TROUT LINE
Celebrating
50 years
of conservation
Summer
2014
1964 - 2014
Newsletter from the Montana Council of Trout Unlimited
Fact faces fiction
EPA proposed rule clarifies protections under Clean Water Act
T
by Bruce Farling
he current high-profile flap about
federal Clean Water Act protections.
a proposed federal rule aimed at
These protections include the possibility
clarifying what waters fall under
a discharge of pollutants or streamthe jurisdiction of the federal Clean
damaging activity might require a permit
Water Act is a classic case of hyperbole
from EPA or a state environmental
over fact. It is fashionable these days
agency (in our case, Montana’s
to beat up federal agencies, such as
Department of Environmental Quality),
the Environmental Protection Agency,
or, a dredge-and-fill permit from the
which has formulated the rule. And as a
Army Corps of Engineers. A permit
consequence, posturing
does not mean denial. It
“EPA
is
simply
saying
politicians, polluting
just means the polluter
interests and over-the-top, if you were okay with or landowner might
self-styled private property the interpretation of have to maintain legal
groups are having a field
water quality standards
the
Clean
Water
Act
day opposing protections
for protecting fish or
for its first 30-plus drinking water, or, might
that for decades have
helped keep water clean
years, you’ll be okay have to employ protective
and trout habitat healthy
measures to reduce
with
this
rule.”
in Montana.
damage. This has been the
The EPA has proposed a rule to
case since Congress passed the Clean
clarify that intermittent (seasonal) and
Water Act in 1972. However, the U.S.
ephemeral (natural and flowing during
Supreme Court, in split decisions in 2000
high precipitation periods) streams, as
and 2005, muddied things by issuing
well as wetlands that are hydrologically
confusing rulings as to specifically what
connected to streams, are subject to
see EPA WATER RULE, page 7
Fish passage at
Clark Fork dams
nearing reality
Noxon Rapids Dam on the Clark Fork River
M
ore than 15 years in the
making – much longer than
many thought it would take
–construction of a fish passage structure
on the lower Clark Fork’s Cabinet Gorge
Dam, and perhaps in the future at Noxon
Rapids Dam, could begin next year. That
is if a dispute precipitated by Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks over fish disease
risks finally gets settled.
When Avista was awarded a 45-year
federal licenses for the dams in 1999,
see FISH PASSAGE, page 5
Partners revive Jefferson River fishery
Y
ou could say the revival of the
Jefferson River fishery started with
a guy and a shovel. True story. In
the mid-1980s, Bruce Rehwinkel, the local
Montana FWP fishery biologist, started
tinkering with a small, privately owned
spring creek that ran into the Jefferson
near Waterloo. He used a shovel to tighten
up a short stretch of channel that had
been dished by years of grazing. And it
turned out spawning rainbow trout loved
the improved conditions, which increased
rainbow recruitment to the river.
Fast forward to 2001 when Montana
TU and TU national partnered to
create the Jefferson River Restoration
Project. Its goal: expand on Rehwinkel’s
by Staff
tinkering, which provided important
clues on how to improve the river’s
fishery after years of being hammered
by drought. The Jefferson’s flows were
chronically low most years, stretching
from the late 1980s until the project was
formed. The twin solution: fix tributaries
and add water to the river. The kicker,
thankfully, was that Bruce, then retired
from FWP, agreed to head the project
for TU. He partnered with good friend
Ron Spoon, the state biologist now
see JEFFERSON, page 6
1
SUMMER/14
MONTANA TU’S
MISSION is to conserve,
protect and restore Montana’s worldclass coldwater fisheries and their
watersheds.
Founded in 1964, Montana Trout
Unlimited is a statewide grassroots
organization comprised of 13 chapters
and approximately 3,900 TU members.
www.montanatu.org
TROUT LINE is published quarterly
by Montana Trout Unlimited.
