PO Box 21, Divide, Montana 59727 406-960-4855 Website: BHWC.org E-mail: [email protected]/BigHoleWatershed SUMMER 2015 Big Hole Watershed Committee Newsletter Seeking Understanding & Consensus Creating Long-term Solutions For the Big Hole River Since 1995 This year is clearly a drought season. Low snowpack this winter was followed by rec- ord high temperatures in June. We were seeing tough conditions early in the year and expect a tough season all the way through. Drought years are hard on every- body, from gardeners, to anglers and fishing guides, to irrigators, to agencies and groups like ours involved in flow monitoring and drought response, and mosquitoes. It helps to remember the good times—remember 2014? This time last year we were relieved to not see wide- spread flooding after a slow snowmelt. We believe we can get by with some help from our friends. Drought years like this one are easier if we work together. Since 1999, the Big Hole River Drought Manage- ment Plan has provided guidance for river flow conservation and fishing restrictions to protect the fishery. Flow targets at five locations provide coordinated goals for water users to maintain flows. Low flow and tem- perature targets mandate fishing restrictions to protect the fishery in extreme conditions (see page 6). For example, Butte-Silver Bow (BSB) County draws a portion of the Butte water supply from the Big Hole River. Watering restrictions manage sprinkling schedules to limit the amount of water drawn. Water consumption in- creases as much as 14% in the summer, attributed to lawn care. Irrigation is the largest water use on the Big Hole. CCAA plans and the Big Hole River Drought Plan asks irrigators to turn back water to meet flow targets. Here’s the problem. Watering or not watering one lawn will not make a difference in Big Hole River flows. Turning one ditch down cannot hold the river above flow targets or prevent river closure. One angler not fish- ing when water temperatures are high will not save the fishery. Lately we’ve been running on faith . . . Sharing isn’t easy—especially when you can’t see it, can’t be sure that you are the only one sharing, and shar- ing means giving something up for a return that is also shared. And yet, that is exactly what we are asking everyone to do. Conservation takes running on faith, an investment, doing the right thing for the long-term. It’s our mantra—Shared Sacrifice for Shared Success. 20 Years of working together has shown us—we can weath- er the storm (or the drought) together as anglers, residents, irrigators and water users. From not watering your lawn, to turning down your ditch, to limiting your fishing—we need you. SHARED SACRIFICE FOR SHARED SUCCESS. Less Water Means More Cooperation
This year is clearly a drought season. Low snowpack this winter was followed by rec-ord high temperatures in June. We were seeing tough conditions early in the year and expect a tough season all the way through. Drought years are hard on every-body, from gardeners, to anglers and fishing guides, to irrigators, to agencies and groups like ours involved in flow monitoring and drought response, and mosquitoes.
It helps to remember the good times—remember 2014? This time last year we were relieved to not see wide-spread flooding after a slow snowmelt. We believe we can get by with some help from our friends. Drought years like this one are easier if we work together. Since 1999, the Big Hole River Drought Manage-ment Plan has provided guidance for river flow conservation and fishing restrictions to protect the fishery. Flow targets at five locations provide coordinated goals for water users to maintain flows. Low flow and tem-perature targets mandate fishing restrictions to protect the fishery in extreme conditions (see page 6). For example, Butte-Silver Bow (BSB) County draws a portion of the Butte water supply from the Big Hole River. Watering restrictions manage sprinkling schedules to limit the amount of water drawn. Water consumption in-creases as much as 14% in the summer, attributed to lawn care. Irrigation is the largest water use on the Big Hole. CCAA plans and the Big Hole River Drought Plan asks irrigators to turn back water to meet flow targets. Here’s the problem. Watering or not watering one lawn will not make a difference in Big Hole River flows. Turning one ditch down cannot hold the river above flow targets or prevent river closure. One angler not fish-ing when water temperatures are high will not save the fishery. Lately we’ve been running on faith . . . Sharing isn’t easy—especially when you can’t see it, can’t be sure that you are the only one sharing, and shar-ing means giving something up for a return that is also shared. And yet, that is exactly what we are asking everyone to do. Conservation takes running on faith, an investment, doing the right thing for the long-term. It’s our mantra—Shared Sacrifice for Shared Success. 20 Years of working together has shown us—we can weath-er the storm (or the drought) together as anglers, residents, irrigators and water users. From not watering your lawn, to turning down your ditch, to limiting your fishing—we need you.
OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS IMPORTANT TO OUR WA-TERSHED AND A PUBLIC SPEAKER PRESENATION. OUR MEETINGS ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO ANYONE. JOIN US AT THE DIVIDE GRANGE TO LISTEN AND VISIT
WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS. THE MEETINGS REMAINING FOR 2015 ARE:
SEPTEMBER 16, 7PM: CALIFORNIA CREEK PROJECT REPORT
CALIFORNIA CREEK PROJECT IS WRAPPING UP THIS YEAR. WATERSHED
CONTULTING WILL SHARE WORK COMPLETED ON THIS PROJECT.
OCTOBER 21, 7PM: FRENCH & MOOSE CREEK PROJECT PLAN
FRENCH & MOOSE CREEK PROJECTS WILL BEGIN IN 2016. SEE THE PROPOSED
WORK PLAN AND EXPECTED RESULTS.
NOVEMBER 18, 6PM: BIG HOLE VALLEY SAGE GROUSE
THE BIG HOLE VALLEY IS HOME TO SAGE GROUSE. HEAR THE STATUS OF BIG HOLE VALLEY SAGE GROUSE AND HOW BHWC MAY BE INVOLVED IN SAGE
GROUSE CONSERVATION EFFORTS.
BHWC WILL NOT MEET IN JULY, AUGUST, OR DECEMBER
Page 3
Summer 2015
Mount Haggin is a State-owned Wildlife Management Area in the Deep Creek drainage. The first gold strike
in the Big Hole occurred here at French Gulch near 1860. The area was extensively placer mined. The Anacon-
da Smelter caused severe damages to the uplands in Mount Haggin with logging and loss of vegetation. Since
then, the upland has deteriorated with thousands of tons of sediment eroded from hillsides into creeks. As a re-
sult, the entire Deep Creek drainage has impaired water quality due to high volumes of sediment from the
headwater streams California, Oregon, and Sixmile to the larger tributaries of French and Deep Creeks.
California Creek Project - Proposed Restoration Work Nearly Complete
From Pedro Marques, Watershed Consulting (California Creek Contractor)
“Implementation of the California Creek Restoration Project continued this spring when a crew from Watershed
Consulting, together with DEQ and BHWC staff, returned to the site to continue the wetland enhancement por-
tion of the project as well as install bank fascines to stabilize some of the largest gullies. Dozens of Beaver
Dam Analogue (BDA) structures were installed to capture sediment within the stream and also aggrade the
channel and allow for high flows to overtop banks and saturate the floodplain. Over 100 willow stakes were
cut on-site and installed in combination with the BDA structures. In addition, approximately 500 feet of bank
fascines made from logs and slash were installed in the most severely eroding gullies to stop sediment delivery
and allow vegetation to establish. Project monitoring will commence this summer and continue in the fall.”
French-Moose Creek Project—Design in Process and Restoration Planned for 2016
The French Creek/Gulch and Moose Creek Projects are well on their way. Preliminary design was complete in
2014. The project has accumulated more than $1 Million in funding from State, Federal and conservation group
funds. French & Moose Creek projects will repair 4.5 miles of stream for improved riparian and wetlands, re-
duce placer mining impact, reconnect the floodplain, and restore the native fishery. BHWC administers the pro-
ject. The project was spearheaded by Jim Olsen, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Design support by Morrison-
Maierle, Inc. and in partnership with Deer Lodge Conservation District.
Mill Creek Road (Highway 569) Relocation Out of French Creek Floodplain Expected Complete Fall 2016
The Mill Creek Road connecting the Big Hole to Anaconda has that country, bumpy Montana experience, with
wildlife, majestic views, history, and recreation for skiers, snowmobilers, and summer campers. The lumpy pot-
holes and frost heaves creates a ride reminiscent of a ride in a 1929 Ford Model A.
