Helena area stream restoration volunteer event - this Saturday!!

Mine waste in the Telegraph Creek floodplain (image source unknown) 

The Pat Barns Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Trout Unlimited-National, and the Little Blackfoot River (near Helena) need you!!

"The Pat Barnes Chapter of Trout Unlimited and TU’s Clark Fork River Project invite you to join us in our efforts to revegetate the restored section of Telegraph Creek at the Lilly Orphan Boy Mine site. In 2016, TU and Montana DEQ removed 9,000 cubic yards of mine waste from Telegraph Creek and restored 350 feet of stream channel in the headwaters of the Little Blackfoot River.

The day will begin with a tour of the restored stretch of Telegraph Creek. Rob Roberts, TU Project Manager, will explain the techniques TU and partners used to reclaim the mine site and reconstruct Telegraph Creek. Following the tour, we will plant native trees and shrubs in the restored area.

Revegetation of this area will protect the stream bank and hillslope, promote native plant growth, and add shade to Telegraph Creek.  Please meet at 8:00 AM at the Van’s Thriftway parking lot on Saturday, September 30th. From there we will drive an hour to the site. Please bring appropriate clothing, footwear, and work gloves. Lunch will be provided.  We will finish the volunteer event around 2pm.

To RSVP please contact Max Lewis ASAP via phone or email at mlewis@tu.org or 207-701-1683. "

Gary Lafontaine wrote of the Little Blackfoot River, "There is no stream more special to me than the Little Blackfoot River. Let me completely protect one drainage in the state, from ranching, mining, logging, and even over fishing, and this would be the one."

If you have not yet explored the Little Blackfoot River or its tributaries, do it.  This fall.  I worked in the valley a few years back doing a fish passage/entrainment project from the mouth all the way up every trib.  I went places and met people in that valley that I will probably never see again.  And, I can tell you one thing, this fishery is about as resilient as one can get.

The Little Blackfoot River is heavily degraded and is heavily relied upon for irrigation. Many of its banks have been hoof sheered right out of existence, and there are fish-eating canals and irrigation dams galore!  Meanwhile, just about every one of the tributaries (Telegraph Creek, Dog, Ontario) have major impacts from historic mining. Yet, the fishery lives on.  The lower river has medium-sized (6-16'') brown trout galore.  In the fall, you might find some bigger ones that come in from the Clark Fork.  This area of the river is hard to get on as the entire valley floor is private cattle ranches but there are many locations to exercise legal MT stream access and there is one FWP access site.  The middle reaches have a mix of browns and westslope cutts and the upper (above Elliston) turns into more of a cutthroat fishery.

The Little Blackfoot is a major and vital tributary to the Upper Clark Fork River, a river that has gone through ecological disasters on an unimaginable scale.  The Upper Clark Fork is currently undergoing a major, and I mean MAJOR, restoration project to remove millions of yards of heavily contaminated mine wastes from the good ol' days in Butte and Anaconda.   Likewise, the tributaries of the Little Blackfoot are receiving some love from TU National and stream restoration badass, Rob Roberts.  Be a part of it and get off your ass to do something good.

Are you a TU member like me that can't just write checks or make donations because you are a broke ass who is following your dreams instead of following the money train?  Well here's your chance to give your "in-kind" donation.  I have always been disappointed in the fly fishing community when it comes to volunteer events.  Fly fishers like to talk but they rarely walk the walk.  Prove me wrong!!

Montana FWP and Trout Unlimited to Give Presentation on Clark Fork Restoration and Fishing

Jason Lindstrom, Region 2 Fisheries Biologist for MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks and Casey Hackathorn, Upper Clark Fork Program Manager for Trout Unlimited (National) will give a presentation on the ongoing restoration of the Clark Fork River and its awesome and resilient fishery.

The presentation is tonight, March 9 at the Pour House Pub (next to Ace Hardware on Harrison Ave.) at 6:30 pm.

The Pour House is a tap room and growler fill station with 24 craft beers on rotation.  They also have wine and cider.  The meeting will be in their backroom.  I can not think of a better place to drink beer and learn about Clark Fork river updates and get some insight on this amazing and unbelievably resilient fishery!!

See you there!

