Abstract
The Silver Bow Creek watershed in southwest Montana encompasses approximately 474 square miles and forms a portion of the headwaters the Clark Fork River, tributary to the Columbia River. Decades of mining in the basin have resulted in extensive injuries to natural resources and loss of associated recreational opportunities. These injuries include mild to severe contamination of water and soil resources and massive physical alterations to stream channels, floodplains, and surrounding landscapes. Adding to these challenges is a variety of land uses and human activities within the watershed, including a relatively large, urban population as well as rural lands that are important for agriculture, wildlife, native species, and associated recreational values.
The Silver Bow Creek Watershed Restoration Plan identifies and prioritizes restoration needs in the Silver Bow Creek watershed. Impetus for the plan came from public interest in watershed-scale planning to serve as a guide to restoring natural resources in the watershed. Plan development involved extensive public input, data collection, and analysis. The plan evaluates current conditions, identifies desired future conditions, and prioritizes restoration needs to achieve these desired conditions. Restoration needs are broadly categorized as: preserving and protecting existing resources; mitigating pollution; improving water quantity; restoring fisheries; restoring vegetation and widlife; and developing recreation. The plan will be used to guide development of restoration projects and funding of these projects. This presentation will highlight the purpose, methods, results, and lessons learned from this comprehensive planning effort.
Start Date
1-4-2005 8:20 AM
End Date
1-4-2005 8:40 AM
Document Type
Presentation
Silver Bow Creek Watershed Restoration Planning and Lessons Learned
The Silver Bow Creek watershed in southwest Montana encompasses approximately 474 square miles and forms a portion of the headwaters the Clark Fork River, tributary to the Columbia River. Decades of mining in the basin have resulted in extensive injuries to natural resources and loss of associated recreational opportunities. These injuries include mild to severe contamination of water and soil resources and massive physical alterations to stream channels, floodplains, and surrounding landscapes. Adding to these challenges is a variety of land uses and human activities within the watershed, including a relatively large, urban population as well as rural lands that are important for agriculture, wildlife, native species, and associated recreational values.
The Silver Bow Creek Watershed Restoration Plan identifies and prioritizes restoration needs in the Silver Bow Creek watershed. Impetus for the plan came from public interest in watershed-scale planning to serve as a guide to restoring natural resources in the watershed. Plan development involved extensive public input, data collection, and analysis. The plan evaluates current conditions, identifies desired future conditions, and prioritizes restoration needs to achieve these desired conditions. Restoration needs are broadly categorized as: preserving and protecting existing resources; mitigating pollution; improving water quantity; restoring fisheries; restoring vegetation and widlife; and developing recreation. The plan will be used to guide development of restoration projects and funding of these projects. This presentation will highlight the purpose, methods, results, and lessons learned from this comprehensive planning effort.