The Bureau of Reclamation has announced its annual Water SMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I Grants. This program provides funding for local communities to develop a watershed group, complete watershed management planning activities, or design watershed management activities. Applicants may request up to $100,000 for projects to be completed within two years. Applicants eligible […]

It has only been a few weeks since we wrapped up the 2020 Summit to Stream  Conference and Symposium. (How can that be?!) We now have up on the Recordings and Materials page, the website recordings from all three days as well as presentations and additional resources. You can also find the recordings on our YouTube page.

The leaves are falling, and our Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) members’ terms are coming to an end. To help us celebrate their successes during a particularly challenging year, we’ve got three entertaining and engaging blog posts for you. Abigail Toretsky plants the seed(ling)s for conservation success with the Lolo Watershed Group and Lolo National Forest, Brooke Helstrom of […]

Proposals for Watershed Fund Project Support are now being accepted. Awards of up to $30,000 are available for on-the-ground conservation projects on private land. Proposals are due by 5 pm on Friday, November 6. The MWCC Watershed Fund provides direct support to our community-based Partners for capacity-building, professional development, and on-the-ground projects. Since 2015, the […]

Valerie Kurth, Member of the MWCC Water Committee and Water Resource Planner for the Montana Department of Natural Resources   “Never does nature say one thing and wisdom say another.” – Juvenal, The Sixteen Satires One of the most interesting – and most innovative – recommendations in Montana’s State Water Plan (2015) is to explore […]

Check out the great work 2020 Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) members have been getting done for watershed health across Montana! Emma Kelsick writes about building rain barrels with the Sun River Watershed Group, Grace Pierstorff of the Bitter Root Water Forum shares her experience teaching seventh-graders what a watershed is, and Reyna Abreu-Vigil takes […]

The Montana Watershed Coordination Council and Montana Forest Collaboration Network are joining efforts to host a 3-day online Watershed and Forest Symposium/Workshop. This event will bring land and water conservation professionals and enthusiasts together to explore opportunities for strengthening partnerships and improving on-the-ground work that supports healthy forests and watersheds in Montana. We created an […]

The application for hosting a BSWC member in 2021 is now live! The Big Sky Watershed Corps Partnership is looking to place 34  AmeriCorps members across the Treasure state and is asking qualified organizations to apply to host a member or two. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 11. Need more details before applying? Montana […]

This post was written by Garfield County Conservation District Administrator and MWCC Board Member Dusty Olson. The Garfield County Conservation District is back in the full swing of summer (already?!?!), boat season, and watercraft inspecting! We are operating the Wibaux and Flowing Wells watercraft inspection stations again this year, keeping Montana’s waterways safe from Aquatic […]

MWCC’s Watershed Stories are expanding to radio! In May, June, and July of 2020, you’ll hear messages from the Broadwater Conservation District, Beaverhead Watershed Committee, Bitter Root Water Forum, and Granite Headwaters Watershed Group about their organizations and communities on local stations in each watershed. There’s a lot to listen to as some groups have […]

Our Annual Impact Statement for 2019 is out! With the help of our partners, MWCC has been able to: Distribute $230,000 in capacity, project, and professional development sub grants to watershed organizations through our Watershed Fund. Develop 2 New Watershed Stories to share the success of the Watershed Approach in Granite County and elsewhere in the Upper […]

Due to health and safety concerns from the COVID-19 outbreak, the Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC) and the Montana Forest Collaboration Network (MFCN) have decided to restructure our combined conference scheduled for this coming fall, and we are no longer gathering in Butte, MT October 14th-16th. Instead, we will be working to develop new and […]

While the rapidly evolving circumstances around COVID-19 affect us personally, many of us are also trying to find ways to continue conservation efforts critical to the sustainability and resilience of our state’s natural resources and communities. To help with this shift in our working environments, Sustainable Northwest, an NGO focused on collaborative conservation in Oregon […]

If you need a moment to look at something beyond your office space, take a few minutes to watch these videos highlighting the Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group and the Gallatin Watershed Council. Watch gorgeous shots of the Upper Yellowstone Watershed and listen to the voices of those who work to preserve it in a time […]