Join us for Montana Trout Unlimited’s
50th anniversary celebration
I
n 2013 Montana Trout Unlimited
TU chapter was chartered in 1964, our
Volunteers contributed more than
official anniversary date. In the last 5015,870 hours of time to conserve,
plus years, TU volunteers, leaders and
protect and restore Montana’s coldwater
supporters have achieved much:
fisheries and their watersheds. They
• We have the best laws for
didn’t get paid, or receive a tax credit. In
recreational access to streams and
most cases there was not a free lunch or
rivers in the nation.
a commemorative t-shirt. These hours
• We have more wild fish and
were a gift from one
improved habitat and
noun \
Montanan to another;
stream flows in many of
these individuals
tüd, - tyüd\
our best waters.
woke up feeling time : a feeling of
• Thousands of young
poor, like most of
appreciation or thanks people -- the next
us, and they decided
generations of coldwater
that the next generation deserves cold,
conservationists -- have learned
clean, fishy water, too. This largely
about entomology, conservation and
anonymous donation of valuable
fishing—better ensuring the first 50
volunteer time by TU members has
years of TU’s work in Montana will
occurred since TU’s earliest days starting
endure.
in 1959 – even before Montana’s first
grat·i·tude
EDITING AND DESIGN......BRUCE FARLING
& KATE GRANT
Printed on recycled paper using eco-friendly inks.
© 2014 Montana Council of Trout Unlimited.
WHEN
Montana TU plates are available at
your county motor vehicle office.
Please join the staff,
State Council of Montana
Trout Unlimited and many
of our best supporters
and previous leaders in
celebrating 50 years of
dedication to coldwater
conservation. Come as our
guest and enjoy BBQ and
beverages.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE
29 Rock Creek Road, Clinton
Approximately 23 miles east of
Missoula, at the confluence of
Rock Creek and the Clark Fork River.
QUESTIONS / RSVP
Kate Grant 406-543-0054
[email protected]
RSVP by 9/11/14
2
Summer 2014
Darlington restoration completed
K
udos to the Madison-Gallatin
Chapter of TU and its partners for
recently completing restoration
of two miles of Darlington Creek, also
known as Darlington Ditch, near the
Cobblestone Fishing Access site on
the lower Madison River. The result
Darlington Creek, June 2014
is much-improved habitat on a reach
owned by FWP that should provide
for both spawning brown trout, and
possibly rainbows, as well as fishing that
could emulate a spring creek angling
experience.
Darlington was created when
the Army Corps of Engineers needed
a borrow source for the 12-mile-long
flood berm it constructed in 1948 along
the east side of the lower Madison.
Because the berm made it difficult to
divert water from the river for irrigation,
a headgate was constructed at
the top of the channel, thereby
creating an irrigation source
and a tributary for the river.
The combination of river water
and spring flows created yearround flow on the lower reach of
the channel. However, channel
geometry and bank conditions
have not been sufficient to
maintain a high-quality fishery.
An attempt to build sinuosity on
a short reach of the channel occurred
in the 1980s, but it didn’t succeed in
improving conditions. And so, the
chapter, with partners Montana FWP
see DARLINGTON, page 7
Montana TU camp a success!
W
Flint, David Gordon, Roger Harvey,
Ed Igarek, George Kesel, Larissa
Lee, Bert Lindler, Ed Monnig, Chris
Nardacci, Ray Ochoa, Elmer Palmer,
Bill and Penny Ritchie, George and
Cindy Stern,
Chuck Stokke,
campers, ranging
Eleanor Tinsley,
from ages 10-14,
Davis Waln,
caught and released
Tim Wiersum,
Mike and Carrie
Willett, and Ray
aquatic insects, tied
Wilms. John
their own knots,
Herzer and
created their own
Terri Raugland
donate materials
a perch (eew!) and
each year from
learned to cast in
Campers learn about watersheds before wetting lines Blackfoot
, and Fish Wildlife
wind.
and Parks
Montana TU leases Camp
exemptions to all participants through
Watanopa on Georgetown Lake every
Program.
