Title
Watershed Restoration Coalition projects: East Deer Lodge Valley Watershed Project Tour
Abstract
The East Deer Lodge Valley Watershed project is located on the east side of the Clark Fork River and extends from Deer Lodge to the Warm Spring Ponds. The 125,000 acre area includes nine tributary streams to the Clark Fork River, the riparian habitat along the main stem river and tributary streams, and the alpine headwaters along the continental divide. The project began in 1998 as a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) priority area aimed at improving range health and aquatic resources. The Watershed Restoration Coalition of the Upper Clark Fork (WRC) partnered with NRCS in 2000 to implement watershed restoration projects on a landscape scale and cost share the restoration projects with the NRCS and others. To date, well over two million dollars have been invested in restoration projects for planning and implementation. The East Valley Watershed project tour will be led by John Hollenback of the Deer Lodge Conservation District and chairman of the WRC, Nancy Sweeney of the NRCS, Toney Boniface with Independent Power Systems, and Scott Payne of KirK Environmental LLC. The tour guides will walk the participants through the history, landscape, watershed baseline studies, and restoration projects being implemented. The attendees will visit three sites including 1) a stream reach along the Clark Fork River where Nancy Sweeny is working with landowners to enhance the riparian corridor, 2) a wind and solar powered off-stream water pipeline, and 3) an uplands bench area where water is being developed to improve livestock distribution by providing off-stream water. If time permits, the tour will also visit a reference reach for riparian health on private lands. Attendees will be provided maps, a summary of the East Valley Project, and a CD-rom containing the watershed baseline study.
Start Date
31-3-2005 1:00 PM
End Date
31-3-2005 3:00 PM
Document Type
Tour
Watershed Restoration Coalition projects: East Deer Lodge Valley Watershed Project Tour
The East Deer Lodge Valley Watershed project is located on the east side of the Clark Fork River and extends from Deer Lodge to the Warm Spring Ponds. The 125,000 acre area includes nine tributary streams to the Clark Fork River, the riparian habitat along the main stem river and tributary streams, and the alpine headwaters along the continental divide. The project began in 1998 as a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) priority area aimed at improving range health and aquatic resources. The Watershed Restoration Coalition of the Upper Clark Fork (WRC) partnered with NRCS in 2000 to implement watershed restoration projects on a landscape scale and cost share the restoration projects with the NRCS and others. To date, well over two million dollars have been invested in restoration projects for planning and implementation. The East Valley Watershed project tour will be led by John Hollenback of the Deer Lodge Conservation District and chairman of the WRC, Nancy Sweeney of the NRCS, Toney Boniface with Independent Power Systems, and Scott Payne of KirK Environmental LLC. The tour guides will walk the participants through the history, landscape, watershed baseline studies, and restoration projects being implemented. The attendees will visit three sites including 1) a stream reach along the Clark Fork River where Nancy Sweeny is working with landowners to enhance the riparian corridor, 2) a wind and solar powered off-stream water pipeline, and 3) an uplands bench area where water is being developed to improve livestock distribution by providing off-stream water. If time permits, the tour will also visit a reference reach for riparian health on private lands. Attendees will be provided maps, a summary of the East Valley Project, and a CD-rom containing the watershed baseline study.