Check out the latest Watershed Stories, highlighting local conservationists in the Upper Clark Fork Watershed. From Warm Springs Creek to the Little Blackfoot River, Montana’s Natural Resource Damage Program supports restoration efforts throughout the Upper Clark Fork. Numerous partners in the Upper Clark Fork are bringing people together to restore and protect the lands and waters that […]

Congratulations to the recipients of Watershed Fund Project Support in 2020: The Big Hole Watershed Committee, Bitter Root Water Forum, Blackfoot Challenge, Clark Fork Coalition, Sun River Watershed Group, Swan Valley Connections, and Upper Musselshell Conservation District for the Musselshell Watershed Coalition. We are excited to support these groups in the great projects they have planned! […]

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2020 Annual Meeting, and a special thanks to Julia Haggerty, the agency and watershed panelists, and the roundtable discussion leaders for providing such informative perspectives on watershed conservation opportunities across the state. You can find resources from the meeting in our training archive. If you have any feedback, we’d love […]

This post was provided by Eric Trum, environmental science specialist with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and MWCC Board Member. DEQ’s Nonpoint Source Program has chosen the Lower Gallatin as their next Focus Watershed, meaning the agency will direct extra resources toward reducing nonpoint source pollution and improving water quality in this basin for […]

The Western Division of the American Fisheries Society is seeking nominations for the 2020 Riparian Challenge Awards. Find the nomination form below.

December 3rd is GivingTuesday, a day that encourages generosity. MWCC’s work would not be possible without the generosity and involvement we receive from individuals and organizations across the state. Please consider showing your support for MWCC and get connected to the watershed world by becoming one of our 2020 Partners. If you are already a […]

This post was written by Big Hole Watershed Committee Program Manager Ben LaPorte. I always look forward to making the trip into the East Fork of Divide Creek. Nestled up high and back into the Highland Mountains, south of Butte, lays this beautiful headwaters mountain stream. Surrounded by lodgepole pine, spruce, and giant granite boulders, […]

This post was written by Big Sky Watershed Corps member Zane Ashford as a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Zane shares more about the Gallatin Watershed and two watershed groups working to conserve water resources there. The Gallatin River Task Force gave a presentation about their […]

The MWCC Watershed Fund has Project Support funding to assist our Partner watershed organizations in implementing conservation projects on private land.   Up to $20,000 can be awarded to each recipient, and funding will be distributed on a reimbursement basis. There is a non-federal, 1:1 match requirement that can be met through cash or in-kind contributions. Applications are due […]

This post was written by Big Sky Watershed Corps member Mark Werley as a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Mark shares more about our stop at the Jefferson Slough and the work done there to combat aquatic invasive species. Photo: The Jefferson Slough, a side channel of […]

Join us for MWCC’s Annual Meeting, January 21, 2020 in Helena at the Delta Marriott. This year’s theme is “Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities.” View the agenda, find out more about our keynote speaker, and more on our 2020 Annual Meeting page.   Thank You to Our Sponsors

This post is a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Photo: Kara Maplethorpe presents on the Centennial Valley.  Out of the rain and under the shelter of a pavilion at Bannack State Park, Kara Maplethorpe, the executive coordinator for the Centennial Valley Association, passed framed pictures around […]

TOWNSEND, MT, October 29 — It took a lot of handshakes to restore Deep Creek. Over the past decade, more than 20 landowners took on hundreds of conservation projects to improve stream health and agricultural lands along the creek. They upgraded irrigation systems to reduce water use, installed fencing and off-stream stock watering systems, planted […]

The Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce Ethan Kunard as its next Executive Director. Kunard succeeds outgoing Executive Director Erin Farris-Olsen and will lead MWCC in fulfilling its mission of uniting and supporting Montana’s watershed communities to promote healthy and productive landscapes. Since the early 1990s, MWCC has played […]

This post was written by Big Sky Watershed Corps member Mitch Hoffman as a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Mitch shares more about our stop at the Endecott ranch in the Madison Valley and the passive restoration used there. Photo: An irrigation ditch flows through the […]

