• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Big Hole Watershed Committee

Big Hole Watershed Committee

  • Home
  • About Us
    • How We Work
    • Board & Staff
    • Events
    • Contact Us
  • Our Work
    • Monthly Meetings
    • News
    • Projects
    • Resources
  • Donate
    • About Your Donation
    • Livestock
  • River Conditions
Projects

Drought Management Plan & Grayling Recovery (Ongoing)

The Big Hole River Drought Management Plan designates target river flow and temperature conditions for fish health in five river sections of the Big Hole River. The plan includes voluntary conservation targets for all water users, MFWP fishing restriction criteria, and information tools. Conservation actions are designed support the health of the fishery.

The plan outlines voluntary conservation actions and relies on Shared Sacrifice, Shared Success – if all users sacrifice, we can all be successful in protecting the fishery. The plan also designates MFWP fishing restrictions when drought conditions reach critical levels.

The BHWC DMP originated in 1997. The plan is reviewed annually by a committee made up of irrigators, fishermen, conservation groups, and agency representatives as well as the entire BHWC.

For more information on the Drought Management Plan and current river conditions, visit our River Conditions webpage.


Arctic Grayling Recovery & the Upper Big Hole CCAA

The Upper Big Hole River is home to the native Arctic grayling. The Upper Big Hole was the last location in the lower 48 states to host a naturally producing population of Arctic grayling in a river. Grayling historically occupied much of the Upper Missouri to Great Falls, Montana. Changes in habitat resulting from development, large dams, and mining beginning in the late 1880’s caused the fish to decline dramatically. In the Big Hole, their decline was exacerbated by drought in the 1980’s causing the fish to drop to dangerously low populations.

In 2009, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, in partnership with United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) program. This put into place a strategic plan for recovering the Big Hole River Arctic grayling as well as providing legal protections for landowners who enroll and participate in the CCAA. The CCAA was a necessary step in recovering the Arctic grayling in the Big Hole because grayling live 90% on private lands, rendering private landowner cooperation absolutely essential.

Each landowner enrolled in the CCAA program signs on to a site-specific plan for their property developed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the landowner that needs to be followed in order to receive legal protection. Plans are extensive and typically include a task list for riparian management plans, riparian and vegetation recovery, weed treatment, irrigation improvement, fish passage, and flow maintenance plans. Each landowner plan is monitored and results are reported annually.

The CCAA program is a 20-year agreement and was put in place as a result of the USFWS investigation of the Arctic grayling as a Candidate for Endangered Species listing, to which the fish was added as a candidate in 1991.


Management & Oversight

The CCAA is managed by a team of committeed agency members:

-Jarrett Payne, Arctic Grayling Recovery Biologist/Riparian Ecologist, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

-Jim Magee, Partners Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service

-Matt Norberg, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Other agency members were instrumental in developing and managing the CCAA, but have since moved on to new duties and positions. They include: Emma Cayer, Arctic Grayling Recovery Biologist, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Mike Roberts, Hydrologist, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; Kyle Tackett, District Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Jacqueline Knutson, Hydrologist, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. BHWC provides support for the CCAA whenever possible, including hosting a CCAA update each year at one of our monthly public meetings.


Project Results

2020 – Results of the 2015 lawsuit (more information below) are expected to be announced summer 2020.

2019 – The CCAA program has made impressive improvements since its inception. As of 2019,  32 landowners have been enrolled, representing 148,326 private land acres that include 214 miles of stream or river. CCAA personnel maintain that the most important factor in Arctic grayling recovery is the people – the folks who are employed to work on the recovery, the representatives of those who believe in the recovery, and most importantly – the landowners.

2015 – Not everyone agrees with the USFWS decision. In 2015, a lawsuit was filed suing the USFWS, disagreeing with their decision to not list the fish under the Endangered Species Act, the outcome of which has not yet been resolved.

2014 – Citing the extensive efforts and improvements for conservation specifically targeting the Arctic grayling as well as increasing populations, the USFWS determined in 2014 that the Artic grayling was not warranted as a candidate for Endangered Species Act listing. The announcement was made August 19, 2014.


People & Organizations Involved

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

United States Fish and Wildlife Service – Montana Partners for Fish and Wildlife


Project Documents & Resources

Big Hole River Drought Management Plan, version 2016-2020

Big Hole River Current Conditions

Big Hole River Drought Resiliency Plan 

Arctic Grayling Recovery Information (MFWP)

Arctic Grayling Recovery Program – Established in 1990, this group coordinates Arctic grayling recovery in Montana.

Arctic Grayling ESA Listing Status (USFWS)


Media Coverage

Dillon Tribune: Big Hole Cooperative Averts Grayling Listing

Project Photos

The CCAA team received an award for their efforts in 2013.
The CCAA team received an award for their efforts in 2013.
The Arctic grayling is known for its prominent dorsal fin.
The Arctic grayling is known for its prominent dorsal fin.
Arctic grayling
The Big Hole River is the only river in the lower-48 with a native population of Arctic grayling, providing an unique angling opportunity!
BHWC was presented this award in 2013 for our support of Arctic grayling recovery and the CCAA.
BHWC was presented this award in 2013 for our support of Arctic grayling recovery and the CCAA.

Project MAP

Status

Ongoing

Explore more

River Conditions Our Projects Get Our Newsletter
Big Hole Watershed Committee

Footer

Big Hole Watershed Committee
P.O. Box 21
Divide, MT 59727-0021
(406) 960-4855

Non-Profit Status
The Big Hole Watershed Committee is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created to support the communities of the Big Hole River.

Copyright © 2021 · Big Hole Watershed Committee | Website by Luci's Office, Inc. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Keep In Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

 Nonprofit Member

amazon-smile
The Big Hole Watershed Committee is a member of the Amazon Smile program. Shop smile.amazon.com for a portion of your purchase to be donated to BHWC (at no extra cost to you). Learn More >