Montana Tech Restoration Seminar Presents: Marty Bennett

Montana Tech's Restoration Seminar presents Josh Vincent of WET

These seminars are open to the public and everyone is invited!

Montana Tech Restoration Ecology Seminar Presents: Rob Roberts of Trout Unlimited

Tomorrow, April 6, 2016, the Montana Tech Ecological Restoration Seminar presents Rob Roberts of Trout Unlimited.  

Rob has been spearheading stream restoration projects all along the Clark Fork.  He started the Nine Mile valley work and is now working on the Upper Little Blackfoot River, an important tributary to the Upper Clark Fork.

This is not one to be missed!!  The seminar is on the Montana Tech campus, in Butte, Montana in the Chemistry and Biology Building (room 102) @ 4 pm.  This seminar is open to the public!

I'll see you there!

Restore Our Creek brainstorming session tonight

The Montana Standard and the Restore Our Creek Coalition are "co-sponsoring a public workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Mining City Center, 400 W. Park St., to give Butte residents a chance to give input about the eventual outcome for the mile-long stretch from the Civic Center to the visitors center" (mtstandard).

Montana Tech Restoration Ecology Seminar Presents: Amy Sacry of Geum Environmental Consulting

Milltown soil lifts and bank armor (photo taken from Geum's website)

Tomorrow, February 3, 2016, the Montana Tech Ecological Restoration Seminar presents Amy Sacry of Geum Environmental Consultants.  She will be discussing "Revegetation Theory and Practice." 

Geum and Amy have their hands in restoration projects all over Montana.  Most notably, they did the revegetation of the Miltown floodplain after the removal of the Milltown Dam and they are now working on the massive Upper Clark Fork Restoration Project. Amy is everywhere all the time and I've run into her at many different Trout Unlimited restoration projects as well.

This is not one to be missed!!  The seminar is on the Montana Tech campus, in Butte, Montana in the Chemistry and Biology Building (room 102) @ 4 pm.  This seminar is open to the public!

I'll see you there!

   

George Grant Chapter of TU will meet to discuss cleanup and restoration of Clark Fork R. and Silver Bow Cr. (updated)

The George Grant Chapter of Trout Unlimited is holding a Board of Directors meeting and the public is invited.  Some folks representing TU and the MT DOJ, as well as, Joe Griffin (retired MT DEQ hydrogeologist and all-around bad-ass) will be giving a presentation on the restoration and mine waste cleanup on Silver Bow Creek and the Upper Clark Fork River.

Updates:

• Casey Hackathorn of Trout Unlimited (national) will present on the Upper Clark Fork and its tributaries.
• Jason Lindstrom of MT FWP will present electro-fishing data from Silver Bow Creek.
• Pat Cunneen of the BNRC will likely present on efforts to remove the Parrot Tailings, Diggins East, and Northside Tailings from the banks of Upper Silver Bow Creek in Butte.

This is not one to be missed!!

The meeting is Monday, December 14, at 6:30 pm in the Business Development Center @ 305 W. Mercury St. in Butte, Montana. 

Montana Tech Restoration Ecology Seminar presents: Dr. Cara Nelson of the University of Montana

Dr. Cara Nelson is the Associate Professor of Restoration Ecology and the Undergraduate Program Director for Ecological Restoration.  She is also the Vice Chair (former Chair) of the Society for Ecological Restoration, an international nonprofit committed to promoting "ecological restoration as a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing an ecologically healthy relationship between nature and culture."

She is also one of my mentors, previous boss, and great friend.

Her talk is titled "Setting Appropriate Goals for Restoration."  The seminar is on the Montana Tech Campus in Butte, Montana in the Chemistry and Biology Building (room 102) today November 18, 2015, @ 4 pm.

Montana Tech Restoration Ecology Seminar Presents: Len Ballek of Herrera Environmental Consulting

Len Ballek is the Senior Ecologist for Herrera Environmental Consulting and has a ton of experience with ecological restoration all over the West.  His talk is titled "Basics of Effective Native Plant Restoration"  The seminar is on the Montana Tech Campus in Butte, Montana in the Chemistry and Biology Building (room 102) today November 4, 2015, @ 4 pm.

Revegetation is a major aspect of both land and stream restoration, as seen in this picture in the Upper Clark Fork Area. Plus, it provides a place for the dog to hide...