The State Employee Charitable Giving Campaign (SECGC) is in full swing and the Montana Watershed Coordination Council would love your support this year! The SECGC gives state employees a chance to donate to organizations of their choice via payroll deduction, cash, check, credit, or debit card. MWCC greatly appreciates individual donors and their help in […]

This post was written by Big Sky Watershed Corps member Liz Shull as a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Liz shares more about our stop at the Woodson Ranch and how groups from across the Ruby Valley come together to get conservation done. Photo: Les Gilman, Executive […]

This post was written by Big Sky Watershed Corps member Emilie Lahneman as a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Emilie shares more about our stops at the Oregon Creek and French Gulch restoration projects in the Big Hole Watershed. Photo: A view of the Oregon Creek restoration project. […]

This post was written by Big Sky Watershed Corps member Lacey Gunther as a part of a series reviewing the stops along the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour. Lacey shares more about our stop at the Poindexter Slough restoration project in the Beaverhead Watershed. Photo: It wasn’t exactly a warm day when Matt Jaeger, fisheries biologist […]

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2019 Missouri Headwaters Watershed Tour! We have put together a post of resources used and mentioned on the tour, contact information, and a way to give us feedback in our training archive. Find it here. And don’t forget to stay tuned to our blog in the coming weeks, […]

Photo: Blackfeet Agriculture Research Management Plan team receiving Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research 100 Grant This post was written by Meg Desmond. Meg is a Big Sky Watershed Corps member serving with the Blackfeet Nation Agriculture and Resource Management Program in Browning, Montana. When I committed to a position as a Big Sky Watershed […]

Thank you to everyone who has signed up for the 2019 Missouri Headwaters Tour! Below is some information you may need if you are joining us. A few points to remember Wear warm clothes and don’t forget your rain gear. Don’t forget to check the weather as you pack. Most of this tour takes place […]

The Big Sky Watershed Corps (BSWC) program is now accepting applications for local watershed and conservation organizations to host BSWC members in 2020. BSWC is an AmeriCorps program that places young professionals in Montana’s watershed communities to make a measurable difference in local conservation initiatives, in the areas of watershed health and protection, watershed education and outreach, […]

Photo: A graph showing depth and temperature at the Upper Big Creek site was created by the electronic data logger. This post was written by Morgan Squires, Patrick Cross and Jeff Reed – all individuals involved with RiverNET – to provide a more in-depth explanation of this resource. Most everyone who has fished the Yellowstone […]

Photo: Beth Moos (center, in gray T-shirt) explains details of the project to Gallatin watershed partners. This spring, Beth and Jeff Moos watched the rising waters of the East Gallatin River with no small amount of apprehension. They couldn’t help but think of last year, when the river tore across their property west of Bozeman, […]

Montana Watershed Coordination Council is excited that our first year of legislative involvement resulted in the passing of Senate Bill 32, “An Act Creating a Stream Gauge Oversight Work Group; Revising Duties of the Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee.”     Background The concept of coordinating information and entities regarding Montana’s stream gauge infrastructure […]

Stream Restoration on Lower Jack Creek The Madison Conservation District is restoring 2,200 feet of degraded streambank along Lower Jack Creek, a key tributary of the Madison River, on private properties owned by three separate landowners. This project includes: Encouraging the establishment of healthy riparian buffers by planting woody vegetation along 5 prioritized sections of […]

Last week, Montana Watershed Coordination Council’s communications fellow, Rosie Costain, joined in on a project to increase natural water storage in the Big Hole Watershed. Rosie tells a bit more about the experience: When Ben LaPorte, program manager for the Big Hole Watershed Committee (BHWC) and one of the people involved in a restoration project […]

Click here to find out more about the tour, including the schedule, available lodging, and tour sponsors.  Join the Montana Watershed Coordination Council and Missouri Headwaters Partnership on a tour highlighting the watershed approach to natural resource management. In the Missouri headwaters, local organizations are actively navigating the changing landscape on which their communities rely. […]

We’re excited to be partnering with local artist Seth Roby and all five of our Helena breweries to offer this distinct limited edition T-Shirt! Come on down and visit about the Helena watershed and support MWCC at the following events this summer: Wednesday, May 1st, Snow Hop Tuesday, June 4th, Lewis & Clark Sunday, July […]

Overview presentations for seven online data resources that can be used to assess watershed characteristics and help identify project opportunities. These presentations were part of the 2019 MWCC Annual Meeting.

