Projects

Mount Haggin Culvert Removal and Replacement

Project Description

This project addressed multiple fish passage barriers to native fish in the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Four undersized and perched culverts restricted upstream movement to the native Arctic graying and Westslope cutthroat trout. The project removed 2 of the 4 culverts that were unnecessary and out of commission and replaced the other 2 culverts to facilitate fish passage and stream connectivity.

This project came off the heels of BHWC’s many years of involvement in remedy and restoration on the Mount Haggin WMA as well as Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Park’s efforts to restore the French Creek drainage to a completely native fishery.

Project Status

Project completed July 2024.

Results

The project opened 7.5 miles of stream habitat to the restored French Creek population, resulting in one of the largest interconnected populations of Westslope Cutthroat trout in the upper Missouri River drainage and the only population of fluvial Arctic grayling in the absence of non-native species. The addition of 7.5 miles due to this project brought the total mileage of the occupied stream to nearly 47.5 miles!