Montana Department of Transportation is updating and relocating Highway 569, referred to as Mill Creek
Road. The southern portion of the road was resurfaced, widened, paved, and lined in 2014. The next segment
north runs along Deep Creek and its tributary, French Creek, segmenting the French Creek floodplain—a wet,
wetland willow bottom. In 2016 a portion of the road will be relocated out of the French Creek willow riparian
area to the upland bench. The move will include oversized culverts for natural flow passage where the road
crosses creeks and streams. The move also supports native fish restoration work occurring nearby. The entire
drainage is subject to high sediment loading. This project will not only improve the road, but will drastically im-
prove wildlife, fisheries, water quality, and natural stream function — and smooth the lumpy, bumpy ride.
Join Our Public Tour! See these projects first hand on our next Watershed Tour—
Friday, August 28, 2015 at 11am—3pm. Tour includes lunch.
Big Hole River Streamflow Forecast From Mike Roberts, DNRC Hydrologist: “Low river flows are expected from June through September
based on June 1st streamflow forecasting provided by the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS). While snowpack in mid-April was near normal at high elevations, low and mid-elevation snow was pretty much gone due to warm and dry late winter conditions. This resulted in above average instream flows in March and April followed by dropping flows in early May. Cooler tem-peratures and precipitation in mid-May helped to mitigate low flows but since then the snow has rapidly melted out of the higher elevations and below average precipitation has resulted in plunging instream flows. Due to early snowmelt, not much is left to charge the system and low flows throughout the river are expected for this summer. Flows have already dropped below BHWC low flow tar-gets in Drought Management Plan (DMP) Section I near Wisdom. The DMP has been implemented and land-owners have been reducing their diversions to address instream flows. The 50% exceedance forecast supplied by NRCS for river flows for June through September at Wisdom and Melrose predicts 58% and 71% of aver-age respectively. It is highly likely that in addition to efforts already commenced in Section I, the BHWC will be implementing the DMP in Sections II through V this season.”
“Due to early snowmelt, not much is left to charge the system and low flows throughout the river are ex-pected for this summer.”
Big Hole River Drought Management Plan: The Big Hole
River Drought Management Plan was created in 1999 by
the Big Hole Watershed Committee and many technical ad-
visors and partners. It is implemented in partnership between
the Big Hole Watershed Committee, Montana DNRC, Mon-
tana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and water users and anglers.
The plan manages flow and water temperature conservation
targets and river restrictions to benefit the fishery through
voluntary participation and sets Montana Fish, Wildlife and
Parks’ river condition fishing restrictions. The Drought Man-
agement Plan is reviewed and updated annually by a team
of conservation groups, irrigators, sportsmen, and agency
personnel as well as the Big Hole Watershed Committee. It is
supported by a network of USGS measurement stations on
the Big Hole River. The full plan is published on our website. A quick reference is provided here. Updates are
posted on our website as they occur. [ABOVE: Big Hole River DMP Sections and Measure Points]
Drought Management Plan 2015: Prior to June 30, CCAA Site Plans respond to low flows in the Upper Big Hole (Sections I and II). June 30: Drought Management Plan Response Low flows in Section I High Water Temperatures in all Sections except Section III. Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction requested from MFWP and enacted for all Sections except Section 111 on 7/3/2015.
Mission: To seek understanding of and agreement among individuals and
groups with diverse viewpoints on water use and management in the Big Hole River Watershed of Southwest Montana. Established in 1995 to address resource and community concerns in the watershed of the Big Hole River in southwest Montana, the Big Hole Watershed Committee is composed of 22 governing members who represent diverse interests including: ranching, utilities, local government, sportsmen, conservationists, tourism, and out-fitters. Local, state, and federal agencies participate as technical advisors.
The BHWC is a consensus-driven, multi-stakeholder entity that works closely with other conservation organizations as well as local, State, and Federal agencies on wa-tershed restoration and management plans. The Big Hole Watershed Committee is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organiza-tion under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax deducti-ble as allowable by law. Our tax identification number is 11-3737644.
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