The guys writing over at False Casts and Flat Tires (Missoula) stumbled across a nothing-short-of-astounding change to the Bitterroot in the vicinity of the infamous Mitchell Slough…
The Bitterroot is one our favorite rivers. Its close proximity to Missoula, a strong trout population and the fact that their are still a few hidden gems where you can find some pretty respectable fish.
One of those gems is gone. Yes the Bitterroot is infamous for completely rearranging itself every year after runoff. However runoff cant do what a bulldozer and concrete barriers can.
The Mitchell Slough debate is a hot topic in the valley. The public’s right to legally recreate on public water vs. landowners protecting their property and the water that runs through it. It’s been a debate that has gone on for years with some pretty, now infamous, celebrities involved on the landowners side. It’s not limited to fishing access but includes waterfowl hunting and a host of water based recreation activities.
Fences across the waterway making it impossible for fisherman to legally access the water to feeding ducks and geese so no one can legally hunt the “baited” birds along the slough. These are the tactics that keep the public out of Mitchell slough. All of these efforts to keep the public out and for some “Rockstar” who actually sees this water maybe once or twice a year… Fine, you win. Keep the slough.
But keep your greedy hands off OUR river.
I don’t want to get on a soapbox or a moral high horse, but what I saw last week really upset me as a fly fisherman, a recreation management student and as someone who believes we should protect what resources we have left…
Read the rest of the tale here, view the pics and prepare to be pissed off.
In a day and age when, at least in Montana and around much of the intermountain West, folks are damned antsy about river stewardship and access issues, to (ostensibly) stealthily craft what appears to be a fairly major modification to a river bed like this might seem to be the absolute picture of arrogance and short-sightedness (some might even say stupidity).
Arrogance has defined much of the Mitchell Slough debate over the years. That’s pretty much obvious to anyone willing to spend the time to delve into the history of the tussle.
As to being short-sighted, our friend Al the Pal (AtP), who’s lived in the Bitterroot for his entire life and manages a business there, has laid eyes on the most recent handiwork and agrees that it won’t last the first average or better run-off season.
He’s much more interested in the fact that this appears to be a somewhat unsuspected salvo in a long-standing battle and suggests some in the Valley might just see this as a taunt that demands an answer. AtP claims to have overheard an interesting pub discussion recently in which various alternative methods to rearrange gravel in a river bed were being discussed.
More to come.
Tags: River - Bitterroot
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Appreciate you guys helping get the word out. Im a guide here in Missoula and guys that fish the Root are pissed off about this supposdly being approved. In a low flow year this could create problems downstream tho runoff should wash it out. Arrogance fits the bill pretty nicely and this long story just got another chapter or two added.
I tend to agree with AtP. I don’t think it would last a runoff. But, in my mind, some proverbial shots have been fired. I spoke with Julie at the regional DNRC office about the existence of the required 310 permit. Julie indicated that they have a 10 year irrigation construction plan and seemed to indicate that the actions were covered by this plan. However, based on the questions she asked me, like “were the headgates closed?” and “Are you talking about the cement blocks?”, I have the feeling that something isn’t right. From the pictures Zach took, the headgate is obviously open and they have just rearranged the gravel at this point. We (FCFT and YGF) are working on getting a copy of the permit. Then we will know who is responsible for this…………………..
Hot damn, Ivan, now you’re talking. Please keep us in the loop. AtP is fishing around a bit as well.
Go Ivan, Go! We want to know! Get out the tar buckets…
I remember a few years back doing permit work for a film project in the middle fork of the Flathead and if you even whispered anything about altering features, moving around the gravel bars and so forth- game over! Didn’t matter if it was going to flood next runoff and change everything anyway it was hands off. The permit asked for a 50ft temporary bridge built of wood to cross a small channel in order not to disturb it. It was the right thing to do and the film company ended up spending an incredible amount of money to permit it and then build it to permit specs in order to prevent any kind of problems. And the following runoff season the whole area was going to get flushed.
Based on that experience which ended up involving USDA, DNRC, Soil and Conservation and the Flathead Biological station I can’t even imagine what group of simpletons put this piece of work together!
I wonder why the missoulian isn’t all over this. They love this story. You guys are awsome in spreading the word. Again, Huey Lewis is a splat of santorum.
Dubya-tee-eff guys, that sucks! I hope some of the arrogance in this situation can be sorted out so the river can be restored to its natural state. I know my comrades up here in Maine would be less than impressed if we faced similar issues.
A couple things to consider folks…first, consider that this is a major diversion that serves as the start of the slough. Siebel and Lewis arent the only people on the slough, there are also a bunch of operating ranches. In fact, I kinda doubt either one of them had anything to do with this…other than to help pay for it. Ranchers on the slough need for this diversion to be in operating condition to serve their irrigation needs and part of that requires streambed alterations. Every major irrigation diversion requires it. I GUARANTEE they have done this exact same thing before and will do it again. Did yall know that during low water years they also go to the top of the east channel and shove up a wing dam to ensure consistent flows in that channel all summer, fall, and winter? For me, the slough access fight was one thing, but messing with irrigators just doing what they need to do to keep their ranches functioning isnt going win us many allies. Second, consider that all it could take is another high water event to wash out that hole just the same. Shit happens on high velocity rivers like the root, honey holes come and go. Big deal. Find another one.
Hey hot shot, you’re right, honey holes come and go and irrigators need to and have the right to pull water.
I happen to have a family member on the relevant conservation district board and happen to know that the work done exceeded their permit request. Did you know that happens all the time and cumulatively it does impact the riparian environment and aquatic life? If the guys over on the Bitterroot are trying to hold irrigators to their permitted project boundaries, I don’t think that’s “messing” with them.
Damn, if folks would try and work together instead of pissing on one another, a prime pastime with the Mitchell Slough combatants, life on the river would be a little better. Bring on the high water.
Ummm…although things have recently matured to basically what you suggest: “holding irrigators to the terms of their 310 permits”, that isnt where they were when I posted that. Instead it was lots of somewhat ignorant vitriol about property rights, water rights, improperly granted permits, etc. Im glad that at this point folks realize that what you suggest is about the limit of what can be done here.
There are two other options as well. It is possible there are senior BR water rights in the diversion down the east channel below tucker. If those water rights were being short changed and someone were to complain to the DNRC, that might get the headgates closed and even force the mitchell slough water users to rearrange that fill to allow more water down the east channel before high water hits.
Another option would be the fact that all the water rights down the slough now have “irrigation seasons” as defined by their periods of use and periods of diversion. Unless there are actual BR water rights in the slough that require BR water and are allowed to divert and use water in early february, those gates should be closed. Even if that only means shutting down half the flow out of the east channel, that should help till high water.
Geez Joe, if you’re really going to take folks to task about slinging vitriolic comments, don’t do so yourself.
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