Click here for more information.

In 2017, MWCC’s Board of Directors added “represent” as a tenet to our organization’s 2018-2020 Strategic Plan. This addition was born of the expressed value of our watershed partners to have “a collective voice for watershed groups” on issues concerning local conservation activities.  In the past, MWCC’s policy engagement has been minimal. However, our watershed […]

 

Stay tuned for Details…

In the watershed world, there are a few topics that are guaranteed to be discussed at every gathering: drought/flooding, best local brewery, and stream gages.  At a recent meeting of the Musselshell Watershed Coalition, the group took a close look at gaging stations – how they work, who uses them and how, and who pays […]

Thank you for all your support over the years! We are excited to announce the release of our 2017 Annual Report! Click here to download the 2017 MWCC Annual Report

Last month’s annual meeting brought watershed groups, conservation professionals, agency personnel (and directors), Big Sky Watershed Corps members, and private individuals together for a day of learning, networking, and discussion. We were fortunate to be joined by Mark Haggerty of Headwaters Economics, and we had the unique opportunity to hear from our state agency panelists. […]

The Beaverhead Watershed Committee, Ruby Watershed Council, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks put together a video chock full of information about bioengineering approached for streambank stabilization. To check out the video, click here.

MWCC is proud to present the Musselshell Watershed Stories! The Musselshell highlights are the first of seven Watershed Stories we’ll be releasing throughout 2018 highlighting the people behind the projects in watershed groups throughout Montana. We hope these personal stories of people committed to their communities and landscapes inspire you to take action and support the […]

The Third Edition of the Montana Lake Book provides an incredible amount of information about how lakes function, and how they are threatened. It also identifies simple actions we can all take to protect and preserve the lake of Montana. To check out the website, click here. For more information about the Whitefish Lake Institute […]

The 2018 Annual meeting will bring some of the most knowledgeable water resource professionals in the state together for a day of information sharing, dynamic conversations, and networking. MWCC Annual Meeting 2018 Friday, January 12th Kleffner Ranch, East Helena Regular Registration-$30 MWCC Partner Registration- FREE Register Here Apply here for a Professional Development Scholarship AGENDA: […]

The Clean Water Act is a federal law, but every state is required to develop their own version of most of the programs. To celebrate this milestone, the River Network created The Clean Water Act Owners Manual and a Federal Budget Toolkit to help communities, watershed groups, and other local conservation entities better understand this important […]

After a summer of intense wildfires that left more than a million acres burned in Montana alone, the role local conservation organizations can play in making their communities resilient and prepared in the face of natural disasters is becoming more and more important. Check out this great blog post from the River Network about the role of local conservation […]

The Department of Environmental Quality is accepting public comment on Montana’s Five-Year Nonpoint Source Management Plan. The Plan focuses on strategies for reducing diffuse or nonpoint sources of pollution to Montana’s waterbodies through a program that supports voluntary improvements to land management practices. Nonpoint sources of pollution include sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and metals that can […]

      Channel Migration Easements in Montana: How Conservation Easements and Rivers Can Work Together The Montana Aquatic Resource Services (MARS) has put together a series of white papers with information about Channel Migration Easements in Montana. The papers articulates the benefits of allowing a river to freely migrate, and the how these easements […]

MWCC is excited to have teamed up with the Montana Nonprofit Association to offer MWCC partners MNA member rates for their 2017 Annual Conference in Missoula. This conference brings more than 400 people together for the premier nonprofit convening in the region. The conference theme is Go Further Together, and is designed for networking, learning, and […]

