At the headwaters of the Clark Fork River, Superfund cleanup and aging irrigation equipment have broken up habitat for native trout and caused populations to plummet.
Now, a partnership of conservation groups and government agencies plans to reconnect isolated fish habitat from Deer Lodge to Butte.
About 8 miles east of Deer Lodge, Casey Hackathorn, Montana State Director for Trout Unlimited, gestures at an old pin and plank diversion dam. During low water flows it creates an impenetrable barrier for trout trying to move upstream to spawn.
“This one is pretty symbolic of the kind of problem we have at multiple sites here,” Hackathorn says.
This is one of four diversion dams set to be replaced thanks to $4 million in federal grants. The money was largely allocated through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Once the dams are replaced, nearly 30 miles of river habitat will be connected. Allowing unimpeded access to spawning grounds
“It’s basically a generational opportunity to really fix this aging infrastructure for people and for fish,” Hackathorn says.
A few hundred yards upstream offers a glimpse at what the improved system will look like. A six-inch tall net diverts water into a spinning pump that carries it to irrigation ditches. This new diversion structure is so small you can barely see it from the water's edge, and allows fish to pass through it year round.
Hackathorn hopes the improvements will be a boon for fish, anglers, and anyone else who wants to get out on the water: “The long term goal is to have a fully restored watershed, and improved fishery, and we anticipate people wanting to recreate here.”
