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Thompson Lakes changing

by Alan Lewis Gerstenecker
| August 20, 2013 12:13 PM

There is change coming to the Thompson string of lakes, and the public likely will be the beneficiary.

Dave Bennetts, a park management specialist with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, told Lincoln County Commissioners the state has taken sole command of Thompson Chain of Lakes that includes all three Thompson Lakes and McGregor Lake. Logan State Park is currently the only state park in that area.

Bennetts explained the chain of lakes that include just less than 3,000 acres includes 18 total lakes, many of them lesser, 91 campsites scattered about the areas, 19 vault latrines and eight boat ramps.

Bennetts said the transition of funding for the lakes from fishing license fees to the state could mean improvements to the area. 

“We’d get $30,000 for the roads, and it never went very far,” Bennetts said. “At three-grand a mile, we had to be careful.”

Bennetts admitted much of that funding was for upkeep and not much left for improvements.

“The fishing division is sort of struggling right now. We’d get $100,000 to run the whole chain,” he said.

Bennetts said the public would have input as to the future of the area, and said changes and more public money likely would come slowly.

“We should know more by May 1, 2014,” Bennetts said.

FWP Spokeswoman Jennifer Lawson on Monday cautioned about things happening too soon.

“As of July, we have sole authority and management,” Lawson said. “There probably won’t be an online poll, but we will seek feedback from the public. We want to make the Thompson Chain of Lakes the best it can be for the recreational public.”

Asked for a timeline to achieve that, Lawson said this is preliminary and there is no schedule.

Lincoln County Presiding Commissioner Tony Berget carefully weighed the potential benefits of a greater state presence at the Thompson Chain of Lakes, indicating recreational people may not feel that way if fees increase.

“They might feel differently if fees go up,” Berget said.

Currently, camping fees are $7 nightly in some areas but considerably more in state parks, such as nearby Logan State Park.

Commissioner Ron Downey suggested initial funding go toward making campsites level.

“It’s kind of a thing. You have to take half a cord of wood just to shore-up your camper,” Downey said. “That’s where they should start.”

Bennetts said public usage of the Thompson Lakes is virtually a 50-50 split between residents of Flathead and Lincoln counties. 

“Eighty-two percent of all campers there are state residents,” Bennetts said. “The camping fees go to a good cause.”