Community and Planning Services

(406) 258-3432

Community and Planning Services - Streamside Protection Program

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Healthy rivers and streams are valuable economic, ecological, and cultural resources appreciated by Missoula County residents and visitors alike. Healthy rivers sustain fisheries, streamside wildlife habitat, drinking water, agricultural land, recreation opportunities and more. Missoula County residents, landowners, and interest groups work hard to care for our iconic waterways and frequently urge public officials to support the protection, restoration, and enhancement of our water resources and the streamside riparian areas that sustain them.

In order to support and facilitate such efforts, the county partners with landowners, watershed groups, community groups, local water resource experts, technical experts, agency partners, and others. Together, we work to assess priority issues, to identify opportunities to address problems, and to facilitate good stewardship and policy for protection of our water resources.

Through our Streamside Protection Program and our partners, Missoula County is engaged in efforts to:

1. Promote stewardship of streamside lands, riparian areas and water resources,

2. Obtain and distribute technical information and expert recommendations about stream and riparian protection, enhancement and restoration,

3. Support stream restoration and a restoration economy,

4. Support watershed and community groups working to assess and address stream and water resource issues in their communities,

5. Provide information on federal, state and local policy and programs that relates to water resource protection.

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1. Stewardship

Landowners and communities who live near streams, lakes or wetlands share an important responsibility in influencing the health of this vital resource.  By protecting, restoring or enhancing the water body’s natural functions, landowners can encourage natural processes and see both short-term and long-term benefits of river health.

• A number of resources are available for landowners who are looking for ideas, technical support, or funding assistance for stream or riparian protection on their land. See Resources for Property Owners for current information.

• Landowners faced with tough land and water management challenges often find ways to solve problems and improve the resource. Missoula County would like to thank them, and learn how they do it. Check out our Stewardship Award Program to meet some of these land stewards.

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2. Technical information and expert recommendations

• Missoula County works with a Technical Advisory Committee made up of local and regional scientists and resource managers. The committee convened in 2008 with the goal of providing recommendations for the County’s streamside protection work. Read their 2010 Recommendations Report here.

  Meet committee members and learn more about their work here. The committee’s major efforts wrapped up with the completion of their recommendations for the Streamside Protection Program, though committee members continue to support and advise County efforts.

• A broad array of technical and scientific literature exists examining stream and riparian health and restoration. View our growing bibliography here.
  

• Research and analyses are available for many Missoula County watersheds. Find your local stream or watershed studies here.

• Aquatic and riparian resource mapping:

  • Missoula County has compiled geographic information about the county’s streams, lakes, riparian areas, floodplains, and wetlands through the PLACE project. View the aquatic and riparian data in the Conservation Resource Atlas. More data is included as it becomes available—check back or contact Rural Initiatives for information on future updates.

 

Project Spotlight: Channel Migration Mapping



Digitized aerial photo showing historic river channels and their movement, or channel migration, over time. In this image, blue represents the original channel, which moved over a 50-year time period to create new bank lines represented by green, tan and gray. Image by K.Boyd

Missoula County is investigating the concept and applications of river channel migration mapping. River and stream channels move and change seasonally and over time, eroding river banks and creating new channels. Channel migration mapping is a relatively new tool that can help us better understand river movement and predict where rivers may move in the future. This, in turn, can help landowners and communities prevent sometimes costly and potentially catastrophic damage to property, roads, bridges, and structures.

LEARN MORE:

• 2009 Water Quality District study: Channel Migration on the Clark Fork River between Missoula and Huson:

  • WQD’s study

• Other channel migration studies around the state:

  • Yellowstone River
  • Prickly Pear Creek
  • Flathead River
  • Ruby River

• December 8, 2010 public presentation: Mapping Dynamic Rivers to Understand their History - and Future: A Channel Migration Study of the Clark Fork River between Missoula & Huson:

  • In the news
    (Source: Rural Initiatives January 2011 eNewsletter)
  • Event Flyer
  • Presentation Slides

• April 30, 2009 and July 9, 2009 public presentations: Graphically Showing the Natural Movement of a River through Time:

  • Event Flyer
  • Presentation Slides

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3. Stream restoration

Stream restoration is a growing field nationwide and in Missoula County. From small scale stream bank & channel restoration efforts initiated by individual landowners, to multi-million dollar agency-led projects (like Milltown Dam removal and re-development), this region has embraced the benefits of stream restoration work. Such projects are known to provide a number of environmental and public welfare benefits including improved water quality, fisheries, recreation opportunities, and riparian wildlife habitat. Restoration work can also provide significant economic benefits, utilizing private sector restoration contractors and materials.

