1. State
of the
Basin 2005
Doc Watson UM
Watershed Clinic

2. STATE OF THE BASIN Current Condition – achieving GOALS?
ecological, legal
flows, riparian areas, fisheries
water quality (metals, nutrients, algae)
Trends – getting better or worse?
Actions -- What are we doing about it?
Challenges – pop growth & development
drought, fire

3. Population Growth & Sprawl

4. Clark Fork Basin Wells 2005 ~ 50% of wells drilled
In the last 15 years
LaFave presentation

6. STREAM FLOWS   
ABOVE AVERAGE
AVERAGE
BELOW AVERAGE
WAY BELOW

11. STREAM CONDITION & TRENDS Based on Fisheries Red streams
are outstanding
MFWP Fisheries Scores
for Clark Fork basin
stream miles
High % %
Mod % %
Low % %
MFISH database, accessed 3-05

12. STREAM CONDITION & TRENDS
Based on Water Quality Assessments
80% impaired
7% full support
13% unknown
Impaired uses
aquatic life,
swim, drink
In 2000
basin stream
miles were
62% impaired
3% full support
35% insuf data
In 2005
basin stream
miles were
55% impaired
14% full support
26% insuf data
Impaired uses: aquatic life,
drinking, swimming
‘Causes’:
habitat &
flow alteration
silt, metals,
nutrients
‘Sources’:
Res extraction
Ag, Silviculture
Hydromodification
Construction
Insufficient data
data: MDEQ
Water Quality
Assessment
Database
Map by
Velda Welch,
State library

13. Map by
Gerry Daumiller
MT State Library

14. SCHEDULE FOR
WATER QUALITY
RESTORATION
PLANS (TMDLs)

15. Western Montana Planning Zone (Flathead, Lolo & Bitterroot)
Forest Plans
being developed
together.
(DEIS?)
Little reference to
watersheds except:
More active
restoration;
need to collaborate
on TMDLs

16. IMPORTANT ACTIONS FOR WATERSHED CPR
(Conservation, Preservation, & Restoration)
PLANS -- TMDLs, Forest Plans
PARTNERSHIPS – one example: TriState Council,
Flathead Basin Commission, Blackfoot Challenge,
Upper Clark Fork Watershed Restoration Coalition
But must translate Plans & Partnerships into
ON THE GROUND ACTIONS

17. ON THE GROUND PROJECTS
Summit of public-private partnerships

18. Fisheries habitat projects
Nevada Creek
Nevada Sp. Cr

19. Culvert replacement
Offstream
Water
Grazing
Mgt
Infilatration gallery
Water leasing
Fish screen
Fish ladder
Canal lining

20. Transforming the
Moonscapes of
Silver Bow Creek
& the Upper
Clark Fork
T Trigstedt

21. Restoration work brings jobs
T Trigstedt

22. Healing the land & the community
By going beyond remediation to restoration

23. Continuing
to go beyond
Remediation to
Restoration
-- a watershed decision

24. Actions taken to reduce nutrients

25. % of River Samples attaining Targets
River Stations
Total Phosphorus
Total Nitrogen
Silver Bow Creek above WWTP 0%
CFR below Warm Springs 6%
61%
CFR below Deer Lodge 4%
50%
CFR below Missoula
65%
37%
CFR below pulp mill
90%
70%
% of Samples attaining Algae Targets
Target Mean
Target Maximum
Clark Fork River
(100 mg Chl a /m2)
(150 mg Chl a /m2)
above Deer Lodge
30%
below Deer Lodge
60%
80%
at Bonita
50%
above Missoula
70%
90%
below Missoula
40%
below pulp mill
above Flathead River
100%

26. Clark Fork Water Quality Trends
Since adoption of VNRP
Clark Fork River
Total P
Sol P
Total N
Sol N
Algae levels
Cu,Zn
above Deer Lodge --
below Deer Lodge
at Bonita +
above Missoula + 
below Missoula
below pulp mill
above Flathead

27. GOOD NEWS
Investments in Restoration
Dam mitigation $200M
Nutrient Reduction $62M
Resource Restoration $390M
Superfund $500M
Total $1.2 Billion
Also USFS, NRCS, USFWS,
MDEQ, MFWP,
many groups & individuals

28. Even better news The river will do most of the work itself
given half a chance.
For more info on
STUDIES of condition/trends
& ACTIONS to restore & conserve the Clark Fork,
attend symposium
talks & posters Friday &
Stream tour on Saturday.

