1971 Court of Claims Brief and Findings of Fact Re: Kerr Dam
1972 Court of Claims Docket 50233 Power
1985 FIP Comprehensive Review 10/85 – Volume 1
1985 FIP Comprehensive Review 10/85 Volume 2
1985 FJBC Testimony Re: Low Cost Block of Power
1985 FERC Assessment of Licensing Options – Environmental Assessment
1985 Joint Offer of Settlement
1985 FERC Order Approving Settlement and Issuing License
RECENT ACTIVITY
2006 Kerr License (from Energy Keeper’s Website
2012 CSKT Demand for Arbitration
2014 Final Award Issued by Arbitration Panel
2015 CSKT Application for Partial License Transfer
2015 Keenan / Jackson Kerr Dam Lawsuit
2015 Keenan Lawsuit Withdrawn and Dismissed
2015 FJBC Intervention Order for Hearing Scheduling Conference
2015 Montana Public Service Commission Request for Rehearing
2024 01 05 National Organization to Save Flathead Lake – Petition to FERC
2024 02 05 FERC clears EKI
2024 03 04 Lake County Petition to FERC re Operational Changes Flathead Lake Levels
2024 03 20 EKI Response to Lake County Petition
ENERGY KEEPERS INFORMATION
EKI Corporate Charter
EKI By Laws
Lankford Testimony
NORTHWESTERN AND CSKT TIES
Are there more dams planned for the future?
Water Claim 76L 94412 00 Buffalo Rapids
Water Claim 76L 94413 00 Buffalo Rapids 4
United States Claim Filed for CSKT June 2015 – Future Hydropower
UNITED STATES TRIBAL ENERGY BILL
Title 25 Chapter 37 Tribal Energy 3501 – 3506
KERR DAM WATER RIGHTS
To see other Water Right filings for Kerr Dam over the years, including Maps, look up these water rights numbers on the DNRC Water Rights Query Website at this link.
FLATHEAD LAKE LEVELS AND KERR DAM RELEASES
USGS 12371550 Flathead Lake at Polson (Reservoir Elevations)
USGS 12372000 Flathead River Near Polson (Discharge)
WESTERN MONTANA WATER RIGHTS BLOG ARTICLES PERTAINING TO KERR / FLATHEAD LAKE LEVELS
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- Flathead Lake Levels: A Sleight of Dam?
- More Pieces of the Water Puzzle
- Response to a Commenter
- The Bigger Picture: Please Don’t Lose Sight of it
- Flathead Lake Levels: Part of a Much Larger Problem
- Politics of Lake Draw Down
- Isn’t this Interesting?
- Flathead Lake Levels: A Public Service Announcement
- Flathead Lake Levels: A Second Public Service Announcement
- Food for Thought: The Flathead Lake Water Right
- Seli’s-Crypto Dam?
- Save Flathead Lake Website
Western Montana Water Rights 
Thank you for compiling this information.
May the sad & serious mistake of prematurely drawing down Flathead Lake never happen again.
Thanking all involved in the ongoing documentation of this and working to mitigate issues. CC