Check out our 2016 Annual Report! 2016 was a big year for Montana Watershed Coordination Council! Between the Symposium in Billings, bringing on a Watershed Outreach Coordinator, commissioning a mural, and sub-granting a record amount to watershed groups, it was a year of growth for our organization and the #watershedfamily. To learn more about what […]

Join MWCC for a tour of the Musselshell Watershed, where we are excited to highlight collaborative efforts and conservation projects past, present, and future, being implemented by the Musselshell Watershed Coalition and the Missouri River Conservation Districts Council. Between the massive flood in 2011, ongoing drought, and a record breaking wildfire this summer, the Musselshell […]

Katie is Broadwater Conservation district’s 4th Big Sky watershed Corps member, and is serving her second term with the District. She is originally from Appleton, Wisconsin and graduated with a degree in Natural Resources, emphasizing ecological restoration. Katie is a huge fan of the Green Bay Packers, fishing, camping, and hiking. She assists the district […]

The State of the Watersheds Report is the first time MWCC has had the capacity to describe the work of our Watershed Directory in an accessible and easy to understand format. The report highlights the work of more than 50 watershed groups in our directory by providing a paragraph and photo of each watershed group. […]

The team at AdaptWest have created two new pages that analyze climate data. The first page, “Environmental diversity data for North America,” explores datasets that represent different types of environmental diversity metrics that can be used to help identify climate change refugia. Some approaches to identifying areas that will be refuges for biodiversity under climate change are […]

In partnership with the Montana DEQ non-point source program, MWCC offered a two day training on watershed restoration planning, including five primary topic areas.: stakeholder and community engagement, drafting and development, and implementation. Experienced trainers from around the state discussed planning strategies as well as technical and financial resources available for each planning stage. *DEQ […]

Register now for MWCC’s Spring Training on “Creative and Effective Watershed Planning.” Effective watershed restoration planning can be a step stone to more than one conservation program and a good plan is more than just a hoop to jump through. In partnership with the Montana DEQ non-point source program, MWCC is offering a two-day training on watershed […]

Check out this great article about the contribution lichen and mosses play in rangeland health.    

This new tool allows users to engage with an interactive map that provides a detailed socioeconomic report that shows trends for population, employment, personal income, earnings, and jobs by industry, non-labor, income, and more. Check it out and learn something about your county! Click HERE to access the page.    

The Senate voted 52-46 to confirm Scott Pruitt as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Reactions have been mixed and Montana’s Senators are no different. You can click HERE to read the statement released by Senator Daines.  Below is the release on Pruitt’s confirmation from Senator Tester’s office: TESTER SUPPORTS CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN […]

  On March 20th, MWCC will bring members of the watershed directory together to tell your stories of success in natural resource stewardship to your local policy makers here and other state representatives and agency personnel. MWCC’s network is diverse, statewide, and incorporates so many different entities, including conservation districts, watershed groups, agencies both state […]

We’re still working with our partners at the DNRC to get the report printed, but until we do please feel free to download the report from here, and sign up in the form below to have a report sent to you! The State of the Watersheds Report is the first time MWCC has had the […]

Tuesday, January 24, 2017 DEQ Statement on EPA funding: DEQ learned today of a freeze on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant and contract funding. This is a new situation that we are monitoring and we are working with other states to find out more information on impacts. We rely on funding from EPA to implement federal […]

MWCC is honored to be selected for this unique opportunity to auction the rare 1980 Kentucky Bourbon from O.F.C. Vintages. MWCC is a statewide network that unites and supports Montana’s watershed communities.  Watershed groups are locally led and engaged in community based conservation. MWCC supports these groups by providing training and resources, direct financial support, […]

MWCC and the Montana Wetland Council are now accepting applications for the Wetland & Watershed steward awards. Application available here. Guidelines Wetland and watershed projects/activities do not need to be complete to be eligible. Nominations can be made by anyone, including oneself. Nominations are due January 15, 2017. The recipients will be selected by the Montana […]

MWCC 2017 Legislative Bulletin Check out our first Legislative Bulletin! For the first time ever, MWCC is compiling a legislative bulletin that’s updated and sent out bi-weekly to those that sign up. The bulletin contains bills pertinent to watershed groups, funding, and general conservation. Additionally, we will be including ways to get involved and information […]

We have been working hard to get a new, easy to use website up so that different groups and individuals can find the information they need. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments!