29. 2005 Clark Fork Symposium -- 20 Years of Conservation Science
DAY – Tour of Remediation & Restoration Work in the Upper Clark Fork basin
             Silver Bow Creek Cleanup & Restoration  
Watershed Restoration Coalition projects
EVENING –Public Program Tracy Stone-Manning, Clark Fork Coalition, MC
  State of the River Report
Vicki Watson, UM Watershed Health Clinic
  Connections between Environment & Community
Chris Brick, Clark Fork Coalition
  Creating Successful Watershed Partnerships
Diane Williams, Tri-State Water Quality Council
  Healthy Lakes through Living Shores -- video
Mark Holston, Flathead BasinCommission  
     
  Restoring Silver Bow Creek – Educational CD-ROM
Kathy Coleman, MT Natural Resource Damage Program

30. SESSION 1 -- Upper Clark Fork Remediation/Restoration—8am-noon
APRIL 1 FRIDAY
   SESSION 1 -- Upper Clark Fork Remediation/Restoration—8am-noon 
   Silver Bow Creek Watershed Restoration Planning & Lessons Learned  
   Clark Fork Headwaters Superfund Projects--Science & Progress
   Riparian Evaluation System (RiPES): Cleanup Design Tool
   More water under the bridge: Improving instream flows
   Ground-Water Pumping & Streamflow Depletion
 10am   BREAK (refreshments)
 Effects of mine remediation over large space & time scales
 Metal-specific Effects on Stream Macroinvertebrates
 Nitrate in waters of the Clark Fork Basin -- Butte's Summit Valley
Historic vs proposed river channel patterns near Milltown
 Proposed Restoration Actions at Milltown
SESSION 2 -- Fisheries, UC Room 330 – starts at 10:20            
 Stream connectivity in the Clark Fork watershed
 Fish Barrier Removal, Lolo National Forest
Fish & Watershed Restoration Efforts in the Ninemile Watershed
 Build It & They Will Come: Nevada Spring Creek Restoration
 Fishery Restoration Efforts on Lost Creek, Upper Clark Fork
SESSION 3 -- Watershed & Conservation Planning, UC Room 333 –starts 10:20
 Flathead River Basin Plan
 River Restoration Projects in a Watershed Context: The Jocko River
 Watershed Planning in the Pend Oreille River Basin in Washington
 Comprehensive Fish & Wildlife Conservation Priorities in the basin
 Natural Vegetation Development Processes in Restoration Planning

31. NOON -- Lunch -- sandwiches at poster session
OR on your own in the UC's eateries
  1-3pm: POSTER SESSION -- UC Rooms
SESSION 4 -- Water Quality & Restoration Studies, UC Room 330 –3pm
  20 Years of Water Quality in the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Watershed
 Water Quality Modeling in the Clark Fork & Bitterroot basins
Restoration of German Gulch Creek &
a Vision for Fisheries Restoration in the Silver Bow Creek watershed
 WORKSHOPS
Obtaining Groundwater Information through the
MT Bureau of Mines Groundwater Information Center  SS 362
  Montana Water Trust -- Protecting instream flow –UC 331
 5-9 pm-- Great Way to Finish the Day–
Visit the new Montana Natural History Center
                (food, fun, art; see their new location near the Clark Fork;
shuttle bus from UC at 5:15pm)
APRIL 2 (Saturday) – TOUR Missoula Urban Creek Projects --
      Pattee Creek Tour 10am-noon, Grant Creek Tour 1-3 pm