Montana Trout Unlimited
TROUT UNLIMITED
OFFICERS
DOUG HAACKE, CHAIRMAN
Billings
(406) 656-4072
[email protected]
DAN SHORT, PAST CHAIRMAN
AND NLC DIRECTOR
Kalispell
(406) 250-5064
[email protected]
CHRIS SCHUSTROM, VICE CHAIRMAN
Whitefish
(406) 862-3440
[email protected]
BRIAN NEILSEN, SECRETARY
Great Falls
(406) 240-3715
[email protected]
SHARON SWEENEY FEE, TREASURER
Livingston
(406) 579-7735
[email protected]
DAN VERMILLION, NATIONAL TRUSTEE
Livingston
(406) 222-0624
[email protected]
by Kate Grant
e did it again. Volunteers
donated more than 800 hours
making Montana TU’s 2014
Fly Fishing and Conservation Camp
a positive experience for 15 boys and
folks are the salt of the earth: Karin
MONTANA
COUNCIL
OF
MONTANA TU STAFF
BRUCE FARLING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
[email protected]
MARK AAGENES
CONSERVATION DIRECTOR
[email protected]
KELLEY WILLETT
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
[email protected]
KATE GRANT
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
[email protected]
MAILING ADDRESS
PO Box 7186
Missoula, MT 59807
OFFICE LOCATION
111 N. Higgins Ave., Suite 500
Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: (406) 543-0054
Montana TU’s Tax ID: 23-7355289
see FLY FISHING CAMP, page 4
3
Chapter News
Pat Barnes – Missouri River Chapter
spent three days fishing throughout
the watershed. Dozens of community
members and businesses donated
food, lodging and time to make the
event memorable for those that serve
our country. Work to restore the
original stream channel has begun on
Cottonwood Creek in partnership with
the US Forest Service. Additionally,
a road decommissioning and stream
crossing rehabilitation project was
completed at the South Fork of Poorman
Creek in early August. Projects on
several other important tributaries of the
Blackfoot River are underway as well.
STOP
The chapter sponsored one participant
for the Montana TU’s Fly Fishing and
Conservation Camp in July. Members
are working on an awareness campaign
to encourage guides and anglers not to
disturb redds. PBMRTU joined forces
with the Missouri River Flyfishers and
Trout Montana Fly Shop to oppose the
Black Butte Mine planned in the Smith
River watershed. For a free STOP SMITH
RIVER MINE sticker, contact Mike at
406-468-9330.
SMITH
RIVER
MINE
Big Blackfoot Chapter
BBCTU hosted their third annual Project
Healing Waters Fly Fishing trip on the
Blackfoot River in July. Four veterans
Bitterroot Chapter
In July, BRTU co-hosted a special event
with the Bitter Root Land Trust to
celebrate a new conservation easement at
Lost Horse Bend. Artist Monte Dolack
was on hand to dedicate copies of his print
“Bitterroot River – Lost Horse Bend.” The
chapter sent two girls from the “Bitterroot
Buggers” to Montana TU’s Fly Fishing
and Conservation Camp this summer.
Bitterroot TU’s 35th Annual Banquet
and Auction is coming up 9/26/14 in
Hamilton. See details on page 8.
Flathead Valley Chapter
Ryen Neudecker, Project Manager for
BBCTU, oversees construction to restore
a stream channel at Cottonwood Creek
FLY FISHING CAMP, from page 3
George Kesel teaches campers
Vivaca Crowser from FWP expounds
on the differences between wild and
hatchery trout and native and nonidentify species. Ryan Chapin from
Five Valleys Land Trust illustrates
the importance of protecting habitat
through conservation work. Deana
DeWire with the Forest Service gives
kids a working understanding of
4
Several volunteers from the chapter are
taking shifts to help reduce non-native
lake trout in Swan Lake this August.
They will join the gillnetting crew on
Swan Lake, help measure and record fish
watersheds, and Dave Hagengruber
These professionals share their
knowledge with campers on their
own time. Mike and Carrie Willett
prepare a BBQ feast for everyone on
TU’s
Westslope Chapter. Other volunteers
teach campers safety basics, catch and
release techniques, macroinvertebrate
life cycles, river etiquette, stream and
and how to identify and prevent the
spread of aquatic invasive species.
caught, and pack lake trout in ice for the
Kalispell Food Bank. FVTU supports efforts
by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai
Tribes to improve survival of native fish in
Flathead Lake by reducing the population
of predatory lake trout there. The Tribes
netted 5,232 lake trout (with no bull
trout mortality) from Flathead Lake this
summer. That’s in addition to the 30,875
lake trout caught in the Spring 2014 Mack
Days contest. The chapter also supports
a proposed fish barrier on Akokala Creek
in Glacier National Park. Contact Larry at
406-250-7473.
