 |
||||||||
|
|
BHWC Monthly Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 21, 2008 7:00 – 9:15 Divide Grange Hall In Attendance: John Peck, EPESP; Peter Kampershorer, Ranch Owner; Jim Olsen, FWP; Marty Hovan, BSB; Jim Hagenbarth, rancher; Ana Pederson, BHWC; Jeanne Caddy, BHWWC; Harold Peterson, Rancher; Art Christensen, Beaverhead CD; Garth Haugland, Beaverhead County; Phil Ralston, Rancher; Steve Armiger, BLM; Damon Pellicori, MT Water Trust; Darren Olsen, US Forest Service; Noorjahan Parwana, BHWC; Travis Zangri, DNRC; Bill Cain, BHWC; Steve Luebeck, Sportsmen; Scott Reynolds, GGTU; Mike Roberts, DNRC; Brad Borst, MWA; John Childs, Bolero. Review of April Minutes: No changes or additions. Snowpack and Stream Flow Forecast (Mike Roberts, DNRC): As of May 1, Big Hole snowpack is 115% of average. We are ahead of the rest of the state now. Low and mid-elevation snow is coming off now which explains current high stream flow. Valley soils are saturated so all snowmelt water is going into the river. Darkhorse lost 3 inches of snow-water inches over the weekend. The west-side mountains are holding snow. Flows at the Wisdom gauge are 1,140 cfs and flows at Melrose gauge are 7,250 cfs. (for comparative purposes, at the end of May 2003, 1997, and 2007 Melrose were 9,520 cfs; 13,000 cfs; and 4,150 cfs respectively. Streamflow volume forecast at Wisdom is100% of average if April – September precipitation is average. Peak flow forecast is 1,400-2,200 cfs around June 1. Low flow forecast is for 150 cfs in mid-July. BHWC Weed Committee Report (Jeanne Caddy, BHWWC Coordinator): River Project: MT Noxious Weed Trust Fund was hit hard with requests but chose to continue funding our project again. We are making progress when you look at the bottom line. We received and treated the whole project area in 2003 for $111K and in 2007 we were able to cover the project area with $65K from the MT NWTF. For 2008, the MT NWTF awarded the BHWWC just $35,444, which was added with $18K from the BLM. The total was divided between the same three contractors from last year (John Moodry extended the contracts from last year) and they will do what they can with the funds they’ve received. Divide Creek Weed Management Area: The BHWWC will receive $20K from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation’s Pulling Together Initiative to form a WMA in the Divide Creek area. A community meeting on June 12 th will kick it off. There will be two spray days with BSB County and the residents (June 21st and July 9th). There is also a 50% cost share program for Divide Creek residents. Ray Tillman, a commercial applicator, will treat weeds in the immediate area of the creek in an effort to protect the fishery. Part of the grant also covers the cost of Jeanne educating the Divide School students about noxious weeds and pulling weeds in the schoolyard.Tall Buttercup WMA: Jeanne will work with the Montana Weed Control Association and Madison County to host a coffee and pie event at a restaurant in Twin Bridges to educate and encourage residents in within the WMA to fight tall buttercup. The BHWWC has committed $300 to this project (cover the cost of the education event.) Zero Spread Pilot Project: The BHWWC has been chosen to participate in a pilot project to raise weed awareness in Montana. A main goal for the BHWWC has been to help Melrose residents come up with a weed fighting plan. To that end, Jeanne and Becky Kington (BHWWC rep from Twin Bridges and MWCA director) are in the process of developing a plan that would include a door-to-door campaign (summer intern) and then a weed-related social event at the Salmon Fly Fishing Access in Melrose. National Weed Conference in Reno, NV Jeanne attended this conference with a rep from the MT Dept of Ag in April. The conference focused on the formation and successes of weed management areas around the entire country. Jeanne was encouraged to find out the BHWWC is ‘doing it up right’ and was also encouraged to hear that Montana is a level above the rest of the country when it comes to the war on weeds. Weed fighting days around the watershed: The following dates have been set for fighting weeds around the watershed: Wisdom – Beaverhead County Spray Days – July 16 th and August 20thWise River – Beaverhead County Spray Days – June 10 th, 14th, and September 4th; June 20th Spray Day will coincide with Quartz Hill Cemetery cleanup dayJuly 19 