Clark Fork Coalition hosting Modesty Creek restoration presentation in Missoula (updated)

Photo from clarkfork.org

Next Tuesday at 12:00 pm, the Clark Fork Coalition will be having a presentation about the recently restored/reconnected Modesty Creek as part of their "Walks and Talks" series.  The presentation will be at their office in Missoula at 140 S. 4th St. W.  The  restoration site is upstream from the town of Deer Lodge.  Modesty Creek is a tributary to the Upper Clark Fork and has been diverted and disconnected from the Clark Fork for a long time.

Visit the Clark Fork Coalition's website for more information on the project and the field trip.

MT Tech's Restoration Ecology Seminar presents: Rayelynn Connole of CFWEP

Rayelynn Connole's talk is titled "Remedy or Restoration."  The seminar is on the Montana Tech Campus in Butte, Montana in the Chemistry and Biology Building (room 102) today September 16, 2015 @ 4 pm.

Restore Our Creek Stroll a success!

Butte citizens concerned about their stream and future 

The "Restore our Creek Stroll" had a great turnout last week.  The citizens of Butte, MT showed up to learn about the threats that the Parrot Tailings plume poses to the newly restored Lower Silver Bow Creek and the Clark Fork River.  Local folks from the DEQ and the MT Natural Resource Damages Program as well as the local groups which are really pushing the movement to get rid of the toxic tailings and reclassify the "Metro Storm Drain" back to what it truly is, Silver Bow Creek, put together a great program with music and transportation.  This new classification for the "Metro Storm Drain" would grant this section of the creek the same protections as all other streams under the Clean Water Act.

There will be another event in the fall.  Please show your support and look to the RBM Chronicles for more information on this event.

Pat Cunneen (BNRC) shows some ideas for a restored Upper Silver Bow Creek

Joe Griffin of Montana DEQ (retired) explains the Parrot Tailings Plume

Silver Bow Creek - Restore Our Creek Stroll

Fishing for Weeds - U of M Ecological Restoration students asking the public for help!

Artificial pond at the Rock Creek Confluence property 

The University of Montana's Ecological Restoration Program is holding a big volunteer event this Saturday to benefit the property at the confluence of Rock Creek and the Clark Fork.  Read the history of the property from this old post.

The work will focus on a weed pull and some trial building.  The fun will include:

• A fly casting competition
• Food
• Beverages
• A live band!

If you were shy about attending a volunteer event in the past, this is not one to be missed!

This event starts at 9:00 am Sat. April 25th.

Those interested in volunteering should RSVP to fishingforweeds2015@gmail.com. Volunteers should bring work attire and a fly rod if they plan to participate in the casting competition.

For more information call Cara Nelson, UM ecological restoration program director, at 406-243-6066 or email cara.nelson@umontana.edu.

The Upper Clark Fork in winter

Mt Powell and the Upper Clark Fork in January

The Upper Clark Fork, from the outlet of the Anaconda Settling Ponds down to around Galen, is essentially a tailwater fishery and it fishes all winter.  It is full of of brown trout, has some giant rainbows which fall over the spillway from the ponds, and has the occasional cutthroat and brook trout mixed in.

Frozen foam disks

This stretch of river sees a lot of pressure because the fishing is awesome so, it can get really technical.

Ice in the guides

It can get crowded at times.  This is easily avoidable though, so long as you fish at odd times and during the off season.  Also, similar to Rock Creek, most of the people fishing here have no idea what the hell they are doing.  If you have half an idea, you can usually come right behind them and catch fish.  Just try to stay out of sight.

 Staying out of sight is going to be harder for a while as two major sections of the floodplain and stream are closed right now due to some restoration work.  An area about a half mile down stream of the spillway (near the first bridge) has been closed for a while and there is another section on the Dry Cottonwood Creek Ranch that is under construction now.

See ya later Mr. Brown

All I can say is that I'm stoked about the restoration work and the future of the fishery.  I'm also excited to now live 20 minutes away.  Want some good advice?  Fight the urge to fish nymphs and throw SMALL streamers.  There are also some epic midge, BWO, hopper, and caddis hatches up here at the appropriate times.

