For a fish biologist, the Kootenai River system is a mesmerizing marine museum of distinct aquatic species, which also demands a unique suite of conservation and management strategies.

Notably, the Kootenai is home to the white sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish in North America, which can live to be 100 years old and weigh more than 1,000 pounds. But its dwindling populations warranted an “endangered” listing on the Endangered Species Act in 1994, and Libby Dam adds another layer of complexity to their conservation mission.

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