th is the Wise River Weed PullDivide – June 17 th Maiden Rock; June 21st Divide Creek WMA (east side of frontage road); July 8th Cop Jackson; July 9th Fleecer Mtn and Divide Creek WMA (west side of frontage road)Melrose/Glen – June 11 th Burma Road; June 30th BLM at Camp Creek & Soap Gulch; July 15th at Trapper CreekWeed Whacker Ball: Angie Kambich secured the top prize for the raffle – two roundtrip airfares to Palm Beach, FL and a week’s stay at the Best Western West Palm Beach. Jeanne announced there are still 11 WWB tables to be sponsored. To become a WWB table sponsor, just make an $80 donation to the BHWWC. The WWB will be held in Wise River on September 13 th.Wildlife Issues (Jim Hagenbarth, Vice-chairman BHWC): The BHWC is forming a Wildlife (Big Game?) subcommittee. Mark Kambich and Jim Hagenbarth will serve as co-chairs. A few issues coming up include the following:
Southwest Stockgrowers are eager to work with FWP in a collaborative problem-solving way. The question was raised about whether the BHWC should serve to facilitate a larger regional effort to deal with wildlife issues, or stick to our watershed scope. The Devil’s Kitchen Wildlife Management Group near Helena is a successful public/private wildlife management model we could look at. Bill Cain is familiar with the Devil’s Kitchen. He will investigate that group and report to the wildlife subcommittee. This report was followed by active discussion and information sharing. The group feels it will take concerted effort by stakeholders to get the agencies involved. Other BHWC Business (Parwana): Bookkeeper/Administrator position filled: Michelle Cavanaugh of Butte has been hired to fill this position. She has a BS degree in Accounting and Computer Science and a Master’s degree in Technical Communication. Her skills will be valuable in helping our growing organization develop overall organizational systems for tracking and managing our projects, grants, and contracts, in addition to bookkeeping and general administration. Montana Water Court Notice to Big Hole River Water Users: The objection deadline on the Big Hole River (Basin 41D) Temporary Preliminary Decree expired on March 31, 2008. About 1,465 of the 3,892 claims in the Decree received objections. On May 12, 2008, the Montana Water Court mailed out a "Notice of the Filing of An Objection and Opportunity to File Counterobjections" to each claimant whose claim received an objection in the Decree. The Notice identifies the entity filing the objection and sets a 60-day deadline for a claimant to file a counterobjection to any claim in the Decree which is owned by the objector identified in the Notice. The deadline to file, not mail, counterobjections with the Water Court is July 11, 2008. The Water Court will hold two informal public meetings to explain the counterobjection process. The first meeting will be on Wednesday evening, June 4 at 6:30 PM in the Divide Grange Hall. The second meeting will be on Wednesday evening, June 18 at 6:30 PM in the Wisdom Community Center.Blackfoot Challenge Report (Phil Ralston): Phil Ralston attended Partners for Conservation meeting on May 7 in Seeley Lake representing the BHWC. The meeting was sponsored by the Blackfoot Challenge. The purpose of the three-day meeting was to discuss how landowners can work together across state boundaries to build support for natural resource issues and programs. Phil was one of eight landowners who spoke about his perspectives and ranching practices. Other speakers were from Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Phil felt it was an informative meeting. Upcoming Willow Workshop: There will be Willow Ecology/Riparian Restoration and Riparian Restoration Monitoring Filed Workshops in the upper Big Hole, July 8, 9, and 10. (Refer to attachment). Featured speakers will be Al Winward (Ph.D Willow Ecologist), Wayne Elmore (BLM Riparian Ecologist), and Chris Hoag (NRCS Wetland Ecologist). Costs are nearly covered. NRCS has most costs covered but is seeking support from BHWC for bus transportation for one of the two days of the tour. Cost is not anticipated to exceed $400. There is funding available in the Monitoring and Research portion of the 2006 appropriations budget. All BHWC members present at the meeting agreed to support request to pay for bus transportation for one of the two days.Big Hole Partnership Receives Watershed Restoration Award: The