|
Core Office Hours
10am to 3pm Monday - Wednesday
Phone: 406-682-3181
Email: info@madisoncd.org
Website: madisoncd.net
|
|
|
First Annual Tributary Blitz
|
|
|
|
In late August, the Madison Conservation District completed its first annual Madison Tributary Blitz. What is a tributary blitz? Well, a tributary is a river (or stream or creek depending on the local vernacular) that flows into a larger river or lake. In the Madison Watershed, examples of some of the larger and more familiar tributaries are O’Dell, Jack, Bear, Indian, Elk, Ruby, Moore, South and North Meadow and Hot Springs Creek.
So, what’s a blitz? A blitz is an opportunity to sample many sites over a brief period of time, also known as a form of synoptic sampling. Some folks are familiar and perhaps volunteer for the nationwide annual Christmas Bird Count. A tributary blitz is a similar effort, but instead of collecting bird data on a single day of the year, we collect stream data on a single morning of the year. There are a number of advantages to this style of environmental, and specifically water quality, monitoring. All rivers have some level of variability from day to day, and even within a single day. For instance, water temperature during the hot days and low flows of July and August dramatically changes from daybreak through sunset. Hoot owl fishing restrictions are enforced for this reason. By mid-afternoon, water has warmed to such an extent that the river no longer retains the levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) necessary for trout to be successfully caught and safely released. DO is an example of a major driver of natural processes in our streams, so it is important to collect representative samples that can be compared to one another. In summary, a tributary blitz allows us to get a “snap-shot” of stream conditions across the watershed on a single morning.
The morning of the blitz was cold and overcast. Six of us met outside the Madison Conservation District offices, and split up into three teams of two people. Our instruments had been calibrated earlier that morning, and maps, datasheets and tributary lists were distributed to each team with basic instructions and plans to rendezvous at the office by early afternoon. Fortunately, each team had a seasoned member of our Madison Stream Team in order to provide quality control during data collection. By mid-afternoon, samples from 17 Madison tributaries were en route to labs with the ability to measure nutrients and other variables of interest that we cannot detect at our modest lab in Ennis. In the coming months, we will release the data and a brief summary report on our website. The data will vary from year to year, but over time, trends will emerge and we will be able to track changes and compare tributary health across the watershed.
We could not have had a successful blitz without the help from citizen science volunteers that collected samples on the day of the event, or without the help of MSU – Extension or the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center for providing laboratory analyses of the samples.
|
|
Gardening in southwestern Montana is one of summer’s greatest pleasures. As gardeners and farmers, we take pride in watching our carefully tended beds and our well-watered and weeded garden plots grow. There is a sense of satisfaction that our own hands have helped to produce the food that nourishes our bodies. Often overlooked though, is the role that pollinators play in the food chain.
Pollinators are any insect or animal that move pollen from one part of a flower to another. The act of pollination leads to the eventual production of fruits and seeds. Bees, wasps, moths, beetles, flies, and butterflies, are all pollinators, and they are necessary to produce many of the foods that we enjoy. Almost seventy percent of flowering plants require a pollinator in order to reproduce and make seeds, and nearly thirty-five percent of crop production worldwide rely on pollinators. Pollinators are keystone species in environments where many other animals and plants depend on them for survival. Keystone species are those that provide an integral link in the ecological chain for systems to function. Unfortunately, because of loss of habitat, disease, certain types of pesticides, and the increasing effects of climate change, pollinator numbers are declining across the globe.
One important way to combat the decline of pollinators is to establish pollinator friendly habitat by cultivating plants that will attract and sustain them. This could be in your yard, in a fallow field, or even in an empty lot. First, you must select a site for the pollinator habitat. We have found that an area with abundant sunshine is best, and if the area is fenced in, all the better. You will want to prepare the site by removing any weeds or competing vegetation from the area. Once the plot is ready, broadcast the seeds over the entire area so the seeds are at or just below the soil surface. In our area, the best time to plant seeds is in October, November, or even December. When springs rolls around, you want to make sure the area remains weeded and watered. With a good maintenance routine, there should be blooms and pollinators by July or August of the first year, and seasons two and three are generally even more productive. The ideal pollinator garden includes an abundant, diverse variety of pollinator friendly plants and flowers that provide forage throughout the growing season. Additionally, it is crucial to not use pesticides in the garden and surrounding areas. Pesticides are often marketed to eradicate certain pests, but they also kill many additional insects, including pollinators.
Here in the Madison Valley, the Madison Conservation District wants to help pollinator numbers grow. We have partnered with neighboring conservation districts to implement programs to support pollinators and educate our communities about the importance of pollinators for our landscape and working lands. We have free seed available to start your own pollinator garden. Please contact us for more details: info@madisoncd.org
|
|
We know it’s the time of year to finish up those lingering outdoor projects before winter really sets in. Maybe it’s building a footbridge to cross the creek in your backyard. Maybe it’s plans to stabilize a stream bank that has eroded into the lawn. Or, maybe it’s the installation of an irrigation diversion structure to redirect water to a hayfield or stock tank. In many cases here in the Madison Valley, outdoor projects are often related to the water that shapes our landscape.
At the Madison Conservation District, our mandate is to ensure the long-term health of our water and natural resources, which in turn protects the well-being of our community and working lands. We achieve this in part by enforcing Montana’s Natural Streambed and Land Preservation Act, more commonly known as the 310 Law. The law ultimately functions to protect and preserve streams and rivers in their natural or existing states, and to minimize soil erosion and sedimentation. What it means for the landowner is simple: if an individual intends to work in or near a stream, that person must obtain a 310 permit before starting work. This includes any activity that physically alters or modifies the bed or banks of a perennially flowing stream, or lends to sediment transfer into the stream. Even if an individual is unsure if their project is within the jurisdiction of the 310 law, it is wise to play it safe and complete a 310 application.
In Montana, the 310 Law is the one regulatory function of Conservation Districts. At the Madison Conservation District (most of eastern Madison County), our board reviews and decides upon applications during our monthly meeting on the third Tuesday of each month. Applications must be received by the first Tuesday of the month in order to be reviewed at that month’s meeting. Prior to the board’s review of materials, applicants are contacted by Madison Conservation District staff in order to set-up a field visit whereby the proposed work is discussed, and photos and video are collected. There is no cost associated with the application and the overall process takes about 30 days.
We also understand that emergencies happen, especially when bad weather hits and runoff is heavy or unexpected. There is a provision in the 310 law that allows landowners to take action in order to safeguard life or property. However, the Madison Conservation District must be notified within 15 days of the action taking place.
With more than 1.6 million acres in the Madison Watershed and almost three thousand miles of tributaries and streams feeding into the Madison River, it is our duty as citizens, landowners, ranchers, and recreationists to protect our most precious natural resource. About half of the land in our watershed is privately owned, and by applying for 310 permits and working with the conservation district, private landowners can help to ensure the health and future of our landscape and our community that depends on it.
For more information about the 310 permitting process please call our office at 406-682-3181 or email us at info@madisoncd.org. