Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), Region One, is seeking public comment for the purpose of continuing an experimental removal of lake trout in Swan Lake, Montana. The proposed action would involve contracting with professional fishery consultants to conduct gillnetting over a 3-week period beginning late August or early September 2012. Additionally, FWP and Swan Valley Bull Trout Working Group personnel will remove spawning adult lake trout during the months of October and November by gillnetting along known lake trout spawning sites. These activities would be conducted annually for five years. The draft environmental assessment is out for a 30-day public review through June 15, 2012.
(Restoration & Rehabilitation - 05/15/2012)

Surveys in the headwaters of Crawford Creek in 2003 documented the presence of a small population of pure native westslope cutthroat trout (WCT) above a waterfall barrier. Downstream Crawford Creek supported brook trout and hybridized WCT trout. A barrier was constructed on lower Crawford Creek in 2005. In 2006, approximately 1.5 miles of Crawford Creek upstream of the constructed fish barrier was treated with rotenone (EA 5/16/2006; DN 8/28/2006). A total of 196 live juvenile and adult WCT were transferred in 2007 and 2008 to the fishless habitat in Crawford Creek. Surveys in 2009 found rainbow and hybrid trout above the fish barrier. The Lewis and Clark National Forest identified a road crossing and culvert replacement project 0.10 miles downstream of the current failing fish barrier and was designed to meet requirements of both the USFS and the stringent criteria for a fish barrier. We propose using rotenone to remove hybridized fish from the lower reaches of Crawford Creek (1 to 1.5 miles of stream) after replacement of the old and inadequate culvert with the new culvert/fish barrier. Non-hybridized WCT remaining in the headwaters of Crawford Creek would then naturally re-populate the lower reaches of stream. The proposed action is nearly identical to the selected action described in the original EA (EA 5/16/2006; DN 8/28/2006). Under the proposed action, approximately 0.10 miles of additional downstream habitat would be treated with rotenone. Only the length of stream supporting non-native fishes would be treated. Non-hybridized WCT may currently occupy the headwaters of previously treated areas of Crawford Creek. These headwater areas would be assessed and eliminated from treatment plans. The level of environmental and human impacts described and addressed in the original EA are essentially unchanged. We also describe the two other alternatives considered. The proposed alternative would increase the total miles of stream holding non-hybridized WCT by approximately 5 percent in the Belt Creek Drainage.
(Restoration & Rehabilitation - 04/20/2012)

The proposed project is located on Big Spring Creek about 1 mile south of Lewistown, MT at the Brewery Flats Fishing Access Site (FAS) The project would involve removal of sediment (gravel and silt) deposited at the interface between a new re-meandered channel constructed in 2000 and a channel straightened in 1912. Due to the deposition, the channel lost about 2 feet of depth for a 100 yard linear distance. As a result, Big Spring Creek is spreading out and flooding the Brewery Flats FAS at base flow. Water is also flooding a downstream outhouse, sections of trail and vegetation. To prevent channel migration and limit further impacts to infrastructure, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) proposes to dredge the 100 yards of Big Spring Creek to the approximate depth of 2 ft that was present in 2005. FWP proposes to hire a contractor to excavate the approximately 700 cubic yards of silt and gravel with a dump truck and excavator using best management practices. Excavated material would be removed off-site and deposited in an area away from wetlands. Equipment would access the site via the trail and road system. Failure to perform remediation work may result in a channel change at the location, which would have significant adverse impacts to nearby infrastructure, including a road, waterline, trails, FAS parking and a vault latrine. Project Type – Fisheries, Document Type – Environmental Assessment, Agency – Montana FWP, Location: Fergus County
(Restoration & Rehabilitation - 11/15/2011)