River Restoration for Water Conservation
Why river restoration? Over time, pressure on the Gallatin River and its resources has gone up significantly. From fly fishing to whitewater rafting, activity on the river and along its banks has led to degraded vegetation and decreased water quality.
To solve the problem, we’re working with a variety of partners to restore eroded streambanks. These projects will enhance natural habitats and help conserve water.
River Restoration in Action
River Restoration
Over time, the number of users on the Gallatin River has dramatically increased. River access sites are overused and in need of repair, riverbeds and fish spawning areas are being disturbed, and the river’s banks are overly stressed. To address these issues, the Gallatin River Task Force and the Custer Gallatin National Forest have developed a long-term partnership to restore streambanks and improve river access in Gallatin Canyon.
West Fork Improvements
The West Fork Restoration Project addressed increasing levels of harmful nitrogen found in the West Fork of the Gallatin River. Enhanced streamside vegetation with newly planted willows act as filters for fertilizer and wastewater runoff into the West Fork along the Big Sky Golf Course. These practices should be implemented at any property in Big Sky or the Upper Gallatin Watershed adjacent to surface water resources.
Native Landscaping
The Community Storm Water Conservation Garden models landscaping practices that will improve water quality! Located along the west side of the entrance to Lone Peak High School, the garden filters pollutants by collecting and slowing runoff from the parking lot and access road. Native plants fill the garden and require little or no irrigation water to thrive. We encourage you to choose trout-friendly practices for your landscaping!
Upper Gallatin Drought & Water Supply Planning
The Task Forces facilitated a series of public meetings to engage the community about drought and water supply issues. Through a locally-driven, stakeholder-lead process the community discussed impacts and vulnerabilities to plan mitigation and response actions to build a more resilient community and watershed. This effort is part of a larger, basin-wide partnership between conservation districts, non-profits, federal agencies and other interested parties to forge resilience against the threats to water resources in the Upper Missouri Basin.
Join the conversation today!