WestSlope Chapter
Five Valleys Land Trust held an event
with the chapter in June to celebrate
their partnership to conserve, protect
and restore the Confluence Property at
Rock Creek. Over a dozen volunteers
from the chapter donated their time
and talents to help run Montana TU’s
Fly Fishing and Conservation Camp in
July (see article, page 3). Members will
join Flathead Valley TU volunteers this
August to help reduce lake trout numbers
in Swan Lake. Chapter meetings resume
10/15/14, with a “Fishing for Tarpon”
presentation from Joel Dickey of Big
Pine, FL. Member meetings are 7 p.m. on
the third Wednesday of each month at
the Double Tree Inn in Missoula. Contact
Jamie at 406-728-0630.
Many thanks to the Trout
Unlimited chapters that sponsored
campers from various regions of
TU also received assistance from two
Montana
Wildlife Federation and the Montana
Girls STEM Collaborative Project.
MWF contributed through their Phil
Tawney Hunters Conservation
Endowment, which Montana TU used
for partial scholarships for 6 campers.
see FLY FISHING CAMP, page 5
Summer 2014
FISH PASSAGE, from page 1
the result of a landmark, multi-year
collaborative negotiation involving two
states, federal agencies, TU and other
conservation groups, one of the primary
outcomes was thought to be, if research
supported it, eventual construction of
fish-passage structures on one or both
dams. These huge dams have blocked
migration of bull trout and cutthroat
trout from Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille up
the Clark Fork since the 1950s.
Montana TU, TU national and the
Panhandle Chapter of TU in north Idaho
were principals in the collaboration. All
parties agreed to this: If research indicated
the spawning-age bull trout and cutthroat
trout that annually migrate out of Lake
Pend Oreille and huddle below Cabinet
Gorge dam originated in Montana
tributaries above the structure, then a
fish ladder, elevator or trap-system would
be constructed. Telemetry and genetics
research over the last 10 years indicate that
indeed fish below Cabinet Gorge try to
return to natal waters in Montana.
However, despite years of
experimental trapping and hauling
that moved bull trout above the
dam, Montana FWP staff in Kalispell
concluded two years ago that moving
fish above Cabinet Gorge would now
present too much risk to the Clark Fork
fishery in Montana. FWP expressed
concern that fish diseases not detected
at all, or at least recently, in Montana
might be present in fish that could move
above the lower river dams. The diseases
include one virus found in brook trout
– but no other fish – below the dam,
MONTANA TROUT UNLIMITED
and several other very harmful viruses
not detected in the Pend Oreille system.
Other partners in the Avista collaborative
– Idaho Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service and the utility – do
not share the same level of concern. And
an impasse resulted. Finally, after some
helpful prodding from Gov. Bullock and
Montana TU, the parties got together last
winter and spring and began hammering
out new fish importation rules for
Montana, as well as revised protocol
for fish movement, disease testing and
monitoring that would allow for cautious
upstream movement of fish and enable
construction of a passage facility to
proceed. Montana TU has participated
in the discussions. By July the parties
were close on most points, and close to
an accord that will in the least facilitate
free, or volitional, movement of bull trout
above Cabinet Gorge dam. The bull trout
could then be trapped, if necessary, to be
hauled above Noxon dam. That would
then enable the fish to swim further
upstream through the new fish ladder at
PPL’s Thompson Falls dam.
For now, a draft agreement allows
for cutthroat movement into tributaries
above Cabinet Gorge, but movement
further above, as well as construction
of a permanent passage structure at
Noxon Dam, await additional study and
negotiation.
With some luck, native fish that
once swam unimpeded from Lake Pend
Oreille up the Clark Fork to the Flathead
River, and even to Missoula and above,
could soon reoccupy their historical
neighborhoods.
