This species inhabits clear, cold swift-moving mountain streams with coarse substrate. It may occur primarily in older forest sites, but better information is needed; required microclimatic and microhabitat conditions are more common in older forests. It may be found on land during wet weather near water in humid forests or in more open habitat. During dry weather it stays on moist stream-banks. It lays eggs in long strings under stones in water. Species has a free-living larval stage. It is unclear as to whether or not it is tolerant of habitat disturbance.

This species ranges from extreme southeastern British Columbia in Canada south through western Montana to extreme southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and south-central Idaho in the United States of America (Leonard et al. 1993, Nielson et al. 2001, Stebbins 2003). There are many extant occurrences in Montana and Idaho and two small subpopulations in British Columbia (L. Dupuis pers. comm. 2001 in NatureServe 2020).

Conservation Actions
Occurs in Glacier National Park and several Wilderness Areas. There are many occurrences on National Forest or Bureau of Land Management lands, but these might not receive special management consideration, so protection is minimal. 

Conservation Needed
Maintenance of cool, forested, unsilted streams and stream corridors is a basic conservation need. 

Research Needed
Research is needed in population trends.