Big Hole Watershed Committee

More than half a million acres in southwest Montana have been impacted by conifer expansion. It used to be that fires would come through these landscapes and burn back the trees, but that natural cycle isn’t happening anymore. Now, more trees are encroaching into traditional sagebrush habitat, and that has impacts on our water supply.

Montana wildlife officials will begin studies this year to get to the bottom of a historic trout population crash in the Jefferson Basin. Montana wildlife officials have also created a new web portal for residents to submit reports of dead and diseased fish.

The Big Hole Watershed Committee warned the public a week ago such measures were likely possible. Sections of the river from headwaters to North Fork Big Hole River and from Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site to the river mouth have dropped below acceptable flow levels.

The Big Hole Watershed Committee said Monday that a section of the river from the headwaters to the North Fork Big Hole River and another from the Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site to the river mouth are nearing flows low enough to trigger the voluntary conservation measures.

Livestock death is part of ranching. At some point, ranchers have to deal with dead animals, from things like difficult births, disease, and weather…