American Fisheries Society Western Division announced the Riparian Challenge Award at the recent Western Division meeting in Portland Oregon. The award recognizes excellence in watershed restoration for Arctic grayling on private land. Members of the Big Hole Partnership include dozens of private landowners, state and federal agencies (MFWP, DNRC, USFWS, BLM, NRCS), and non-government organizations (AGRP, TNC, TU, BHWC, UM Avian Science Center, and BHRF). Wise River Community Receives Award (Darren Olsen and Garth Haugland): The community of Wise River was awarded the Montana Green Award of a Fire Wise Community as a result of their active and organized efforts during the Pattengail Fires last year. The award will be presented on May 30 th at a ceremony at Montana Tech in Butte.Status of the Big Hole River Trout Fishery (Jim Olsen, MFWP): Total water yield at Melrose is down from historic measures. Mean August flows have fallen below the closure trigger in the Big Hole Drought Management Plan (dmp) over the past decade or so. Since water temperatures are inversely proportionate to flows, water temperatures have been on the rise. Total number of days water temperature has reached or exceeded 70°F has increased in the last five or six years. J erry Creek survey results (fall shock surveys): Rainbow trout density is greater than biomass indicating there are more juveniles. That is good news. There was a spike last year in density of Age 5 class for rainbow and brown trout. This indicates there were good conditions for both species in 2004. There was a spike in Age 2 class in brown trout.Melrose section survey results: Good streamflows typically benefit large size classes. Big fish are hit hard in drought years. With the prolonged drought, big fish numbers are down in this reach while there is an explosion of I-year old fish. Condition of the big fish has also declined (measured as weight versus length). Hogback Section survey results: In 2007, there was a density spike in Age 2 class fish. The density of larger fish increased in the last couple of years while the density of smaller fish declined. The explanation for this is unknown however predation is the likely cause. Condition of larger fish is poor. This is attributed to high water temperatures. Upcoming plans: Fish surveys will be conducted on high mountain lakes; Cutthroat trout restoration; This fall, Olsen will work with BHWC and irrigators to get a handle on entrainment and develop a prioritization for installing fish ladders at headgates.Q&A: Following are responses to some of the questions participants had; Rainbow trout data has been unavailable for the last couple of years because of fishing closures. No shocking surveys are done during closures when fish are stressed. Rainbow trout are more prevalent than they used to be. The population ratio of brown:rainbow is 4:1. The need to understand brown trout population growth in upper reaches of the Big Hole is of importance. Questioner suggested it would be desirable to have a brown trout population survey done on the Jerry Creek section. Olsen and Oswald must share the same survey crew so Olsen is not sure whether or not he will be able to accomplish a brown trout survey. Agenda for June 18 meeting:
BHWC Monthly Meeting January 16, 2008 Divide Grange Hall 6:30 pm
6:30 – 6:40 pm Introductions and Review of December minutes
6:40 – 7:20 pm Annual Meeting Acitivities 2007 Activities and 2008 Work Plan Review Budget and Grant Status Review Governing Membership Status
7:20 – 7:30 pm Break
7:30 – 7:40 pm Snowpack status update
7:40 – 8:25 pm Discussion of Drought Management Plan; identification of DMP Technical Advisory Committee (TAC); Scheduling of DMP TAC meeting
8:25 – 8:40 pm New Business
8:40 – 8:50 pm Set February Agenda
BHWC Monthly Meeting December 19, 2007 Divide Grange Hall 6:30 – 9:00
In attendance: Jeanne Caddy, BHWWC, John Moodry, BSB, Brad Borst, MT Wilderness Assn., Kyle Tackett, NRCS, Art Christensen, BCD, Garth Haugland, Beaverhead County, Steve Armiger, BLM Dillon, Andrew Hanson, Outfitter, Harold Peterson, Rancher, John Peck, Rancher, Jim Hagenbarth, Rancher, Liz Jones, Rancher, Noorjahan Parwana, BHWC, Fess Foster, Bolero Resources, John Childs, Bolero Resources, Craig Fellin, Outfitter, Nathan Korb, TNC, Mark Kambich, Rancher, Kevin Greenwood, USFS, Dan Downing, USFS, Shane Vatland, MSU, Adam Peterson, MFWP, and Jill Luebeck, BHWC.
