Streamside Protection - Recent Activity
Missoula County Rural Initiatives is continuing to work on developing a stream protection program for Missoula County. RI will be seeking further input from citizens, scientists and county staff. Public input is always welcome in this process.
- NEW! Channel Migration Presentation December 8
- Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
- Citizen Involvement
- Restoration
in the Ninemile Watershed
NEW! Read the Missoulian's coverage of the Ninemile Restoration site visit! - Public Presentation on River Channel Migration Zone Mapping
- 2009 Water-related Laws Signed by Governor
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
As an initial step in developing the Streamside
Protection Program, Missoula County Commissioners formed a Technical Advisory
Committee (TAC). The TAC brings together local resource expertise
from professionals who study and work on stream and riparian
restoration, enhancement, development, and protection in Missoula County
and around the region. The TAC, which convened in 2008, was
assigned to help guide the establishment of the Streamside Protection
Program through the following tasks: (1) identify primary threats to
stream values in Missoula County and assess the need for additional
protection of streams; (2) inventory existing regulatory and
non-regulatory management approaches to protection of streamside
property and healthy streams and riparian areas, and (3) examine and
recommend tools and approaches to support comprehensive stream and riparian
protection. As Missoula County continues to develop the Streamside
Protection Program, additional work with landowners, local experts, managing agencies,
citizens and interest groups will be necessary to find the most
effective approaches to comprehensive stream and riparian protection.
To learn more about the Technical Advisory Committee:
Citizen Involvement
Rural Initiatives has continually involved citizens in discussions about streamside protection and plans to increase opportunities for citizen engagement as Missoula County's Streamside Protection Program is developed. Missoula County will seek input from citizens throughout the County including builders, developers, rural landowners, conservationists, farmers, ranchers, timber harvesters, community groups and others. Citizens will be engaged in discussing stream-related issues in Missoula County, in examining what works and what’s missing in existing stream protection strategies, in considering the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Committee, and in evaluating a variety of implementation strategies intended to protect and enhance stream and riparian resources. Streamside protection strategies can include restoration programs, incentive-based programs, education and outreach strategies, improvements to existing programs, and possible regulatory measures. Missoula County is currently in the process of developing this citizen engagement plan. Please continue to check our website for updates.
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Restoration in the Ninemile Watershed
This summer and fall, the Ninemile Creek watershed
is a
busy place when it comes to mine reclamation and restoration work.
Thanks in large part to funding
awarded to Missoula County
from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
(DNRC), two large-scale restoration projects and three restoration
planning projects will be underway during the 2010 summer field season.
Trout Unlimited, the
To learn more about the two active restoration projects, view our project fact sheets:
-
Click here to learn more about coordinated reclamation and restoration efforts throughout the Ninemile Creek watershed.
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Public Presentation on River Channel Migration Zone Mapping
Graphically Showing the Natural Movement of a River through Time
In our continuing efforts to explore ways to protect people, private
property, and the values associated with streams and riparian areas,
Missoula County hosted Karin Boyd of Applied Geomorphology for educational presentations about Channel Migration
Zones (CMZ) on April 30 and July 9, 2009.
There is a growing interest in understanding CMZs among land and water
managers, streamside residents, and scientific communities. Rivers move
through natural processes like erosion. CMZ mapping uses historical
data, hydrology, and geomorphology to predict how much and where a river
is likely to move during a period of time, for example, a 100-year
period.
- Presentation slides (37 MB)
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2009 Water-related Laws Signed by Governor
The 2009 Montana Legislatures has passed several water-related bills that have been signed into law by Governor Schweitzer. Visit the Montana Legislature's Bill Lookup Page for more information on the following bills:
- HB 39: Revise water right enforcement laws
- HB 40: Revise water right permit process
- HB 41: Revise water quality laws for aquifer recharge or mitigation
- HB 161: Establish the Blackfeet-Montana Water Compact
- HB 181: Authorize design-build water and sewer districts
- HB 190: Clarify bridge access law
- HB 285: Authorize use of gray water in commercial and multifamily structures
- SB 22: Create Water policy committee
- SB 39: Extend duration of reserved water rights compact commission
- SB 95: Temporary nutrient criteria for discharge permits
- SB 102: Revise public water supply laws
- SB 120: Revise the controlled groundwater area petition laws
- SB 200: Restrict phosphorous cleaning products in certain areas
- SB 201: Revise Crow Tribe water compact to allow change in use of escrow account
- SB 262: Allow per unit assessment in water and sewer districts
- SB 426: National bison range water compact
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Last updated September 2, 2010