CHAPTERS
& PRESIDENTS
BITTERROOT CHAPTER #80
Ross Rademacher, Corvallis (406) 522-9816
[email protected]
www.brtu.org/blog/
BIG BLACKFOOT CHAPTER #544
Scott Gordon, Seeley Lake (406) 546-8420
[email protected]
www.bbctu.org
FLATHEAD VALLEY CHAPTER #85
Larry Timchak, Kalispell (406) 250-7473
[email protected]
GEORGE GRANT CHAPTER #183
Rich Day, Butte (406) 723-2307
[email protected]
JOE BROOKS CHAPTER #25
Amy Schilling, Livingston (406) 223-2244
[email protected]
KOOTENAI VALLEY CHAPTER #683
Tim Linehan, Troy (406) 295-4872
[email protected]
LEWIS & CLARK CHAPTER #656
PO Box 903
Sheridan, MT 59749
www.lctu.org
MADISON-GALLATIN CHAPTER #24
Mark Peterson, Bozeman (406) 595-1409
[email protected]
www.mgtu.org
MAGIC CITY FLY FISHERS #582
Lyle Courtnage, Billings (406) 671-0572
[email protected]
MISSOURI RIVER FLYFISHERS
pc
FLY FISHING CAMP, from page 4
Paul Considine, Great Falls (406) 595-7460
[email protected]
PAT BARNES/MISSOURI RIVER
CHAPTER #55
Garrett Fawaz, Helena (406) 422-4426
[email protected]
Math) covered tuition for this year’s
female campers. These generous
groups made it possible for many of the
burdening their families.
Montana TU’s next Fly Fishing
and Conservation Camp is scheduled
for July 12-16, 2015. If you know of a
potential camper, or wish to donate or
Montana Trout Unlimited
SNOWY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER #610
Mike Chapman, Lewistown (406) 538-2517
[email protected]
Happy campers outside the “Girls’ Cabin”
volunteer, watch for details at
www.montanatu.org starting
January 2015.
WEST SLOPE CHAPTER #56
Jamie Short, Missoula (406) 728-0630
[email protected]
5
JEFFERSON, from page 1 helped craft a drought
responsible for the Jefferson. They proved management plan that
enabled irrigators to
to be an extraordinarily effective team.
voluntarily reduce diversions
Today the result is achievement of
when the river got low and
what Bruce predicted back in 2001 but
hot, as long as anglers agreed
few believed could be done for the hardto reduce their pressure on
hit river: Create a fishery with more than
the fishery during these times.
a thousand catchable wild trout per mile.
The strategy has provided
In the early 2000s, the numbers in the
important survival flows
Waterloo reach were around 288 fish per
for fish and wildlife during
mile. The goal seemed unattainable. But
not only was the goal achieved, it has been low-flow years. Many local
Jefferson River, April 2001
image courtesy drought.mt.gov
exceeded. This year’s population sampling ranchers made it happen,
especially council Chairman Gary Nelson,
flows from leaky canals don’t improve river
in the same reach – which is a reference
Bob
“Peachy”
Lombardi,
Mark
Franich,
Joe
flows significantly.
point for the upper river – indicated there
Schlemmer, Dean Hunt and John Kountz.
There were other indispensable folks
are about 285 brown trout per mile, and
Working
with
Ron
and
Bruce,
these
guys
involved,
including former TU national
another 929 rainbows, totaling 1,214 fish
began to claim ownership of the Jefferson
staffer Whit Fosburgh who, in the early
per mile.
River
revival.
They
have
been
solid
partners.
days believed in the project enough, and
Now that’s effective fishery restoration.
Bruce and Ron then went to
the people involved, that he found money
Bruce and Ron have had
Willow
Springs
Creek,
and
nearby
to keep it going. He had a lot of help from
lots of help. Landowners like
Parsons Slough, and improved
the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Alan and Dolly Carroll chipped
more
damaged
channel.
They
and conservation-minded contributors like
in. Back in the 1990s they
fenced out livestock. Spawning
the owners of the Ruby Springs Fishing
let Ron, with funding from a
returns
rose
dramatically.
They
lodge on the Ruby River. Montana TU
number of sources including
put together additional projects
and local chapters chipped in with money,
TU, revamp their irrigation
in
other
streams,
including
and helped ensure important sources of
system. Flood irrigation was
Fish Creek, Antelope Creek and
restoration funding stayed whole. The
converted to more efficient
Sappington
Spring
Creek.
