Trout Unlimited - Montana Council

Montana Trout Unlimiteds exempt purpose achievements continue to include protecting and restoring trout habitat, advocating for clean water and wild fish management and educating the public on Montanas fishery issues.Examples of Montana TUs FYE 2024 accomplishments to protect water quality and quantity to benefit coldwater fisheries include:Reviewed and provided input on public land management activities and management plans as they relate to protecting water resources. We continue to lead our Smith River protection coalition in a mineral withdrawal campaign for protecting public lands within the Smith watershed. Argued our Smith River protection coalitions water rights case in front of the Montana Supreme Court and are awaiting a ruling.MTU is working with partners to engage MT Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), to ensure the International Joint Commissions process upholds MTs water quality standard for selenium in the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa, as well as presses for mitigation for ecological damages and fully vets any future mine development in BC. MTU continues to monitor a possible rare earth elements (REEs - neodymium and praseodymium) mine in the Sheep Creek tributary of the West Fork Bitterroot River.Reviewed and commented on draft Montana Drought Management Plan, a revision of the statewide drought plan by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC).Increased instream flow through water right changes, improved infrastructure and habitat restoration.Maintained fulltime staff in the Montana State Legislature to advocate for policy that benefits coldwater fisheries.Montana Trout Unlimited strives to protect high-quality fish habitat and to restore degraded streams and watersheds. Our FYE 2024 accomplishments include:Provided funding for a full-time Jefferson Watershed Project Manager with a focus on improving irrigation and ranching practices to benefit instream flow.Completed major stream restoration work in Middle Fork Judith to improve water quality and fishery health in an area with few healthy coldwater resources. MTU hired a new Beartooth Project Manager to work in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest (CGNF) as part of a 5-year, $3M agreement with the CGNF.Along with FWP, MTU analyzed the lab data from sampling fish and water from the Clark Fork River to test for PCBs, dioxins and furans as part of a grant we secured from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do a multi-year study of, and educate the public about, fish toxicity.Led by multiple MT/ID Tribes, MTU and coalition partners continued to appeal a court decision not to require DEQ to enforce the Bad Actor law regarding the Hecla Mining Co. and its principal, proposal to mine underneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area. We are supporting FWPs four new fishery studies being conducted SW MT rivers in the coming years with the help of MT State Universitys Fisheries Department.Healthy, abundant populations of wild trout are the best measure of Montana TUs success. We emphasize conservation of sustainable wild and native trout populations. Our actions the past year include. Funding portions of wild or native trout habitat improvement projects in the Blackfoot, Beaverhead, Missouri, Clark Fork, and Bitterroot River watersheds.Securing funding to increase grant opportunities for restoration and conservation projects by local TU chapters. Lead statewide advocacy for coldwater fisheries management and funding by regularly communicating with, monitored, and advised state agencies, boards and commissions.Provided official comments and regular communications with FWP leadership/regional biologists and the F&W Commission regarding using best fishery science to manage MT streams and rivers.MTU began planning and implementing an Arctic grayling conservation project on private land adjacent to Upper Red Rock Lakes to restore an important spawning tributary.MTU attended the multi-day, annual Upper Pallid Sturgeon Work Group meeting to discuss data and options for pallid sturgeon recovery, especially in regard to the operation of the Intake Bypass channel and test flows from Ft. Peck damMontana TU is first and foremost a people organization. Achieving our mission requires engaged members, supporters and partners. We strive to improve and protect the values the public treasures about rivers and trout: Educated the next generation of conservationists with one 5-day, overnight camp.Increased awareness of fisheries issues from responsible angling and fish handling, Hoot Owl information to ongoing concerns and opportunities like AIS, catch-and-release and Keep Em Wet.Helped train the next generation of angling guides in conservation priorities and strategies.Defended Montanas best-in-the nation Stream Access Law and public lands.