Watershed Science: Tying it all together

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What is a Watershed? A drainage basin funneling all its

water into a network of streams that all flow to a larger body of water.

The Upper Clark Fork drainage is a sub-drainage to the Columbia River, which eventually ends up in the Pacific Ocean.

What other watersheds that are part of the Clark Fork do you live in?

What happened to our watershed’s ecosystem?

Although there were benefits, historic mining, smelting and processing impacts have negatively affected:

Vegetation communities (both

upland and riparian) Macroinvertebrate

communities Mammal communities, and ALL OF US, TOO

Why is our watershed’s ecosystem impacted?

Acid rock drainage (ARD) and heavy metals from the weathering of iron pyrite (FeS2) in mine waste rock

Arsenic, acidity and other compounds produced and deposited by smelting

Heavy metals, arsenic and acidity produced by tailings deposited in the floodplain

Watershed Science

From From Ridge Top Ridge Top to River to River BottomBottom

Connecting “Where we live” with “How we live”

Why is it IMPORTANT?Stewardship:

“A scientifically

literate citizenry

capable of making

informed decisions is

essential to the welfare

of the population and

stewardship of the

Earth.”

Why clean up the Clark Fork River?

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=Unvegetated “slickens” areas along streams …

Spring rainstorms and/or snowmelt runoff …

Why clean up the Clark Fork River?

Dissolved metals from slickens find their way into the stream …

... causing spikes in copper and zinc concentrations leading to fish kills.

(Dead whitefish, Upper Clark Fork, 1989)

Healthy or Unhealthy?

Macroinvertebrates: Which species is more indicative of a stream with good water quality?

Restoring the Rivers

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Restoration: It’s not just a word, it’s a MISSION

Silver Bow Watershed Restoration Mission Statement

“In the 21st Century, the Silver Bow Creek Watershed is a

vibrant place to live, work and recreate. The watershed is

protected from adverse impacts of mining contamination. The

restored watershed supports viable, self-sustaining

communities of fish, wildlife and vegetation and high-quality

water resources. Native species are maintained and restored

where practicable. The watershed’s healthy ecosystem provides

for quality education and balanced recreation, contributing to a

diverse and sustainable economy, improved aesthetics and

community well-being. Stable and healthy local communities of

informed citizens actively protect the watershed’s resources.”

Whose Mission is it?

YOURS, MINE…OURS

What can I do to help? Stay informed about what is being

done – read newspapers, visit restoration sites – www.cfwep.org for restoration news

Make scientific observations and record them

Talk to people about the watershed and about what you observe there

Go to public meetings and speak up Do a science project!

WE MUST BE SCIENTIFICALLY LITERATE AND EDUCATED ABOUT OUR PLACE.

Credits Curriculum materials developed by the Clark Fork Watershed Education Program (CFWEP), with support from the Montana Natural Resource Damages Program (NRDP); Montana Tech of the University of Montana; the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, the Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI); the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Butte-Silver Bow County; Powell County; the School Districts of Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Powell, Granite, Lewis and Clark and Missoula counties; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

CFWEP Director: Matt VincentCFWEP Curriculum Coordinator: Rayelynn ConnoleCFWEP Program Specialist: Arlene AlvaradoCFWEP Field Coordinator: Jen TitusCFWEP Communications Coordinator: Justin RingsakCFWEP Administrative Associate: Theresa SeccombContributing Authors: Colleen Elliott, Bill Callaghan, Joe Griffin

Thanks to: Amy Verlanic, Bernice Phelps, Dick Gibson, Chad Okrusch, Pam Roberts, Edwin Dobb, the CFWEP Advisory Board, all the public and private schools/school districts in the target communities of Butte, Ramsay, Anaconda, Deer Lodge, Drummond, Hall, Philipsburg, Powell County (Garrison, Gold Creek, Avon, Elliston, Helmville and Ovando), Clinton, Bonner, Lincoln and Potomac; Working Waters Consortium; About PLACE!; World Museum of Mining; Montana Mind Expansion (MoMEx); Butte Chamber of Commerce; Berkeley Pit Education Advisory Committee; Butte Restoration Alliance; Citizens Technical Advisory Committee; George Grant Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Greenway Service District; Butte-Silver Bow Arts Foundation; Butte Chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE); Silver Bow and Sunrise Kiwanis; Butte Rotary Club; Butte Exchange Club; Anaconda-Deer Lodge City-County; Opportunity Citizens Protection Association (OCPA); Anaconda Hearst Free Library; Browns Gulch Watershed Committee; Watershed Restoration Coalition; City of Deer Lodge; Powell County; City of Drummond; Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Blackfoot Challenge; Garnet Ghost Town Preservation Society; Clark Fork Coalition; Clark Fork River Technical Assistance Committee (CFRTAC); Westslope Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Pat Barnes Chapter of Trout Unlimited; Watershed Education Network (WEN); Missoula County Health Department; Missoula Natural History Center; Western Montana Professional Educational Resources (WMPER); Natural Resource Damage Program; Department of Environmental Quality; Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Office of the Governor; Department of Transportation; Office of Public Instruction; Montana Trout Unlimited; University of Montana; UM-Center for Riverine Science and Stream Renaturalization; UM-Avian Science Center; University of Montana-Western; Montana State University; MSU-Reclamation Research Unit; MSU-Billings; Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribes; Salish-Kootenai College; Montana Watercourse, Project WET; Montana Environmental Education Association; Montana Educators Association; Montana Small Schools Alliance; Montana Trout; Montana Wilderness Association; U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Department of the Interior-National Park Service (Grant-Kohrs Ranch); NRCS; National Science Foundation; ARCO-BP; Bob Ward and Sons, Fran Johnson’s, Great Harvest, Town Pump; Montana Resources; Pioneer Technical; Water and Environmental Technologies; MSE/MERDI; Project Green; HKM; TREC; Gibson Consulting; Northwestern Energy; PPL; Montana Standard; Ueland Ranches; Bighorn Environmental; Kirk Environmental; CDM; Rarus Railway; Rock Creek Cattle Company; Go Bird Montana; Rhithron & Associates; Bill Ohrmann Museum; Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation; World Federation of Flyfishers; River Network; Ducks Unlimited; Planting Science; Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS); Ocean Conservancy; Mike Bader; Foundation for North American Wild Sheep (FNAWS);Sierra Club. and to the many, many volunteers, teachers, students and contributors who make this project possible.

Photos/Graphics produced by CFWEP unless otherwise noted.www.cfwep.org