The Cascading Success of Wetland Restoration Amy Seaman, Associate Director of Conservation, MT Audubon and MWCC Board Member Just south of Ennis MT, in the shadow of The Sphinx, the Granger Ranches is a decade into the long process of restoring over 1,000 acres of valuable wetland habitat east of the Madison River along O’Dell creek. […]

The MWCC Symposium is a dynamic advertising opportunity. Upwards of 150 water professionals will be in attendance. Attending water professionals go on to hire professional services that they originally access through the conference. Promotional opportunities include sponsorship advertising or representation at vendor tables. A vendor space alone is available for a donation of $250 and […]

Sierra Harris is a native Montanan and has been working in the Natural Resources field for over 20 years. Sierra joined TNC in March 2015 and works as the Freshwater Conservation Project Manager in Montana. Prior to working for the Nature Conservancy, she worked for three and a half years as the coordinator for the […]

2016 WAWG Projects Tour – 8/30/2016 through 8/31/2016 After missing the 2015 annual tour, the WAWG is back at it for 2016. We’re super excited about this upcoming opportunity to tour watershed restoration projects within the Big Hole and Upper Clark Fork watersheds. Come catch the enthusiasm from local landowners and watershed groups and leave […]

Check out our BSWC Page for more information and download the application: http://www.mtwatersheds.org/committees/big-sky-watershed-corps/

Accessing Information on MT’s Animals, Plants, and Biological Communities  Thursday, May 26th 12pm MST-Register here Presenter: Bryce Maxell from Montana Natural Heritage Program Information managed by MTNHP includes taxonomy, biology, ecology, and conservation status information for nearly 8,000 plant and animal species and nearly 150 terrestrial and aquatic communities, nearly 1.7 million animal observation records, […]

Accessing Groundwater Information  Thursday, May 12th 12pm-Register here Presenter: Jeremy Crowley from Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology One of the major components of MBMG (Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology) work is the Ground Water Information Center (GWIC), which is an online database containing nearly 300,000 well, 2,600 spring, and 950 long-term groundwater monitoring […]

Overview of the Montana Water Information System Thursday, April 28th 12pm MST-Register Here Presenter: Troy Blanford from Montana State Library The Montana Water Information System (WIS) organizes water-related information from multiple state and federal agencies and makes it discoverable from one starting place. The WIS makes high quality data on surface water, groundwater, water rights, […]

State Procurement Thursday, April 14th 12pm MST –Register here. Presenter: Robyn Boyle from Montana Department of Environmental Quality This webinar will review how state agencies, specifically DEQ, procures services, and how those agencies enter into contractual agreements. Participants will have an opportunity to participate in procurement and contract management training and ask any questions they […]

MWCC is excited to have received support through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to facilitate a series of meetings assisting the Clark Fork Task Force in re-defining its purpose, objectives, membership, and possibly its name. The first meeting will be April 15th, 10-1p in Missoula.  If you’re a member, friend, or supporter of the Task Force, we hope you […]

MWCC Past Events & Training Materials 2016 Annual Meeting           MWCC 2015 Symposium and Joint Meeting with American Water Resources Association, Montana Chapter     Fall 2015 Passive Restoration Training

Thanks to a partnership with Bureau of Land Management, the Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC) is available to assist conservation groups in eastern Montana who have a watershed goal or idea, but could use assistance building a specific capacity needed in order to reach their goals. In 2014, this program provided the opportunity for strategic watershed […]

Check out our What We Do page for a downloadable MWCC Annual Report.  You may also request a physical copy from our office by contacting Erin Farris-Olsen, erin@mtwatersheds.org.

Montana Watershed Coordination Council & Montana Watercourse is offering, with support of the US Environmental Protection Agency, a mini grant opportunity to local Montana watershed communities. Purpose: The purpose of the Environmental Education Local Mini Grants Program is to support locally-focused environmental education projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provide […]