1975 3 0864 1003 9047 8
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montana environmental indicators .\\#- ^X.^^^ ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COUNCIL FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT DECEMBER, 1975 3 0864 1003 9047 8 Environmental Quality Council Members MonUna House of Representatives I THOM.\S O. HAGER, Chairman WILLIAM M. DAY GARY N. KIMBLE A. THOMAS RASMUSSEN Montana Senate L.M. (LARRY) ABER TERRY L. MURPHY ED B. SMITH MARGARET S. WARDEN Montana Public G.W. (POR) DESCHAMPS CHARLES W. DOHENY HARRIET MARBLE JACK D. REHBERG Governor's Representative, ex officio: G. STEVEN BROWN Environmental Qualit Staff JOHN W. REUSS Executive Director LOREN L. BAHLS Ecologist RICHARD L. BOURKE Economist CHARLES E. BRANDES Land Use Analyst MAXINE R. BROWN Administrative Assistant MARL\N HIGGINS Secretary STEVEN J. PERLMUTTER A ttorney Production Staff Fourth Annual Report RONALD J. SCHLEYER Editing COVER DANIEL VICHOREK Editing mourning dove n: a wild dove (Zenaidura ediaCotn Design and Graphic mdcroura carolmensis) of the United States with a plaintive call. The mourning dove is common along Montana roadsides. Because of its extreme sensitivity to chemical contamint'n's, it is a useful indicator of environmental quality. The mourning dove is one of man}/ environmental indicators presented in this report. Tlie cover drawing is in pen and ink by Jack .[asper. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Honorable Thomas L. Judge Governor State of Montana Members of the Legislative Assembly The People of Montana The Environmental Quality &)uncil herewith submits its Fourth Annual Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, in accordance with Sec. 69-6514 of the Montana Environmental Policy Act. Rep. Thomas 0. Hager John W. Reuss Chairman Executive Director THIS REPORT PRINTED ON RECVaED PAPER. CONTENTS Montana Environmental Indicators: 1975 Preface " Introduction "' Montana Environmental Indicators: 1975 ^ A Guide to Readers Montana Environmental Indicators: 1975 Introduction ^ Acknowledgments ^ Indicators Statewide: A Summary of Data ' Montana's Environmental Regions *^" Rocky Mountain Montana ^ 29 Broad Valley Rockies Columbia Rockies '*' Yellowstone Rockies '^ "' Great Plains Montana "" Rocky Mountain Foreland Sweetgrass Plains "'' Big Dry Ill Two Rivers 123 The EQC Indicators Program . 129 Brief Review of Other Indicator Efforts Environmental Monitoring in Montana l^^l 133 Glossary 1^^ Bibliography 1'*^ Photo Credits Appendices 141 A. Biographies of EQC Members and Executive Director 142 B. The Montana Environmental Policy Act 14' C. Uniform Rules for Environmental Impact Statements 1^4 D. Documents Submitted in Compliance with MEPA ^^^ E. EQC Program Cost Summary List of Figures '^ Figure 1 Montana Population, 1950-1974 "^ Figure 2 Montana Population Density, 1950-1974 1930-1970 8 Figure 3 Size of Montana's Urban, Farm, and Rural Non-Farm Population, 1930-1970 8 Figure 4 Percent of Montana's Urban, Farm, and Rural Non-Farm Population, Figure 5 Montana Population Changes (A) Reflected by Births minus 8 Deaths and Net Migration, 1950-1954 9 Figure 6 Montana Coal Production, 1970-1974 9 Figure 7 Montana Oil Production, 1970-1974 101' Figure 8 Montana Natural Gas Production, 1970-1974 1" Montana Hydroelectric Generation, 1972 and 1974 Figure 9 H Figure 10 Montana Agricultural Land in Farms, 1959 and 1969 of Montana Agricultural Land by Type, 1964 and 1969 H Figure 11 Distribution H 12 Montana Cropland, Pasture and Range, 1958 and 1967 Figure H Figure 13 Distribution of Montana Cropland, Pasture and Range, 1958 and 1967 12 Figure 14 Private and State Forestland in Montana, 1958 and 1967 Figure 15 Federal Forestland in Montana, 1970 and 1974 12 Figure 16 Montana Water Withdrawals and Consumption of Withdrawals, 1970 13 Figure 17 Montana Gold and Silver Production, 1964-1974 14 Figure 18 Montana Copper, Lead, and Zinc Production, 1964-1974 15 Figure 19 Avian Diversity in Montana, 1968-1974 15 Figure 20 Montana Mourning Dove and Starling Populations, 1968-1974 15 Figure 21 Montana Population Delivered Unsatisfactory Drinking Water, 1971 and 1974 17 Figure 22 Point Source Degradation of Montana Streams, 1960, 1972, and 1975 18 Figure 23 Montana Cropland, Range and Pasture Needing Treatment, Land Damaged by Saline Seep, and Land Disturbed by Strip Mining 19 Figure 24 Stocked and Non-Stocked Commercial Forest in Montana Managed by USPS, 1970 and 1974 20 Figure 25 Range Condition and Trend for Montana Land under BLM Management, 1963-64 21 Figure 26 Montana Perinatal Death Rate, 1965-1973 21 Figure 27 Offenses Known to Police in Montana, 1972-1974 21 Figure 28 Total Employment in Montana, 1968-1974 22 Figure 29 Montana Employment by Sector, 1968-1973 22 Figure 30 Montana Unemployment Rate and Employment Ratio, 1970-1974 23 Figure 31 Per Capita Income: