Welcome to the newsletter about all things water in Montana!

MONTANA WATER NEWS will come your way via email every month with fresh news about meetings and water topics that we hope is of interest to you. If you do not want to receive this newsletter, please scroll down and follow the directions to unsubscribe. If you are seeing only text in this email, or if it's not easy to read, please make sure your email program is set to view "HTML" messages, or view the newsletter online in the newsletter archives.

Montana USGS Research Grants Awarded

Dr. Brian McGlynn, Montana State University, and Ph.D. candidate Kristin Gardner received $17,000 for their study: “Geographic analysis of land use/land cover change and its relation to nitrogen export in a developing mountain landscape.”

Researcher Denine Schmitz and Dr. Duncan Patten, Montana State University were awarded $14,200 for a project titled: “Using paleoecology and paleoflood hydrology to assess the long-term ecological response of Montana’s riparian and aquatic ecosystems to small natural and human dam failures – a pilot study.”

Water Center Awards Fellowships to 12 Montana Student Researchers

This time of year, it’s especially satisfying to present research fellowships to promising student scientists at Montana campuses. Last week the Montana Water Center offered twelve fellowships, ranging from $1,500 to $5,000, to worthy student applicants showing competence in addressing a regional water resource problem through research in 2005-2006. Alphabetically, they are:

• Brian Bellgraph, Montana State University, Movement, habitat use, and food habits of sauger and walleye: an investigation of resource overlap in the middle Missouri River, Montana.
• Jennifer Corbin, University of Montana, The effects of glacial meltwater chemistry, microbial processes and climate change on nitrate loading and ecological response in high alpine aquatic systems.
• Timothy Covino, Montana State University, Mountain front GW recharge: Groundwater/surface-water exchange across an alpine/valley transition.
• Kiza Gates, Montana State University, Movements of resident and non-resident anglers in Montana: implications for transferring whirling disease among drainages.
• Motoshi Honda, University of Montana, Relationships between flood frequency and riparian vegetation distribution in montane streams of western Montana.
• Levia Jones, Montana State University, Temporal effects of wildfire on riparian ecosystem function.
• Lewis Kogan, University of Montana, Antibiotic resistance in ground- and surface-water microbes in the Missoula area.
• Vince Pacific, Montana State University, Watershed carbon distribution and flux across environmental gradients.
• Mary Louise Polzin, University of Montana, Clonal recruitment of Populus angustifolia along the Yellowstone River: Extent and requirements.
• Mohammed Rahman, Montana State University, Towards sustainable materials for drinking water infrastructure.
• Diego Riveros, Montana State University, Importance of hydrologic controls on CO2 efflux variability at the catchment scale.
• Brad Shepard, Montana State University, Factors that influence displacement of native cutthroat trout by nonnative brook trout.

Recent Publication Stems from Water Center Seed Funds

From USGS 104b funding received through the Water Center five years ago, Dr. Alexander Zale of the Montana Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit in Bozeman is now publishing his findings in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. His paper, co-authored by Carrie Brook and Cal Fraser, manager of the Montana Water Center Wild Trout Research Laboratory, is entitled: “Effects of Surgically Implanted Transmitter Weights on Growth and Swimming Stamina of Small, Adult Westslope Cutthroat Trout.” The team’s study shows that transmitter weight does indeed make a difference on growth and stamina.

New Instream Flow Compendium

The Instream Flow Council has just released the revised edition of Instream Flows for Riverine Resource Stewardship, the first book ever to embrace the entire field of instream flow administration and application. The IFC is an organization comprised of instream flow professionals from state and provincial fish and wildlife agencies, working to improve the effectiveness of instream flow programs for conserving aquatic resources. For further information on how you can receive a copy, contact Tom Annear, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, at 307-777-4555, or via email [tom.annear@wgf.state.wy.us].

Watershed Director Named

Jeff Larmer has joined the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council as its first Executive Director. Jeff has 28 years’ experience in management, corporate training, fundraising and nonprofit board of directors development. He has eight years of executive experience with nonprofits such as Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and American Wildlands. Raised on a cattle farm, Jeff has spent the last 11 years living and working in the Gallatin Valley. He has extensive knowledge, experience and passion for current issues in the Gallatin Watershed.

Mini-Grant Opportunity

The Montana Watercourse announces a call for applications for water quality education mini-grants. Limited to $950 per group, these grants are intended for educational and volunteer water monitoring, non-point source pollution awareness and water quality education projects.  The total available is $12,200; and deadline application is January 13, 2005. Money should be spent by May 31, 2005.

This mini-grant program is open only to school or organizations that have completed water monitoring training with the Montana Watercourse or are involved in water quality education through the Montana Watercourse. Submissions should relate to water quality and water pollution education or monitoring, not research. Applicants often use these grants for re-stocking chemicals, replacing or purchasing equipment, holding a meeting on water quality issues or pollution prevention practices or holding a training session for volunteers or community members. See the call for applications at:

http://www.mtwatercourse.org/WaterMonitoring/minigrantscfa2005.doc .

To apply, fill out the application form and submit it with a detailed budget. Forms are found at:

http://www.mtwatercourse.org/WaterMonitoring/minigrantapp.doc .

The Date Has Changed

As you plan for the year ahead, please note a change in date for the annual Montana Water Conference sponsored by the Montana Section of the American Water Resources Association and the Montana Water Center. It will still be held in Bozeman, but the new dates are Thursday and Friday, September 22 and 23, 2005 at the Bozeman Holiday Inn. This is a change from the previously scheduled meeting dates of October 6 and 7, 2005.

Happy Holidays Your friends at the Montana University System Water Center wish you and yours a safe and joyous holiday season!

So many meetings, so little time. Even so, there are a few that water folks just shouldn't miss! Find more information on these and other upcoming events on the Events Calendar at MONTANA WATER.