Restoration in Upper Clark Fork Advances
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WINTER TROUT LINE 2012 Newsletter from the Montana Council of Trout Unlimited Restoration in Upper Clark Fork Advances by Bruce Farling n December, several landmarks were amounts dedicated with the Blackfoot reached that, after more than 20 years for each resource River. Iof expectations, should accelerate are proportionate to Also released restoration in the mining damaged upper those the State sought in December was Clark Fork River basin. After years of in the original legal another important crafting and public engagement, Gov. claims. Montana TU plan developed Schweitzer signed a plan that formalizes has long endorsed by Montana FWP how $117 million in remaining restoration this approach as fair biologists with the funds from the State’s settlement of its and equitable. Some aid of the state’s natural resource damage litigation against folks in the basin, Natural Resource Arco will be allocated for Clark Fork however, sought to Damage Program. projects. The Upper Clark Fork River Basin steer most of the Prioritization of Areas Long Range Priorities & Fund Allocation money to the Butte Upper Clark Fork River in the Upper Clark Guidance Plan is close to what Montana TU and Anaconda areas, though the damage Fork River Basin for Fishery Enhancement and the Clark Fork Coalition –as well as the from mining and smelting has extended identifies specific areas and streams the governor’s advisory group for Clark Fork along 120 miles of Clark Fork floodplain restoration money will be steered to. The restoration – actively advocated for. all the way to Milltown. The allocation main Clark Fork above Deer Lodge as well The allocation plan divides the trust split means that approximately 39 percent as two tributaries of Silver Bow Creek -- fund among the three damaged resources of the remaining funding – with a few German Gulch and Brown’s Gulch, which that were the focus of the original legal caveats -- could be dedicated to restoration are long-standing priorities of the George action: groundwater, terrestrial habitat or replacement of damaged aquatic Grant Chapter of TU -- rank high for and aquatic habitat. Importantly, the habitat in the basin above the confluence See Upper Clark Fork, page 7 A Profile in Excellence: Bob Lane Retires as FWP Chief Lawyer by Staff hen Bob Lane surrounding management standard stream access hunters and wildlife, retired from of bison, wolves and elk. law. Despite the law’s engaged with the Montana WMontana Fish, Perhaps his best work, and extraordinary popularity Legislature. He has long Wildlife and Parks in what he says he is most and broad success, it been FWP’s go-to guy for December, anglers, proud of, was his successes continues to be targeted well-researched, persuasive hunters and wildlife in defending Montana’s gold- by a powerful handful who legal arguments at the enthusiasts lost one of seek to privatize public Capitol, and he has been an the state’s most effective invaluable ally and friend to advocates for the outdoor A Helena native, Bob has Trout Unlimited. traditions we so treasure. watersa degree and in physics,fisheries. which In retirement, Bob hopes TU will especially miss may help to explain his to spend more time with his Bob’s thoughtful, articulate meticulous legal approach. wife Valencia, his daughter and effective legal work and son, his Tennessee on behalf of excellence in Bob’s generous tendency Walkers, and, he says, on Professionalsto share his time benefit and from Montana’s rivers chasing the and public access to rivers. knowledge. They describe fisheries, Bob effectively healthy streams tackled him as a gentleman, long. some of the thorniest patient, collegial and fish Becky he championed Jakes Dockter, for so wildlife controversies thorough. Nowhere have who Bob mentored the last imaginable as FWP’s these characteristics been 11 years, will replace him as lead attorney for 27 more important than when chief legal counsel at FWP. Bob Lane waits to testify at a legislative hearing Bob, on behalf of anglers, 1 years, including flaps WINTER/12 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE “The greatest casualty is being forgotten.” -- from Wounded Warrior website MONTANA TU’S “7/24/10-Wounded Warriors- Hungry MISSION is to conserve, Horse to Teakettle, Dan O, Tim J. Larry L. protect and restore & I each had 2 caregivers. I had Mike from MD. and Jeff from N.C.. Both did well- Montana’s world-class yellow stim, purple caddis, royal Wulff. coldwater fisheries and their Very Intense!” watersheds. -- from 7/24/10 entry in my fishing log any organizations use fishing to Dan Short, Montana TU Chairman Founded in 1964, Montana help veterans disabled in Iraq Trout Unlimited is a statewide Mand Afghanistan achieve some any TU members in Montana normalcy in their lives. I’ve been privileged Mare involved in veterans grassroots organization to help one of these groups. A friend asked programs, including: comprised