Big Hole River restoration story

[Ben Lamb]

Creeks divorced decades ago from Big Hole River to be back in the flow

A willing landowner, nonprofits, state agencies and others are working together to give the Big Hole River something it needs in an age of climate change — cold water and

billingsgazette.com

This a pretty cool story. TU, the landowner and the agency working together to restore some tributaries to the Big Hole that were diverted ages ago. This kind of work is absolutely necessary in terms of ensuring cold water, trout and increasing flows during an era of water instability and climate change. Kudos to the landowner and TU for pushing stuff like this forward.

 

[Nameless Range]

Years back I took a work trip to the Big Hole associated with Grayling and I came away impressed and sympathetic. Many of the landowners down there are salt of the earth, and are genuinely doing their best. Hard to think of many other places where landowners are changing their ranching tactics to both help grayling and sage grouse. TU seems like a real effective organization in this state.

 

[Ben Lamb]

TU is incredibly effective both in advocacy and on-the-ground restoration. They're a powerhouse in MT when it comes to bringing diverse groups together and their gov't relations staff are two of the best in the state.

Agree on the landowners down there. They understand what sharing that resource means, and I think when you look at the voluntary cuts in water a large number of them make it's easy to be in a partnership with them. Good folks doing good work! I love that ethic is being forwarded by a newer landowner there with this project.

 

[Sytes]

I loved hunting and fishing a camp location along a select run of that beautiful area, pre and after fires. An amazing piece of heaven!

Great read! Thanks for sharing, Ben. Fantastic when collaboration at that level takes place!

 

[Gellar]

It’s great to see working landowners who care about the future of their property as well as the natural resources that are native to that area and the downstream affects they have. Hopefully the success of this project can steamroll into other private landowners doing projects on their ranch.

About 25 years ago We had a private landowner restore a spring he thought existed on his property from studying the topography, and historical photographs. The landowner was able to recreate the spring and attached it to its historical drainage. Today it has naturally reproducing Brooke trout that are remnants of the last truly wild strain here in northeast iowa. His lead and and development has led to other landowners getting on board and looking to do the same for their properties. They don’t allow for public access but all of those spring streams flow into cold water streams that do have public access and catchable trout.

Hopefully in 25 years a similar story will evolve from this one. Thank you for sharing.

 

[ovis2]

These are the kind of collaborative approaches we all need. Great to see.