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Bitterroot River Subbasin Assessment for Fish and Wildlife Conservation

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Bitterroot River Subbasin Assessment for Fish and Wildlife Conservation BITTERROOT RIVER SUBBASIN ASSESSMENT FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AUGUST 2009 A report prepared for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council This Page Intentionally Blank RESERVATION OF RIGHTS A number of agencies, groups, and entities participated in the development of this Bitterroot River Subbasin Plan, Part I (Assessment Volume), Part II (Inventory Volume), and Part III (Management Plan Volume), its appendices, and electronically linked references and information (hereafter Plan). The primary purpose of the Plan is to help direct Northwest Power Planning Council funding of projects that respond to impacts from the development and operation of the Columbia River hydropower system. Nothing in this Plan, or the participation in its development, is intended to, and shall not be interpreted to, compromise, influence, or preclude any government or agency from carrying out any past, present, or future duty or responsibility which it bears or may bear under any authority. Nothing in this Plan or the participation in its development constitutes a waiver or release of any rights, including the right to election of other remedies, or is intended to compromise, influence, or preclude any government or agency from developing and prosecuting any damage claim for those natural resource impacts identified in the Plan which are not directly and exclusively resulting from, or related to, the development and operation of the Columbia River hydropower system. Nothing in this Plan or the participation in its development is intended to, and shall not be interpreted to, waive any rights of enforcement of regulatory, adjudicatory, or police powers against potentially responsible parties for compliance with applicable laws and regulations pertaining to natural resource damages throughout the Bitterroot River Subbasin whether or not specifically identified in this Plan. This Plan is the result of a group effort. Nothing in it or the participation in its development should be interpreted as constituting unqualified acceptance or endorsement of the Plan, its appendices, or any electronically linked reference or information by any party. © 2009 Montana Water Trust (MWT) and Bitter Root Water Forum (BRWF) Citation: Northwest Power and Conservation Council. “Bitterroot River Subbasin Plan.” In Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. Portland, Oregon, 2009. Lead: Montana Water Trust, Missoula, MT Authors: Bitter Root Water Forum, Hamilton, MT; Geum Environmental Consulting, Inc. Hamilton, MT Will McDowell, Missoula, MT GIS Work: Montana Water Trust, Missoula, MT Geum Environmental Consulting, Inc. Hamilton, MT Partners in Plan Development and Implementation Montana Water Trust Bitter Root Water Forum Bitterroot National Forest Lolo National Forest Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Bitter Root Land Trust Five Valleys Land Trust Montana Audubon Bitterroot Audubon Bitter Root Trout Unlimited Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Trout Conservancy of Montana Teller Wildlife Refuge Clark Fork Coalition Lolo Watershed Group Bitterroot Subbasin Assessment for Fish and Wildlife Conservation August 2009 TABLE OF CON T EN T S RESE R VATION OF RIGHTS ............................................................................................................................................... 2 PA R TNE R S IN PLAN DEVELO P MENT AN D IM P LEMENTATION ............................................................................................... 3 CHAP T ER 1 IN T RODU cti ON ..........................................................................................................7 1.1 SUBBASIN ASSESSMENT OVE R VIEW ........................................................................................................................ 7 1.2 SCO P E AN D Appr OACH ........................................................................................................................................ 7 1.3 CHA P TE R 1 REFE R ENCES ...................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAP T ER 2 SUBBAS I N CHARA ct ER I ZA ti ON .......................................................................................9 2.1 SUBBASIN DESC R I P TION AN D LOCATION ................................................................................................................ 9 2.2 ECO R EGIONS AN D ECOLOGICAL UNITS ................................................................................................................ 11 2.3 CLIMATE ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 2.4 GEOLOGY ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 2.5 TO P OG R A P HY AN D CHANNEL MO rp HOLOGY ........................................................................................................ 22 2.5.1 SLO P ES ............................................................................................................................................. 22 2.5.2 CHANNEL MO rp HOLOGY ................................................................................................................... 22 2.6 SOILS ................................................................................................................................................................ 29 2.7 VEGETATION AN D LAN D COVE R .......................................................................................................................... 31 2.8 HY dr OLOGY ..................................................................................................................................................... 35 2.8.1 HY dr OLOGIC UNIT CO D ES ................................................................................................................. 37 2.8.2 ST R EAM FLOWS AN D GAGING .............................................................................................................. 39 2.9 WATE R QUALITY .............................................................................................................................................. 44 2.9.1 NUT R IENTS AN D ALGAE ...................................................................................................................... 51 2.9.2 GR OUN D WATE R QUALITY .................................................................................................................... 53 2.9.3 WATE R TEM P E R ATU R E ........................................................................................................................ 54 2.10 PO P ULATION AN D LAN D USES ............................................................................................................................. 55 2.10.1 DEMOG R A P HY OF BITTE rr OOT SUBBASIN ............................................................................................. 55 2.10.2 ACTUAL LAN D USE ............................................................................................................................. 56 2.10.3 AG R ICULTU R E : PR IME FA R MLAN D , STATE O R LOCALLY IM P O R TANT SOILS ................................................ 58 2.10.4 Irr IGATION : DIVE R SIONS , IM P OUN D MENTS AN D Irr IGATION PR OJECTS ................................................... 59 2.10.5 LIVESTOCK AN D CR O P PR O D UCTION : CENSUS AN D DIST R IBUTION ......................................................... 61 2.10.6 TIMBE R PR O D UCTION : HISTO R Y AN D STATUS ....................................................................................... 63 2.10.7 FO R EST FI R E HISTO R Y ........................................................................................................................ 64 2.10.8 FO R EST ROA D S : ROA D DENSITY AN D ROA D LESS AR EAS ......................................................................... 66 2.10.9 MINING : HISTO R Y AN D STATUS ........................................................................................................... 67 2.10.10 RESI D ENTIAL USES : HISTO R Y AN D STATUS ............................................................................................ 68 2.10.11 LAN D OWNE R SHI P .............................................................................................................................. 68 2.11 ECONOMIC OVE R VIEW ....................................................................................................................................... 71 2.12 BITTE rr OOT SUBBASIN IN THE REGIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................ 73 2.12.1 RELATIONSHI P OF THE SUBBASIN TO EN D ANGE R E D SP ECIES ACT ............................................................... 74 2.12.2 EXTE R NAL ENVI R ONMENTAL CON D ITIONS IM P ACTING THE SUBBASIN ....................................................... 75 2.12.3 MAC R OCLIMATE .................................................................................................................................. 77 2.13 CHA P TE R 2 REFE R ENCES .................................................................................................................................... 78 CHAP T ER 3 CHARA ct ER I ZA ti ON OF HAB it A T S ................................................................................83
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