Conservation Leadership - A dam that never was

[Big Fin]

We are focusing on stories that tell about conservation leadership in ways that we can all relate to.

If folks wonder where I get my passion for advocating on behalf of wild things and wild places, much of that can be traced to a conservation mentor we call “Poz,” Jim Posewitz. Jim was an All-American football player, yet more importantly, conservation leader who understands better than anyone that conservation is never easy, never comfortable, and always inconvenient. Thank to Jim and his band of scientists who kept the Yellowstone from being dammed.

And thanks to @mdunc8 for all his great insight to this amazing river. If you drive to Yellowstone Park, try to imagine the river being dammed and a reservoir from Livingston up past Emigrant. And when you drive I-90, think about the Yellowstone being dewatered for good parts of the year.

I suspect that in your backyard there are similar conservation stories where people of regular means did what was necessary to conserve the wild things you love. They are probably not movie stars, politicians, or celebrities, rather common folks like the state agency employees Jim and his scientist were at the time.

Hope this gives you a bright moment during what seems to be some rather unsettling times.

 

[undercover]

Amazing content and scenery. Inspiration for many of us who really are not involved to get and stay involved. Thanks Randy

 

[Sytes]

Very enjoyable watch! Thanks for putting this together. Great drone footage!

Never knew of the potential dam. That Life magazine Superman pic was epic! Haha!

Nice ending with Duncan's younger generation enjoying the Yellowstone River.

 

[noharleyyet]

Oasis post Fin, thanks.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

@Bigfin, Marcus and the rest of the team.

I love your hunting content, I love getting to go on adventures I probably will never get to experience otherwise. That's what brought me to the platform.

That said I think the conservation content you all are producing is what is truly important. Rain Deer, was top notch and this video was as well.

 

[JEL]

Pretty relevant to some of the discussion the current Water Policy Interim legislative committee is having now on increasing water storage in MT. Since in many years our runoff is coming earlier there is discussion on how to capture it (dams, reservoirs, natural storage, groundwater recharge etc.) I enjoyed the piece.

 

[406LIFE]

Thanks for doing this Randy! Listening to Poz talk about this is inspiring.

For more on Poz, read his autobiography: My Best Shot.

 

[HSi-ESi]

I've been waiting for this one - it did not disappoint.

I'll be showing the kids this one too. Great work.

 

[kansasdad]

Totally digging the conservation series. Thanks @MHMT Big Fin and @mdunc8 for this one (and the other folks too)

I almost had your voice in my head correct Dr Mike! Love seeing your boys growing bigger, and the ending that implies it is about the next generations is well stated.

 

[Doublecluck]

Pretty cool.

 

[mdunc8]

Thanks for the invitation to get involved Randy. Jim is a hoot and that day on the river will certainly go down as one of my most memorable floats. That day played a big role in me deciding to apply for, and probably land, my current job. I'll forever be grateful to Jim and everything he's done.

This was the first opportunity that I've had to get back out on the lower Yellowstone since I finished up my graduate and oil spill work, so it was nice to be able to enjoy the river without work hanging over my head. One of the neatest parts for me was getting to watch my oldest son catch his first unassisted fish on a fly on the same river where I started fly fishing.

 

[devon deer]

One of the neatest parts for me was getting to watch my oldest son catch his first unassisted fish on a fly on the same river where I started fly fishing.

A great film mate, but that tops it off, well done to the teacher and his son!
Cheers
Richard

 

[bigsky2]

Pretty cool story, sadly the Yellowstone won't be the longest undammed river in the country once the weir project is complete downstream of Glendive. I wish that project could have been stopped like the one in the Paradise Valley was.

 

[slatebuilder]

Thank you for doing these conservation stories. They are good stories to hear and stories that should be told. My kids always love your stuff but this is good “home school curriculum” while we are off.

 

[JEL]

Pretty cool story, sadly the Yellowstone won't be the longest undammed river in the country once the weir project is complete downstream of Glendive. I wish that project could have been stopped like the one in the Paradise Valley was.

Weirs aren't dams. There are currently several weirs on the Yellowstone.

 

[bigsky2]

Weirs aren't dams. There are currently several weirs on the Yellowstone.

I went back and forth on whether a weir is considered a dam before I posted this, so I did a quick Google search "what is a weir". Google says a weir is a low dam. Either way, it is more than likely going to affect the fishery on the Lower Yellowstone. Where are there other weirs on the Yellowstone?

 

[mdunc8]

There's plenty of low-head diversion dams on the Yellowstone. Nothing that regulates flow though. Some of the tributaries are regulated, which has had significant effects, but the Yellowstone remains relatively free flowing. Intake diversion dam, which bigsky2 is referring to, already impacts several species with pallid sturgeon being the most noteworthy.

 

[JEL]

I went back and forth on whether a weir is considered a dam before I posted this, so I did a quick Google search "what is a weir". Google says a weir is a low dam. Either way, it is more than likely going to affect the fishery on the Lower Yellowstone. Where are there other weirs on the Yellowstone?

Huntley, Waco, Ranchers Dtich (near bighorn confluence), Cartersville, Yellowstone weir (near Hysham) and Intake. While the YS doesn't have a dam that stops the water and controls flow these weirs are used to divert water into irrigation canals.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I hate the thought of any more damns, or windmills for that matter. Undoubtedly there will be efforts at “compromises” to provide power, let’s hope the Yellowstone never becomes one of those. I’ve fished the Yellowstone near Emigrant many times. The fishing is remarkable.
We all need to be watching these things.

 

[chuckchili]

Amazing video content and camera work. Thanks for doing what you do.