U.S. and Montana, 1968-1974 23 Figure 32 Montana Per Employee Earnings by Sector, 1968-1973 24 Figure 33 Montana Families Earning Less Than $3000/Year in 1960 and $4000/Year in 1970 24 Figure 34 Library Circulation in Montana, 1%6-1974 24 Figure 35 Children Added to Child Welfare Services in Montana, 1970-1974 25 Figure 36 Rural Area and Population Served by Rural Road System in Montana, 1970 25 Figure 37 Broad Valley Rockies Population Size, 1950-1974 31 Figure 38 Broad Valley Rockies Population Density, 1950-1974 31 Figure 39 Broad Valley Rockies Urban, Farm, and Rural Non-Farm Popula- tion, 1930-1970 31 Figure 40 Broad Valley Rockies Percent of Population Urban, Farm, and Rural Non-Farm, 1930-1970 32 Figure 41 Broad Valley Rockies Population Changes ( A ) Reflected by Births minus Deaths and Net Migration, 1950-1974 32 Figure 42 Broad Valley Rockies Hydroelectric Generation, 1972-1974 32 Figure 43 Broad Valley Rockies Agricultural Land in Farms, 1959-1969 33 Figure 44 Broad Valley Rockies Distribution of Agricultural Land, 1964 and 1%9 33 Figure 45 Broad Valley Rockies Cropland, Range, and Pasture, 1958-1967 33 Figure 46 Broad Valley Rockies Distribution of Cropland, Pasture, and Range, 1958 and 1967 34 Figure 47 Broad Valley Rockies Private and State Forestland, 1958 and 1967 34 Figure 48 Broad Valley Rockies Federal Forestland, 1970 and 1974 34 Figure 49 Broad Valley Rockies Water Withdrawals and Consumption of Withdrawals, 1970 35 Figure 50 Broad Valley Rockies Avian Diversity, 1968-1974 35 Figure 51 Annual Average Sulfur Dioxide Levels Recorded at East Helena and Anaconda, 1969-1975 36 Figure 52 Annual Average Fluoride Concentrations Recorded at Garrison and Columbia Falls, 1%9-1975 36 Figure 53 Annual Geometric Mean Particulate Levels Recorded at Philipsburg and Missoula, 1971-1975 37 Figure 54 Broad Valley Rockies Population Delivered Unsatisfactory Drinking Water, 1971 and 1974 37 Figure 55 Broad Valley Rockies Point and Non-Point Source Stream Degradation, 1975 38 Figure 56 Broad Valley Rockies Private and State Agricultural and Forestland Requiring Conservation Treatment, 1%7 38 Figure 57 Broad Valley Rockies Stocked and Non-Stocked Commercial Forest under USFS Control, 1970 and 1974 38 Figure 58 Broad Valley Rockies Range Condition and Trend for Land under BLM Control, 1963-1964 39 Figure 59 Broad Valley Rockies Perinatal Death Rate, 1%5-1973 39 Figure 60 Broad Valley Rockies Offenses Known to Police, 1972-1974 39 Figure 61 Broad Valley Rockies Total Employment, 1968-1973 40 Figure 62 Broad Valley Rockies Employment by Sector, 1968-1974 40 Figure 63 Broad Valley Rockies Unemployment Rate and Employment Ratio, 1970'and 1974 4O Figure 64 Broad Valley Rockies Per Capita Income, 1968-1973 41 Figure 65 Broad Valley Rockies Earnings Per Employee 1968-1973 41 Figure 66 Broad Valley Rockies Families Earning Less Than $3(X)0/Year in 1960 and «4000/Year in 1970 41 Figure 67 Broad Valley Rockies Library Circulation, 1966-1974 42 Figure 68 Broad Valley Rockies Children Added to Child Welfare Service, 1970-1974 42 Figure 69 Broad Valley Rockies Area and Population Served by Rural Road System, 1970 42 Figure 70 Columbia Rockies Population Size, 1950-1974 46 Figure 71 Columbia Rockies Population Density, 1950-1974 47 Figure 72 Columbia Rockies Urban, Farm, and Rural Non-Farm Popula- tion, 1930-1970 47 Figure 73 Columbia Rockies Percent of Population Urban, Farm, and Rural Non-Farm, 1930-1970 47 Figure 74 Columbia Rockies Population Changes (A) Rejected by Births minus Deaths and Net Migration, 1950-1974 48 Figure 75 Columbia Rockies Hydroelectric Generation, 1972-1974 48 Figure 76 Columbia Rockies Agricultural Land in Farms, 1959, 1964, 1969 48 Figure 77 Columbia Rockies Distribution of Agricultural Land, 1964 and 1969 48 Figure 78 Columbia Rockies Cropland, Range, and Pasture, 1958 and 1967 49 Figure 79 Columbia Rockies Distribution of Cropland, Range, and Pasture, 1958 and 1967 49 Figure 80 Columbia Rockies Private and State Forestland, 1958 and 1968 49 Figure 81 Columbia Rockies Federal Forestland, 1970 and 1974 49 Figure 82 Columbia Rockies Water Withdrawals and Consumption of With- drawals, 1970 50 Figure 83 Columbia Rockies Avian Diversity, 1968-1974 50 Figure 84 Annual Geometric Mean Particulate Levels Recorded at Libby, 1972-1975 51 Figure 85 Columbia Rockies Population Delivered Unsatisfactory Drinking water, 1971 and 1974 51 Figure 86 Columbia Rockies Point and Non-Point Source Stream Degrada- tion, 1975 52 Figure 87 Columbia Rockies Private and State Agricultural and Forest- land Requiring Conservation Treatment, 1967 52 Figure 88 Columbia Rockies Stocked and Non-Stocked Commercial Forest under USES Control, 1970 and 1974 53 Figure 89 Columbia Rockies Perinatal Death Rate, 1965-1973 53 Figure 90 Columbia Rockies Offenses Known to Police, 1972-1974 53 Figure 91 Columbia Rockies Total Employment,