Behind the Scenes of America's Largest Superfund Stream Restoration Project

The Milltown floodplain is still CLOSED to the public

The Milltown Dam removal, toxic sediment remediation,  and subsequent restoration of the Clark Fork's floodplain is part of the largest EPA Superfund complex in the country.

The floodplain has been closed for years while the heavy construction work was done.  Last year, the river channel opened but the floodplain remains closed to allow for the vegetation to establish.

I've had the chance to work down in the floodplain over the years and I've seen some really cool stuff that I think the public should see.  I talk about Milltown a lot and here's what I get from people:

"I've gone to the new overlook.  The interpretive signs are great but the floodplain looks like shit."

and:

"I always look down there as I drive by on the interstate.  When are they going to plant some trees?"

I attribute this solely to the fact that the only way to view the massive site, is to view it from off a giant cliff or from the Interstate which is elevated and is closest to the site as it runs past the lower or most western reach.

Here's the deal.  Both of those observation points are not only way up in the air and a million miles away, but that part of the floodplain was the absolute last part of the project to get revegetated.  Here's what I mean:

lowermost reach of the Milltown floodplain

This picture shows the lower reach of the floodplain.  This is the area which is just below the overlook and what you see when you drive past Bonner.  This area was the last to receive revegetation treatments and has not had the time to undergo much successional growth yet.

upper reaches of the Milltown floodplain

In contrast, this shot was taken in the upper reaches of the site which are (for the most part) out of view to the public.  These sandbar willows (Salix exigua) are about 12 feet tall and too thick to walk through.  I worked in this section in 2012 and it looked just like the picture of the lower reach.  I could not believe how huge the willows got in such a short time.  Also notice that nice little alder (Alnus incana) in the middle.

Willows with scale

Another thing people ask about is the grassy slope and the tunnel by the overlook.

Old Milwaukee Road rail tunnel

Once the floodplain is open to the public, the tunnel will stay closed.  Aww!  I was really hoping it would be part of the bike trail.

The grassy slope you see from the interstate that used to be "Tunnel Lake" is now an on-site, toxic sediment repository.  The worst shit went to Opportunity but some did stay.  There is at least one other of these repositories on site.  The rocks around the edge is drain tile designed to keep the mine waste separated from the water table.  It's the same drain tile system you see all over Butte.

Micro-habitat

One thing you'll quickly notice once folks can get down there, is that the floodplain is littered with tons and tons of large woody debris called a "wood matrix."  The matrix provides many ecological and hydrological functions but the most interesting to me is the micro habitat conditions it can provide.  Micro habitat like this can produce a higher diversity of plants.  You can see two, very different micro habitats in this picture and two different plant species with totally different habitat requirements growing within inches of each other.

Although they can be hard to spot without a trained eye, there is still a little bit of evidence of the historic metals contamination.

Some blue metals salting

You don't need a trained eye for these ones!  I debated putting these on here but folks are going to see this shit once the floodplain opens.  They might as well get a heads-up.

Bare slicken surrounded by thick revegetation

Disclaimer:  RBM does not work for Evirocon, the EPA, the DOJ, or Geum Environmental Consulting and these are my own pictures, opinions, and thoughts.  I had authorization to be down there.

National Trails Day hike down to the Milltown floodplain - Tomorrow!

 






























Lots of stuff going on tomorrow.  Get off yer ass and do something.

Opportunity, Montana: Big Copper, Bad Water, and the Burial of an American Landscape - a review

Brad Tyer's debut book Opportunity, Montana: Big Copper, Bad Water, and the Burial of an American Landscape is a must read for anyone involved in stream restoration and conservation - at any level.

The book does a great job chronicling the rise of the Copper Kings, the history of Milltown, Opportunity, Anaconda, and Butte and the brutal treatment and destruction of the Clark Fork River watershed in the name of progress and profit.  Tyer also archives the lead-up and movement to remove Milltown Dam which held back millions of cubic yards of toxic, metal laden sediments.

Interwoven perfectly into the discoveries Tyer makes regarding the Clark Fork Restoration Project, is a touching story regarding the relationship he has had with his late father.  I am a stream restoration guy who has spent most of my professional career working on some aspect of this project.  More than one person Tyer interviews in the book has been my boss at some time.  I have done it all with the backdrop of a shitty relationship with my father.  It was like Tyer wrote this book for me personally!