They
Orvis Company provided a matching fund
sprinklers, and a fish screen was Bruce Rehwinkel
constructed a fish ladder on the
of $50,000 early on as seed money. The
installed at their diversion on
Boulder
River,
and
revamped
another
investment has been rewarded.
Hells Canyon Creek, eliminating the loss of
structure called the Kurnow Overflow, to
The end result is a much-improved
thousands of young rainbows that would
reduce
fish
entrainment
in
a
ditch.
Bruce
fishery
on one of Montana’s signature
end up in ditches. The Carrolls then leased
rivers. The key will be sustaining it so
the water they saved to FWP to keep it in the experimented with a ditch sealant on one
of
the
huge
irrigation
canals,
in
an
attempt
that the results of the hard work of Bruce
creek. The rainbow numbers in that reach of
Rehwinkel, Ron Spoon and all the other
the Jefferson increased almost immediately. to reduce leaks so that more water could
be
saved
at
the
headgate.
He
contracted
for
contributors endure.
Working with the Jefferson River
a study that determined irrigation return
Watershed Committee, Ron and Bruce
Your support matters. Please contribute to Montana TU.
Montana TU gratefully accepts gifts of cash, checks and
securities. Credit card donations can be made online at
www.montanatu.org, or by calling Kelley Willett tollfree at 888-504-0054. Gifts can be sent to Montana TU
at P.O. Box 7186, Missoula, MT 59807.
Montana’s trout waters now and after you are gone.
Options include bequests, gift annuities, charitable
remainder trusts and contributions to Montana TU’s
permanent endowment. Please keep us in mind when
you create or update your estate plan.
6
Your tax-deductible donation supports Montana TU’s
conservation work and professional advocacy throughout
such as restoration projects, education or advocacy, you
can do so using one of our established funds. Please contact
Kelley Willett or Bruce Farling toll free at 888-504-0054 or
[email protected].
Missoula.
Montana TU’s Tax ID # is 23-7355289.
Summer 2014
EPA WATER RULE, from page 1
waters were protected. Some, including
agency regulators, interpreted the rulings
to mean seasonalflowing streams and
wetlands not directly
connected on the
surface to a river
were not protected.
But that’s not what
Congress intended.
Now after
years of confusion
and uncertainty
for developers
and landowners, EPA has written a rule
clarifying that intermittent streams
and some wetlands indeed, as Congress
intended, fall under the jurisdiction of
the Clean Water Act. That’s how it was for
years until the Supreme Court inserted
itself. Basically, EPA is simply saying if you
were okay with the interpretation of the
Clean Water Act for its first 30-plus years,
you’ll be okay with this rule. Included in
the original interpretation were a slew
of exemptions for agricultural activities.
These exemptions are clarified further in
the new rule. Unfortunately, politically
motivated opponents – including Montana
legislators, chambers of commerce,
Congressman Steve Daines, the Montana
Farm Bureau Federation and developers
who want to bury streams and wetlands
– are distorting the issue. They say the
rule will require
ranchers to
get permits to
use irrigation
ditches, or they
won’t be able to
spray weeds, or
do any number
of activities they
did without
regulation before
the Supreme
Court ruled.
Notably, some of these folks were the
very interests asking EPA for clarification
in the first place. Their opposition is illfounded.
The rule is needed to ensure
intermittent streams, which are
headwater sources for drinking water,
irrigation and fisheries, are protected.
Intermittent streams are crucial
spawning and rearing waters for many
Montana fish species, including cutthroat
trout and prairie fishes, in many of our
watersheds. The new EPA rule will help
protect these fish and the values they
produce for Montanans.
Take action now
http://ww2.epa.gov/uswaters
delegation today and tell them you support the
economy – and it does so by not adding any
new burdens to agricultural producers or other
industries.
[email protected]
and thank them for opposing legislation
that would scuttle the common sense rule
addresses are:
www.tester.gov/?p=email_senator
www.walsh.senate.gov/contact.cfm
and clean water by dropping his opposition to
the rule. Contact him at:
daines.house.gov/e-mail-me1.
For more information, contact Montana TU:
[email protected] or
[email protected].
DARLINGTON, from page 3 complexes are much friendlier for trout.
