River Reach Flow 

*Flows are measured in cfs.

The plan outlines roles and responsibilities for both the Big Hole Watershed Committee and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Natural Resources Conservation Service. In general, the agencies are responsible for providing data on snow pack, precipitation and flows in an accurate and timely manner. The agencies are the technical side of the equation while the Watershed Committee works with landowners and the general public, educating and promoting cooperation.

Flow trigger #1 initiates a conference with affected agencies and the Big Hole Watershed Committee to review current conditions and trends. The Watershed Committee uses a phone tree to inform landowners throughout the basin of the current conditions and forecast. The cooperators are asked to reduce water use where it is unnecessary.

Flow trigger #2 sends out a notice to anglers and outfitters requesting angling activities to be limited to the morning hours, when angling pressure is least stressful to fish. Media new releases are issued to local and state sources. Water users are asked to prepare for low flows and plan for alternative water source use. Conservation practices are strongly encouraged at this level.

Flow trigger #3 causes a fishing closure for that reach. The closure is an action by the MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission. Municipalities initiate watering restrictions and landowners are asked to reduce and / or cease water diversions. The media is contacted for disseminating the fishing restriction and severe flow levels.

The angling closures are lifted when the flows maintain 40 / 80 / 200 cfs for seven consecutive days.

In order to provide support to water users a Stock water Well Program has been developed. The program has been working with landowners since 1997. To date our efforts have developed 19 wells, 2 pipelines and 4 springs. These alternative watering sources are located on larger diversion ditches in the upper basin.Cooperating landowners use the wells to water cattle and turn off their diversions.The stock water well program can contribute 20-30 cfs to in stream flows during the later part of the summer. The wells also remove cattle from river / riparian areas and provide additional management options for more intensive grazing.

Results

During the Summer 1999 the Drought Management Plan and supporting stock water well program was successful at increasing in-stream flows by 20 cfs during a critical low water period.

The Drought Management Plan and stock water well program have contributed to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s decision to “suspend indefinitely” the chronically dewatered classification of the Big Hole River.

During 2000, drought conditions and below average snow pack caused the upper basin to hit critical low flow conditions in late June. The BHWC implemented the Drought Management Plan on June 29, 2000 with a fishing closure in the upper river.Wisdom area ranchers voluntarily reduced water use, returning over 20 cfs to the river. Through July the upper reach has maintained flows between 20 – 45 cfs. Although the flows did drop to severely low levels (i.e. 7-10 cfs) deep pools were maintained and we avoided lethal conditions for fish.

Comparing conditions in 2000 with those in 1988 gives an indication of how effective the voluntary Drought Management Plan can be.

• The snow pack on May 1, 1988 was 67% of normal and in 2000 it was 66% of normal.
• Total water year precipitation at Wisdom 1988:
  77% of normal and in 2000: 66% of normal.Average monthly stream flow compare in the upper basin was 6 to 18 cfs greater in 2000 than in 1988.
• Average monthly stream flow compare in the lower basin was 37 to 74 cfs greater in 2000 than in 1988.

2001 provided yet another trial. Drought conditions began early, by June we were hitting low flows in the upper basin. The upper basin was closed to angling on June 27. The middle basin reached critical flows in August and was closed to angling on August 28. Mean daily flows in the lower reach did not drop below 150 and thus a fishing closure was avoided.

2002 drought conditions were not as severe as 2000 and 2001. Snow pack in the upper Big Hole in mid-March was 81% of normal in 02 compared to 58% in 01 and 86% in 00. The snow coverage was patchy, with the N. basins receiving more than the southern basins. The Jefferson basin was 70% of normal in 2002. Clark Canyon had 90,000 acre feet in April compared to a normal level of 151,000 acre feet. June snows and August rains prevented disaster this year. Peak flows for the Big Hole and Jefferson were about 2x last years levels.

Low Flow Levels

Real time river flows can be reached at: http://mt.waterdata.usgs.gov

BHWC continues to work on voluntary conservation for spring of 2005.  The draft CCAA sets specific targets to be achieved that will lead to Arctic grayling recovery.  These targets can only be achieved with habitat restoration, irrigation controllability and efficiency (improved diversions and head gates), fishery and habitat restoration (including fish ladders), possible forage changes, grazing practice changes and some break in the drought.  CPI grant implementation will help.

There is a need to raise significant resources to assist with cost of infrastructure changes and education to ease transition.  

Current updates from the Big Hole Watershed Committee can be reached at: http://bhwc.org