Below Libby Dam, the Kootenai is wide and flat, the epitome of calm. At the falls, the river turns violent as it rushes down a staircase of ancient quartzite and limestone before flattening out again.

But the longevity of the sturgeon in the Kootenai River is waning: It hasn't reproduced in real numbers in at least 30 years due to habitat change caused by Libby Dam, which shut its gates in 1975.

Explore Libby, Montana's hidden tragedy. This picturesque town, nestled in the Kootenai River Valley, faced one of America's worst environmental disasters. Uncover the greed and negligence behind ...