With some monitoring and tweaking, it
and PPL Montana, invested in creating
will only get better over time.
more natural width-to-depth conditions
Besides the Madison-Gallatin TU
while increasing velocities so that sediment Chapter’s major investment in the project,
moves through the system better and keeps thanks go to FWP for helping steer the
gravel scoured. Willows are already moving project, and PPL for supporting it with
in and overhead cover and pool-to-riffle
$50,000 from its mitigation fund for its
Missouri-Madison dam projects (and with
minimum bureaucracy!). Special thanks go
to Buddy Drake, long-time TU volunteer
and fishery biologist, who helped with the
contracting and made sure the project went
smoothly.
MONTANA TU STEWARDSHIP DIRECTORS
Dr. Marshall Bloom
Hamilton, MT
Monte Dolack
Missoula, MT
Dr. Stanley Falkow
Hamilton, MT and
Portola Valley, CA
Jerry Lappier
Bud Lilly
Three Forks, MT
Tom Morgan
Manhattan, MT
Drs. Robert and Peggy
Ratcheson
Hamilton, MT
Paul Stanley
Bozeman, MT and
Piedmont, CA
K.C. Walsh
Bozeman, MT
Dr. Irving Weissman
Hamilton, MT and
Redwood City, CA
Paul Moseley
Missoula, MT
Roy O’Connor
Clinton, MT
Paul Roos
Lincoln, MT
Craig & Jackie Mathews
West Yellowstone, MT
Craig, MT
Montana Trout Unlimited
7
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MISSOULA, MT
PERMIT NO. 569
Montana Coucil of Trout Unlimited
PO BOX 7186 MISSOULA, MT 59807
THIS ISSUE:
EPA proposes rule to clarify
Clean Water Act
Page 1
--------------Jefferson River revival
Page 1
--------------
50th anniversary celebration,
chapter news, Darlington Creek and more
Pages 2-7
TROUT LINE
UPCOMING EVENTS
Summer
2014
9/26/14
Bitterroot TU’s 35th Annual Banquet and Auction
10/1/14
Pint Night with WestSlope TU Chapter
Join Montana’s past, present and future TU volunteer leaders in Missoula
to celebrate 50 years of conservation. The quarterly State Council meeting
is open to all TU members 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Party at the confluence or
Rock Cr. and Clark Fork River, 4-7 p.m. See details, p. 2.
10/15/14
Embrace-a-Stream Grant Application Training
Wild Trout Symposium IX
10/15/14
Final day to submit Chapter Mini-Grant request
8/23/14
Madison River Cleanup
9/3/14
Trout Unlimited Annual Meeting
9/20/14
9/22/14
www.montanatu.org
Organized by TU’s Madison-Gallatin Chapter. Meet 12:30 p.m.at the
Trapper Springs Pavilion. Contact chapter president Mark Peterson at
[email protected] or 406-595-1409.
Sept. 3-7 in Santa Fe., NM at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa. Workshops,
conference activities, conservation tour, banquet and hosted fishing.
Details and registration at www.tu.org under “get involved.”
Montana TU State Council Meeting and Celebration
Sept. 22-25 at the Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone. This conference on
wild trout science, philosophy and management is open to the public.
Registration and details at www.wildtroutsymposium.com.
5 p.m. at the Bitterroot River Inn, 139 Bitterroot Place Drive in
Hamilton. Featuring suds from Bitterroot Brewery and gourmet
organic dinner by Riversong Catering. Event includes live and
silent auctions, door prizes, raffles and awards. Contact Ross at
[email protected] or Marshall at [email protected].
5-8 p.m. at Lolo Peak Brewing Company, 6201 Brewery Way in Lolo.
The brewery will donate $1 for every pint sold to Westslope TU.
6 p.m. webinar with national TU staff. Contact Jeff Yates at
[email protected] to register.
Appllications for TU chapters in Montana available at
www.montanatu.org under “Who We Are. / Chapters.” Contact Kate
Grant at [email protected].
Monthly membership meetings traditionally start back up in September and October, so check your local
paper or chapter’s Facebook page, website or newsletter to stay active in your watershed!
WANT OVER 3,900 MONTANA TU MEMBERS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EVENT?
Please contact us at 406-543-0054 or [email protected] to get the word out in Trout Line
@montanatu
www.facebook.com/
montanatu
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