Currently, Missoula County Rural Initiatives secures and manages funding for several major restoration projects in the Ninemile Creek area. Rural Initiatives is also seeking new projects and opportunities to support restoration work in rural areas—check back or contact Rural Initiatives for information on new projects or funding opportunities.

 

 

Restoration workers planning a new stream channel.

• Restoration in the news....
  • Nine Mile Mine Reclamation and Restoration Project Update
  • Crews help cleanse Nine Mile creeks of mining waste
  • Restoring wildlands a growing University of Montana forestry discipline

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4. Watershed and community groups

• It's working. Committed citizens and community groups around Missoula County are making a difference. Check out your fellow community members, featured in our Community Spotlight.

 

A Clearwater Resource Council volunteer monitoring water quality on Lake Alva.

• Find an active watershed or community group in your area:

  • Lolo Watershed Group
  • Swan Ecosystem Center
  • Clearwater Resource Council
  • Blackfoot Challenge
  • Bitter Root Water Forum
  • Rattlesnake Creek Watershed Group
  • Clark Fork River Basin Task Force
  • Upper Clark Fork River Basin Steering Committee
  • Montana Watershed Coordination Council

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5. Federal, state, regional and local policy and programs

Water is already the focus of many government agencies and non-governmental organizations. In Missoula County, a number of regulations and policies exist to manage water use, water quality, floodplain development, and modifications in or near streams, to name just a few.

Rainy Lake near the Seeley-Swan Divide. Photo by C. Lewis.

Every legislative session, law makers discuss and consider new laws or revisions to old laws. And every day, agencies and organizations interested in water resources work on current issues, programs, policies and research related to water. By working with our partners to track policy, legislation, and programs, Missoula County maintains updated information and links to helpful resources.

• For information on existing regulations that apply to stream, wetland and riparian areas in Missoula County, click here.
  For DNRC's guide to stream permitting in Montana, click here.

• For information on current and recent legislation related to water resource policy can be found here:

  • - Montana State Legislature

• For more information on water-related policy, programs, permitting and resources, visit our partner agencies and organizations:

  • LOCAL AGENCIES:

    • Missoula Conservation District
    • - Missoula Conservation District riparian vegetation page
    • Missoula Water Quality District
    • - Water Smart
    • Missoula COUNTY Office of Planning and Grants
    • - Missoula County FloodPlain Administration
    • MIssoula County rural initiatives

  • STATE, TRIBAL & FEDERAL AGENCIES:

    • Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
    • - Aquatic Invasive Species Information & Prevention
    • - Aquatic Future Fisheries Program
    • Montana Department of Environmental Quality
    • - Clean Water Act Information Center
    • - Laws and regulations
    • MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COUNCIL
    • - Water Rights in Montana (handbook)
    • - A Guide to Montana Water Quality Regulation (handbook)
    • CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES' NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
    • - Water Quality Regulatory Program
    • - Fisheries Program
    • - Shoreline Protection Program
    • USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service
    • - Riparian & floodplain protection
    • - Streamside guide
    • Governor's Task Force for Riparian Protection: Room To Roam Program
    • association of montana floodplain managers
    • U.S. Environmental Protection agency
    • - Adopt Your Watershed Program

  • LOCAL & REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

    • Lolo Watershed Group
    • Swan Ecosystem Center
    • Clearwater Resource Council
    • Blackfoot Challenge
    • Bitter Root Water Forum
    • Rattlesnake Creek Watershed Group
    • Clark Fork River Basin Task Force
    • Upper Clark Fork River Basin Steering Committee
    • Montana Watershed Coordination Council
    • Montana Water Center
    • Montana Watercourse
    • Montana State University Extension
    • University of Montana Watershed Health Clinic
    • Clark Fork Coalition
    • Missoula County Weed District
    • Trout Unlimited
    • - Middle Clark Fork Restoration
    • - Montana Chapters

 

 

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Last updated: June 27, 2012

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