DECISION NOTICE Finkle Private Pond License Review FWP-DN-FSH-R3-24-027

May 31, 2024 5:25 PM

A private landowner is applying for a Private Fish Pond License and proposes to stock Rainbow Trout in an unnamed private pond. Rainbow Trout are not native. However, Elk Creek already contain Brown Trout, Brook Trout, and Rainbow Trout. The 0.90-surface acre pond is located off Highway 84 west of Bozeman about 0.3 miles north of Elk Creek. The pond is fed by a groundwater well located at the site. The outlet consists of a screened Argi-Drain control structure. The intermittent outflow of the pond is directed to a vegetated swale on the property, so risk of escapement is low. Rainbow Trout could be removed from the pond via chemical treatments or through senescence. The project is sponsored by the private landowner and the license would be active for 10 years from the year of issuance (2024). The license can be renewed for additional 10-year intervals at the end of each term, and the license is transferable.