Georgetown Lake Homeowners Association
Announcements
Georgetown Lake Homeowners Association Meeting and Lunch
was held
Saturday August 23, 2025
12:00 PM
Fire Hall on Fire Lane
Speakers
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Cameron Raisor, Forest Service
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Visit www.fs.usda.gov​
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The Forest Service has started planning for a vegetation management project at Georgetown Lake
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It is illegal to shoot fireworks on Forest Service land.
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Max Rebholz, Northwestern Energy Wildfire Public Information
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visit northwesternenergy.com/wildfire​
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Go to the "My Energy Account" and toggle "Update Me" to get updates on fires
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Brad Liermann, Fish, Wildlife and Parks Fish Specialist
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Visit myfwp.mt.gov/​
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Visit myfwp.mt.gov/fishMT/plan/planreport to view fish stocking data
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John Fitzpatrick, State Legislator
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State Representative for Georgetown Lake​
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Check the Montana Cadastral for property values
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Services
Georgetown Lake Volunteer Fire Department
The fire hall can now host your community events including meetings and weddings. Please contact Fred to discuss your ideas as to how you might use the fire hall.
Fred Bjorklund, Fire Chief
406-560-3260
Anaconda Sheriff Dept
Please call 911 if a crime is in progress, someone is hurt or threatened, a weapon has been used or is present, or for any other emergency situation.
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If you have an emergency. please dial 911
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
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Phone: 911
The Lake
Georgetown Lake Update – October 6, 2025
Current Lake Elevation - 6427.69 ft
(Provisional Data from Georgetown Lake near Philipsburg, MT - USGS Water Data for the Nation)
The water surface elevation is below average for this time of year based on 80 years’ worth of lake elevation data.
Elevation and Inflows
Inflows to Georgetown have been very low as severe drought impacts much of western Montana. This September had some of the lowest inflows to the lake in the last 40 years (the only September inflows that were lower were in 2021, 1992, and 1991). In September, the lake lost 1,613 acre-feet of storage which is a lot under normal irrigation season operations (30 cfs outflows). The September average monthly outflows were about 30.2 cfs, which were more than inflows, making the total lake inputs equal to about 3.1 cfs. The inflows were AGAIN (like July) a staggering 14% of normal.
Precipitation
Precipitation was generally below normal (about normal at higher elevations in the mountains), and temperatures were above average. The Peterson Meadows SNOTEL site accumulated 1.1 inches (61% of normal) of precipitation in September. The Warm Springs SNOTEL site, which gives an idea of the higher elevation precipitation conditions, accumulated 2.3 inches of precipitation (105% of normal). A skiff of snow was also recorded at these sites over the 1st week of October.
Climate Forecast
The latest CPC climate forecast for Western Montana (created October 5, 2025) shows cooler than average air temperatures and above average precipitation for most of October (up to the 19th). La Niña conditions are likely to develop this fall which could increase the chances of a wet fall. The local weather in Philipsburg is predicting high temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s with little to no precipitation this week.
Model Forecast
I used the end of September lake elevation to start the model run, although the elevation has dropped a bit in the last week. Our stream gage on the NF Flint Creek shows a slight increase in flows that could be due to recent precipitation. To be conservative, I used 45% of normal inflows for October (which is consistent with the 1st week of October and conditions in 2021 which this year has been similar to). This model run includes the payback (release of 20 cfs from Oct. 8 - 15) for the borrowed storage water in July/August. I modeled outflows for the rest of October and the fall at 10 cfs (which is shown below). I also modeled outflows at 6 cfs until the time when the lake would freeze. Setting outflows to 6 cfs for the remainder of October has the potential to boost the lake level by about 2.5 inches before it freezes which could improve spring conditions if inflows remain as low as they are.
Wildlife
Protecting Montana's Waters
John O'Bannon AIS Area Supervisor for Southwest Montana, with the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks AIS Bureau, Presented a slide show on protecting Montana's lakes, rivers and streams from invasive mussels, snails and fish at the August Georgetown Lake Homeowners Association meeting and BBQ.
For more information please contact:
John O'Bannon
406.210.5054
john.o'bannon@mt.gov
cleandraindrymt.com
To help stop the spread of invasive aquatic species:
1. Help spread the Clean, Drain, Dry message
2. Boats traveling on the Interstate should be inspected prior to launch
3. Aquarium dumping must be STOPPED! Aquariums fish and plants can cause serious damage to our lakes and streams.
Help Protect Our Bears
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Help us prevent conflicts with bears around Georgetown Lake. People and Carnivores is available to help any resident with information and resources on how to reduce the chance for conflicts with bears at your home and in your neighborhood.
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At Home Bear Safety Toolkit
We developed one toolkit for Homeowners & Residents in Bear Country with a flyer with bear aware information, a bear-safe property checklist, information on where to get bear-resistant garbage canisters and other resources to reduce conflicts with bears.
Vacation Rentals in Bear Country toolkit
We also created a toolkit for vacation rental properties, that has information for the property owner along with materials they can put in the rental for their guests with reminders to not leave attractants outside. We've seen a growing number of vacation rental properties where guests are leaving coolers on the porch and leaving the trash cans overflowing and not locking the lids, even when they have bear-resistant cans. We created stickers to go on the bear cans with a reminder for guests to keep them locked and not overfill, along with a magnet and other materials with helpful tips.
Montana Sport Fish Consumption Guidelines
What you need to know about Mercury, PCBs, and other contaminants when fishing in Montana. This guide provides information about how to enjoy healthy meals from wild fish caught in Montana.
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It provides specific scientific data about the water bodies which have been tested, plus more general information for areas that have not yet been tested.
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For more information contact Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
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For information on collection and laboratory testing of fish from Montana waters, call MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks at 406-444-2449.
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For information on the health risks of eating fish, call MT Health & Human Services 406-444-2837 or email: HHSFCS@mt.gov.
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Or visit the MFWP website at www.fwp.mt.gov/fishing
Gallery
What does the Georgetown Lake Homeowner’s Association do for our community?
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Water Management: We are on a committee that advises Granite County on lake management. We cosponsored and participated in a Clean Lake Study to assure our lake is healthy. It is!
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Homeowners at the lake wanted a “soft touch” zoning or development rules so we guided that process through meeting and hearings until that was achieved. ( 3 years).
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Wildlife Management issues: We work closely with FWP and other groups to address wildlife issues in our area. This includes public presentations and promoting good management practices such as bear proof garbage cans.
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We support the Georgetown Lake Fire Department with equipment donations and funding for equipment for the Emergency Response Unit.
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We have had a member sit on the Granite County Planning Board to guide development at the lake.
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GLHA holds two meetings at the lake every year to keep members informed of current issues. There are usually speakers from various agencies to inform us on topics of interest.
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GLHA has a representative sit on the Granite County Watershed Committee. This group is designed to preserve and protect the watershed including Georgetown Lake. They also promote maintaining our rural lifestyle.
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GLHA also shares in the cost of maintaining a USGS flow gauge on Flint Creek. This measures the water coming out of Georgetown Lake on a real time basis. This enables us to monitor management of the reservoir by Granite County.
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GLHA offers a $1,000.00 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of person or persons damaging a member’s property.
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We welcome new members to help us with these endeavors. The cost of membership is $50. You can send a check to GLHA, PO Box 643 , Anaconda, Montana 59711. Include your address at the lake and for future mailings, email is appreciated also.