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 […]

We hope you will be joining us in Whitefish next week.  If you will miss the meet up, check back for meeting materials and resources! Learn more about the Symposium and review the latest program details here.

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

Are you looking for… a positive and success oriented work environment, an opportunity to join a (small but) dynamic group of people supporting watershed activities statewide, and support for your personal professional development. Consider joining MWCC as the Watershed Programs Coordinator….   Montana Watershed Coordination Council, Watershed Programs Coordinator Organization and Position Background The Montana Watershed Coordination […]

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 […]

 The 2016 MWCC Annual Meeting will be a one-stop Montana networking opportunity with local beer-to boot! When? February 12, 2016, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Where? 9:00a Montana WILD (2668 Broadwater Avenue, Helena, Montana); 3:00p Ten Mile Brewing Co. (46 N Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 46 N Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT) Agenda: http://www.mtwatersheds.org/2016-annual-meeting/ RSVP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GXG3QNY Hope to see you there!  

We’re just over halfway to our fundraising goal for the Ten Mile Watershed Mural! Stop on by Ten Mile Brewing on January 24th to check out our progress, enjoy some music, and drink a beverage to support the mural! A portion of the day’s proceeds will go to the Montana Watershed Coordination Council and the […]

We at MWCC love partnerships! That is why MWCC is joining up with Ten Mile Brewing Co. and Mel Griffin, a local ceramic artist, to place a 4×12 foot (yes, it’s going to be HUGE!) ceramic art piece in perfect view of the Helena walking mall to remind fellow Helenians of the city’s unique placement […]

MWCC’s Water Activities Working Group and DNRC-CARD hosted a conference call on 10/20 to explain and answer questions regarding the new Watershed Management Grant (WMG) opportunity available through DNRC.  See the program fact sheet for details: Watershed Management Grant Program Fact Sheet. Additional program information is available here. The conference call generated these WMG FAQs. The audience […]

Tomorrow (10/20) at 1:00p, MWCC’s Water Activities Working Group and DNRC-CARD will host a conference call to explain and answer questions regarding the new Watershed Management Grant opportunity available through DNRC.  See the program fact sheet for details: Watershed Program Fact Sheet. Please RSVP by emailing info@mtwatersheds.org to make sure we reserve enough space for […]

Are you missing the Symposium?  Check out the Wednesday morning panel presentation line up and presentation Part 1 & Part 2 right here! Don’t want to miss out next year? Mark your calendar for the 2016 MWCC Symposium in Billings, MT October 24th-26th!

Dear 319 Program Project Sponsors and Water Activities Workgroup Supporters, Please join the MWCC Water Activities Work Group for our annual review of the 319 Nonpoint Source Program Preliminary Project Proposals. We have 12 exciting proposals to comment on this year, so we hope you all will join us for the August 12th review meeting […]

Montana Watershed Coordination Council is excited to partner with AWRA and pair the High Divide Capacity Building Workshop with our 2015 Symposium. Two programs +One week=Dynamic Opportunity for our MT Watershed Groups! Activities will run October 5-9th.  Registration and “schedule at a glance” are now live on our website! We look forward to seeing you […]

Do you have a story of watershed groups and scientists working well together? Where together they accomplished more than either could have alone? If so, please consider submitting an abstract for our 2015 Symposium in Missoula October 7-9, 2015. We invite presentations on all aspects of the science and management of Montana’s water resources with […]

See our BSWC Page for details.

    MWCC is please to announce our joint workshop with the Montana Wetland Council: Passive Restoration 101. REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS FULL BUT YOU MAY STILL APPLY FOR THE WAIT LIST. PassiveRestoration101Description [Registration Form in Word] PassiveRestoration101Registration [Registration Form PDF] PassiveRestoration101Registration  

MWCC is excited to announce that we have hired an Executive Director – Erin Farris-Olsen of Helena! Erin is a graduate in Environmental Studies and Communication from Carroll College and Natural Resources Law at the University of Oregon. Erin spent her younger years serving as an outdoor educator for the public school outdoor program in […]

Montana Wetland Council and Montana Watershed Coordination Council are pleased to announce the 2015 Wetland and Watershed Stewardship Award Recipients. Every two years, the Montana Wetland Council and the Montana Watershed Coordination Council jointly honor stewardship award recipients. The Montana Wetland Stewardship Awards recognize individuals and/or teams who exemplify excellence, innovation and extraordinary commitment in […]

Join us for our annual general meeting on January 29th, 2015 at Montana WILD in Helena.

