Big Hole Watershed Committee

BHWC Announces Completion of Big Hole River Watershed Restoration Plans:

Upper and North Fork Big Hole Watershed Restoration Plan, 2012

Middle-Lower Big Hole River Watershed Restoration Plan, 2013

The Watershed Restoration Plan (WRP) is a plan for improving water quality based on recommendations and findings of the Big Hole River Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and impaired waters listings. The WRP is a living document reviewed as needed. This is the first version of the WRP. The primary concern for water quality in the Big Hole River is high water temperature and sediment loading as a result of physical channel impairments (i.e. lack of riparian vegetation, channel disruption, etc.). High levels of nutrients and metals are also water quality concerns in some drainages.

The Big Hole River WRP’s are created and managed by the Big Hole Watershed Committee. Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sponsored development and provides oversight. Montana DEQ manages TMDL’s statewide and impaired waters listings statewide. Montana DEQ works with local watershed groups to voluntarily improve water quality in order to remove the waters from impaired listings.
The WRP is required by Montana DEQ and the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) to meet EPA guidelines and approval from Montana DEQ in order for watershed groups to work to improve non-point source water quality. To date 11 WRP’s have been approved statewide and many WRP’s are in-process or slated for completion by local watershed groups.

Learn more about non-point sources water pollutions in Montana from Montana DEQ