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| October 12, 2009 |
Aquatic Health, Water Education, Water Quality & Quantity |
FWP drafts proposal for Blackfoot River management
The possibility of instituting a permit system for floating through sections of the popular Blackfoot River is one idea under consideration by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in a draft Environmental Assessment issued this week.
Other ideas being tossed about in the draft Blackfoot River Recreation Plan include restricting camping to designated sites, registering before floating certain sections of the river, redesigning fishing access sites and expanding opportunities for overnight camping trips.
Putting those ideas forward doesn't mean they'll necessarily be instituted, noted Chet Crowser, FWP river recreation manager. But as more people use the Blackfoot River, which flows 132 miles from its headwaters between Flesher and Rogers passes near the Continental Divide to its confluence with the Clark Fork River near Bonner, changes may be needed so that users continue to enjoy a high-quality experience.
He said an estimated 75,000 people float, fish or otherwise play on the river each year.
The first management plan for the river was put together in 1976, and has evolved since then. In 2007, FWP appointed the 25-member River Recreation Advisory for Tomorrow (RRAFT) Committee, including anglers, boaters, private landowners, commercial outfitters and conservationists, who worked with county, state and federal agencies to take a close look at river activities, and come up with a way to accommodate the variety of interests.
[The information presented in News & Announcements has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable, although its accuracy is not guaranteed. The views expressed in items posted to News & Announcements do not necessarily reflect those of the Montana Water Center or its employees.]