Introductions & review of minutes from November: Approved with no changes.
Weed Committee Report – Jeanne Caddy BHWWC John Moodry from Butte Silver Bow County Weed Department gave a history of weed control on the Big Hole and how the counties work together to fight the spread of weeds. In 2004 Butte Silver Bow approached the BHWC and requested their help in coordinating a collaborative weed effort.
Jeanne Caddy (BHWC Weed Coordinator) gave a PowerPoint presentation describing the Weed Committee’s accomplishments and goals. She reviewed the Weed Committee’s mission statement and gave a summary of what the committee does.
The projects that the Weed Committee participates in are:
l Managing the Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant for the river corridor (with support of BSB Weed Board). l Coordinating and participating in area spray days. l Providing cost share support to the Wise River Weed Management Group. l Expanding the cost share program for the 2008 season. l Developing other weed management areas (Divide Creek). l Hosting the Weed Whacker Ball. l Providing weed education for landowners and users of the Big Hole.
Jeanne also talked about the River Corridor Project which is being funded through the Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund. The program is currently in its eighth year. The BHWC Weed Committee received $65,000 for 2007 and requested $75,000 for 2008. The project area runs from the Mudd Creek/Squaw Creek Bridge for 84 miles to the confluence with the Beaverhead River. Weeds of concern in this area are:
Ø Spotted Knapweed Ø Leafy Spurge Ø Canada Thistle Ø Houndstongue
One of the main goals for 2008 is cost share. The Weed Committee presently provides $4,000 in cost share to the Wise River Weed Management Group. In 2008, the BHWC Weed Committee will begin their watershed-wide cost share program with money from the weed committee portion of the Federal Appropriation Funds. Through grant funding, their goal is to expand the cost share program for local landowners.
Weed Education to landowners is another topic Jeanne addressed. T committee will be organizing community meetings/mailings for small acreage landowners, one-on-one meetings, and compiling a database of seasonal landowners. The Weed Coordinator will help landowners develop an integrated weed management plan that works for them.
The Weed Committee has jumped the first hurdle in application for a $32,000 grant through the National Forest Foundation. If this grant is secured, it will support a weed management program fro the Divide Creek drainage from its headwaters to its confluence with the Big Hole River.
Jeanne will be giving a presentation at the State Noxious Weed convention in March in anticipation of increasing funding support from $65,000 to $75,000 for river corridor weed control.
Cannivan Gulch drilling update John Childs and Fess Foster, representing Bolero Resources, updated the committee about anticipated exploratory drilling in Cannivan Gulch area. Last May, the BHWC was informed of a proposal to drill 4 holes. Because of delays associated with fires and an early fall, only two of the holes were completed. Bolero is now proposing furthering their exploration to include drilling 18 more holes over a three-year period. The company proposes accessing the drill holes by constructing 16,222 feet of temporary roads within the footprint of historic roads used in the previous exploration efforts. The proposal also includes 350 feet of temporary road that would be constructed outside of the footprint of the reclaimed roads.
The project area is 9.5 miles south of Wise River and 13 miles west of Melrose. This includes the construction of temporary roads to the site. These roads and drill sites would be recontoured. Top soil would be salvaged where possible and replaced on-site. Weed prevention would be implemented with equipment-washing. Subsequent to exploratory activities, weeds would be controlled on site.
The Forest Service is accepting written comments through December 31, 2007. Comments should be mailed to Dennis Havig, Acting District Ranger, Wise River Ranger District, PO Box 100, Wise River, MT 59762 or by email to: comments-northern-beaverhead-deerlodge-wise-river@fs.fed.us.