of 13 chapters me two Julys ago to help the Wounded The Wounded Warriors and approximately 3,400 TU Warriors Project by rowing caregivers down Project. Its mission is to honor and members. the Flathead River for a day of fly-fishing. empower wounded service people. Caregivers are usually family members who Fishing is one of many activities the www.montanatu.org take care of wounded vets. The sons of my organization uses to nurture the mind guests, Mike and Jeff, sustained serious and body, while encouraging economic injuries serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. empowerment and engagement. See TROUT LINE is published quarterly This was not the usual fishing trip. www.woundedwarriorproject.org. These guys needed to have fun while talking A group of retired Vietnam-era by Montana Trout Unlimited. Warriors and Quiet with others facing similar circumstances. officers founded Waters. It provides traumatically They also needed a break from worrying. EDITING AND DESIGN..............BRUCE FARLING injured U.S. servicemen and women They boated their share of fish and seemed MICHAEL GIBSON from Iraq and Afghanistan with a high- to enjoy the day. & KATE GRANT quality restorative program, using the Later, Mike and Jeff told me about their therapeutic experience of fly fishing on PHOTOS......................CLARK FORK COALITION injured sons. I heard about a 27–year-old Montana waters. Long time Bozeman & AMY JIMMERSON who will never be mentally older than TU member Bob Frey was instrumental about 14 because of traumatic brain injury. in its formation in 2007. See www. Printed on recycled paper using eco-friendly inks. I heard about a man losing his job because warriorsandquietwaters.org. © 2012 Montana Council of Trout Unlimited. of conflicts between work and caregiver Project Healing Waters Fly obligations. I heard about the Defense Fishing is a well-established national Department filing a $480,000 judgment organization. It assists in the physical to recover “potential insurance benefits,” and emotional rehabilitation of disabled and about the fear of having your home active duty military personnel and foreclosed because of the debilitating cost veterans through fly-fishing and fly tying of providing care for a son. education and outings. Its presence in I still struggle to describe how I felt Montana is enabled by the VA hospital while listening to these stories. I can’t in Helena. Bob Frey is a principle, as adequately express how large our moral is noted Montana fly-tier Bob Lay, obligation is to these veterans and their who has developed a 6-week fly tying families. But I am thankful that Montana’s curriculum and class for teaching Got trout plates? Pick them up at wonderful fisheries provide therapeutic disabled veterans. Garrett Fawaz, a your County Motor Vehicle office! relief to this remarkable group. veteran and president of MTU’s Pat Barnes-Missouri River Chapter, is also All veterans, disabled or not, and highly involved. The chapter’s two drift their families have sacrificed. Please take boats are available free of charge for every opportunity to thank them for what veterans fishing the Missouri River out they have done. And support them by of Craig. Call Headhunters Fly Shop at contributing time, money or even a box of 406-235-3447 to reserve. And see www. flies to the caring organizations that put projecthealingwaters.org. them on our rivers. Dan 2 Winter 2012 COUNCIL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT MONTANA OF TROUT UNLIMITED OFFICERS DAN SHORT, CHAIRMAN 164 Juniper Bend Drive Kalispell, MT 59901 257-0069 [email protected] DOUG NATION, PAST CHAIRMAN AND NLC DIRECTOR 289 Bowman Hamilton, MT 59840 363-2137 [email protected] DOUG HAACKE, TREASURER 2104 Mariposa Lane Billings, MT 59102 656-4072 Fish Water [email protected] Ensuring the health of CHRIS SCHUSTROM, SECRETARY Climate change and increasing 504 Spokane Ave. the nation’s best wild trout human demands are stressing Whitefish, MT 59937 populations is at the heart of what 862-3440 Montana’s water resources. In [email protected] we do. This includes securing 2011 we created critical tools that strongholds for dwindling native help ensure water is available species such as cutthroat trout, TOM ANACKER, NLC SECRETARY into the future for healthy aquatic 945 Technology Blvd., Ste. 102 bull trout and grayling. Our Bozeman, MT 59771-1247 achievements in 2011 on behalf (h) 586-7585 Prevailing in a landmark [email protected] communitiescase in by: the Montana Pressuring the State of • Supreme Court that of wild fish include: Montana to adopt strong guarantees the public a MTU STAFF • angling regulations on the voice in the allocation of BRUCE FARLING world-famous Missouri water rights in Montana, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR River near Craig to protect allowing citizens to protect [email protected] wild trout from a growing streams from dewatering. population of invasive Supporting our local MARK AAGENES CONSERVATION DIRECTOR walleyes.