Every two years, the Montana Wetland Council and the Montana Watershed Coordination Council jointly honor recipients of two stewardship awards: The Montana Wetland Stewardship Awards, and the Montana Watershed Stewardship Award. The Montana Wetland Stewardship Awards recognize individuals and/or teams who exemplify excellence, innovation and extraordinary commitment in wetland protection, restoration, and conservation. The Montana […]

Update: As of May 1, we have hired for this position. Please go here for the announcement on our new executive director. The Montana Watershed Coordination Council is now hiring for its Executive Director. MWCC seeks a motivated and dynamic individual to lead our growing statewide organization. Applicants should be familiar with watersheds and natural […]

MWCC will be hosting its AGM at the Montana Wild center in Helena, on Thursday, January 29 from 9-4. This year’s focus will be on the 2015 Legislative Session and will include: A panel discussion on natural resource issues affecting Montana in 2015 Navigating the legislative session including how to use the LAWS tracking system […]

Watershed Wednesday is an event that MWCC hosts during legislative years for watershed groups to come to Helena and table during the legislature. This is an educational opportunity to share the great work you do with our representatives. This year’s WW will be an afternoon session and MWCC will provide coffee and treats for legislators […]

In response to a recent Bozeman Daily Chronicle article about the state of Montana’s waters, which was reposted in our Watershed News, the MWCC board of directors has released this op-ed to clarify the state of Montana’s waters and tell more of the story..  Read the article here: MWCC_OpEd_Final 11.20.14.

This is a special invitation to Building Capacity for Successful Community-based Conservation, a workshop for people who work on community-based conservation in the High Divide, Southern Crown of the Continent, and surrounding areas. The workshop will focus on 1) communications, 2) fundraising and 3) strategy. Thanks to generous gifts from The Brainerd Foundation, Kendeda Fund, […]

As with most big changes, it is with a mix of emotions that I say goodbye to MWCC. I have resigned as Executive Director, effective December 31st, to explore other opportunities. To those that I have had the chance to work with over the last year, it’s been a pleasure! If there’s one big take […]

The Montana Watershed Coordination Council is happy to announce that we have secured the Capitol Rotunda for the afternoon on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 for Watershed Wednesday (WW)! This is an event that MWCC hosts during legislative years for watershed groups to come to Helena and table during the legislature. This is an educational opportunity […]

Learn More!  

The Watershed Institute is your online one-stop resource for trainings and classes relevant to Montana watershed protection. Watershed coordinators, staff, and volunteers can take a skills assessment test and receive information for classes and resources specific to their development need Current skill areas include:  – project planning – volunteer recruitment and retention – conflict management […]

           MWCC, in partnership with BLM, has selected the Musselshell Watershed Coalition and the Yellowstone River CD Council as recipients of our capacity building project. This project aims to provide direct support and technical assistance to watershed groups in areas such as strategic planning, education and outreach, organizational development, leveraging resources, and more.We […]

Our weekly watershed news is full or statewide resources and opportunities:  water related news articles upcoming events workshop and training opportunities funding and grants job postings Sign up here! *If your organization would like to advertise an opportunity or event in the watershed news, please send information to info@mtwatersheds.org and we would be happy to […]

Join the MWCC team! Subscribe to our weekly newsletter or make a donation and you will be eligible for pro deals on great outdoor gear through ProMotive. Step 1. Subscribe to our newsletter or make a donation Step 2. Visit www.ProMotive.com and join our “team,” the Montana Watershed Coordination Council Step 3. Stay up to […]

Spring Training 2014 Registration To register, fill out the registration form below, click “Submit,” then proceed to PAYMENT OPTIONS (beneath form) for instructions on how to submit payment.  Once payment is remitted, you will receive a confirmation email, event updates, and logistical information.   PAYMENT OPTIONS To finish your registration, pay by check or via our […]