Grayling Pit Tag Study Adam Peterson f MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Shane Vatland, a graduate student at MSU, gave the latest preliminary results of the Grayling Pit Tag Study being done in the upper Big Hole and more specifically in the Rock Creek Reconnection Project area.
Research goals for this project are to: • Better understand the movement and habitat patterns of Arctic grayling and other fish in the Upper Big Hole River Watershed.
• Provide objective and pertinent information for resource managers and fisheries biologists about grayling migration, spawning, and refuge.
Other questions include: When, where, and how do grayling migrate in the Big Hole? Do Grayling use fish ladders? Are grayling re-establishing in the newly reconnected Rock Creek?
Why PIT – Tags? Fixed-stream and portable antenna can safely and inexpensively track fish in the river and in tributaries, are long lasting, inexpensive, and safe for grayling.
In the fall of 2007 the first tagging results were:
Fish Tagged - Fall Survey 2007 –Big Hole River upstream from Dickie Bridge: • 27 Grayling • 72 Burbot • 372 Brook Trout • 207 Rainbow Trout • 140 Brown Trout • 58 Mountain Whitefish • 56 Suckers
(Note: The BHWC supported the design cost and more than 50% of the construction cost associated with reconnecting Rock Creek to the Big Hole River and restoring riparian and instream habitat. The BHWC also supported 50% of the cost of the MFWP-portion of the PIT-Tag monitoring study of fish populations in Rock Creek). To date, one grayling was captured (moving downstream) in Rock Creek. In addition 173 fish were monitored moving upstream and 136 were monitored moving downstream (primarily white suckers).
This is very preliminary data. More tagging will occur in Fall, 2008 and in the years ahead.
New Business Craig Fellin (Outfitter/Guide - Big Hole Lodge) addressed the committee with concerns about the Drought Management Plan. Following is Craig’s statement:
“I support the DMP for the most part and I’m convinced that it has protected the Big Hole River enormously since its inception. The Big Hole River is one of the few rivers in the west that has a concerned watershed group like the BHWC that insures it’s protection against misuse. By closing the river when the river drops below 150 cfs makes it clear that we are thinking of the future.
In my opinion, one major flaw to the plan is how the plan is drawn up to reopen fishing after it’s closed. Biologists representing Montana FWP have recommended that flows need to reach 200 cfs for seven consecutive days to reopen the Big Hole. This decision is not based on good science. In September, nights are cold and water temperature drops into the low 50’s. Anyone who spends time on the river knows that the trout and grayling are doing fine under these conditions. When I argued this point before the committee in the past, I had fishery biologists (USFW in Idaho and a private fisheries biologist out of Belgrade) defend my position. One of the primary reasons why FWP has recommended that reopening be so stringent is that brown trout begin their spawning in October. I do think it would be a good idea to close the river in October to protect the brown trout which spawn at this time of year and allow their numbers to increase without disturbance. By closing the river in October, there would be all the more justification to reopen the river at a lower parameter (e.g. 160 cfs for five consecutive days and reopening September 1st when the days are shorter and the water temperatures are so cold. I’d like to ask the BHWC to reconsider amending the DMP this winter and closing the river to fishing in October until the brown trout numbers are back to normal.
We need to have a DMP that the community supports and one we can be proud of. This river is too important to allow dissention and bad feeling to come in the way of support and success.”
Noor encouraged Craig to attend the January BHWC meeting where we will be organizing DMP technical committee and scheduling the next DMP meeting. Craig was also encouraged to visit with Andrew Hanson, BHWC Governing Member representing Outfitter/Guide stakeholders. Craig is welcome to sit in on the committee or attend the meeting and address his concerns.
January Meeting Agenda January is the annual meeting. The committee will review budgets work plans, and Governing and Steering Committee representation. There will be discussion about the Drought Management Plan and a meeting of the DMP technical advisory committee will be scheduled.
Meeting adjourned at 9:07 pm
Read minutes from our past meetings:
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||||