"The Kootenai River is the third largest tributary to the Columbia River. Seventeen miles upstream from the town of Libby, the 422-foot tall Libby Dam holds back 90 miles of water in Lake Koocanusa. Forty-eight miles of the reservoir lie within U.S. borders, the other 42 miles are in Canada. Visitors can enjoy boating, fishing, camping, water skiing, family picnics, hiking, cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing and more.

Libby Dam was completed in 1972 as a joint project between the United States and Canada in an effort to provide flood protection and to generate hydroelectric power. The Kootenai River fluctuated wildly in the spring causing flooding in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia, costing millions of dollars in flood damage. Congress authorized construction of Libby Dam in 1951 and construction began in 1966."