East Fork Blacktail Deer Creek Low-Tech Restoration Project
Feb 13, 2023 2:56 PM
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks proposes to implement a low-tech habitat restoration project along the East Fork of Blacktail Deer Creek within the Blacktail Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The WMA is administered by FWP and managed to provide vital wildlife habitat for a variety of wildlife species. Since the WMA was established in 1972, FWP and partners have and continue to 4 restore habitats that were impacted by legacy land uses, primarily agriculture. Such legacy impacts are still present within the floodplain of the East Fork of Blacktail Deer Creek in the form of relic hay fields and relocated straight and incised stream channels. Those conditions have resulted in stagnated recovery of riparian habitat, habitats important to many fish and wildlife species during all seasons. The proposed project would restore hydrologic connectivity along the lower half of the East Fork of Blacktail Deer Creek, a perennial stream within the WMA. Restoring the hydrologic connectivity would result in riparian expansion that enhances and expands wildlife habitat. Long-term, beavers would be expected to recolonize and mediate the restoration area. The proposed project would also improve instream habitat conditions by decreasing the prevalence of incised sections and increasing instream habitat length and complexity, resulting in improved health of the fishery.
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Public Comment
Deadline: Written comments are due by March 16, 2022
Mail to:
Dean Waltee
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
1400 South 19th Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59718
Or email: DWaltee@mt.gov