The heart of the book revolves around the case of environmental injustice Tyer makes for the town of Opportunity, MT.  This tiny "town" is centered in the middle of a sea of toxic mine waste dumps called "tailings ponds."  Google Earth Opportunity, MT to get an idea of the scale of this mess!  When Milltown Dam was removed, the toxic sediment needed to go somewhere and Tyer highlights the decision making process which led to Opporunity paying the price for Missoula's restored river. 

Brad Tyer's writing carries you swiftly through a lot of history and litigation which is no easy task.  I found that his slight sarcasm, use of some great quotes, and a little bit of snark to be the perfect way to hear some of these stories that I was already pretty familiar with.  This book is a treasure trove of history and research and is a great resource to have on the bookshelf after you've read it.

I did find a couple of irrelevant errors in the text.  The book gets some minor technicalities wrong like the location of the mouth of Blacktail Creek and it also says that brown trout are native to MT, which they're certainly not.  These minor details have no effect on the story but did make me a bit nuts when I came across them.

The Opportunity, Montana blog provides many national reviews and stories from brad from the lead-up to the book release last fall.  Check it out for more info on the project, the town, and a bunch of great pics.

Major earthworks begin at the confluence of Rock Creek and the Clark Fork Rivers (updated 4/2015)

Remember that long, ugly berm that you drive past as soon as you cross the Clark Fork River on Rock Creek Road?  It's the one with the mullein forest growing on it that has served as a recruitment area for noxious and invasive weeds for the past couple years.

Well, it's being torn down and there is a big story behind it...

At the mouth of the Rock Creek Valley there is a beautiful, 200 acre swath of land. The borders are defined by the mouth of Rock Creek, the Clark Fork River, Rock Creek Road, and an adjacent property.  This property was almost destroyed - for ever- by an out of state developer who (origionally a Montanan).

The first known European settlers of the property were Paul and Anna Rinaldi, Italian immigrants who worked for the railroad and ranched the land.

The Rinaldi's Cabin?

The land continued to be utilized for agriculture for the next 100 years or so until it was purchased by Michael Barnes, an Oregon-based real estate developer.

It was Michael's plan to develop a 36 plot, Mcmansion filled subdivision on the property complete with a large, stocked trout pond!  Everyone knows that the one thing you need when you live right next to one of the world's finest wild trout streams, is a pond full of stupid stockers.

In 2006, Mr. Barnes went right to work tearing up the property with heavy machinery and installing infrastructure without some of the necessary permits.  He dug a massive, 5 acre pond and used the diggings to create that berm that went along the road.

Mr. Barnes' subdivision idea did not sit well with the locals and conservationists. Remember all those "No Rock Creek Subdivision" stickers?  Local groups formed and expressed their discontent to the Missoula County Commissioners who delayed and then tabled the plan.

Then in 2008, the housing market crashed and the property went on the market.

In 2012, Five Valleys Land Trust bought the property and have since:

• Worked with adjacent property owners to put over 500 acres of land under permanent conservation easement. 
• Removed tons of garbage, fencing, and huge agricultural equipment.
• Built a public access, parking, and trials to the Clark Fork River.
• Installed a bunch of bluebird boxes.

They've also worked with Trout Unlimited and the University of Montana's Wildland Restoration Program to develop an ecological restoration plan for the berm, pond, and the severely eroded banks of the Clark Fork River.

The major restoration work has just started.  Yesterday, I headed out there to check it out and talk to Grant Kier, the Executive Director of Five Valleys Land Trust.   

Tearing down the berm (ripping)

Tearing down the berm (grading)

The pond

Mr. Kier says that eventually, the entire property will be opened to the public; complete with trails and access to the confluence.

This is one of the rare cases where conservation won over development.  In this case however, I guess we owe a thanks to Wall Street bankers and their sub-prime mortgages for crashing the market.

I also went fishing (F-ing duh).  The creek is still pretty big and wading was sketchy.  Some big fish have moved up into the system with the elevated flows.  Most of the fish are hanging in side channels and winter-style water.  The big brown trout made a greater than average showing and the rainbows were especially hot.  The water is warm enough now that they're starting to perform big acrobatics.  I saw many skwalas and numoras, as well as a solid march brown hatch.  There were some rises but not enough for me to cut off my super productive nymph rig.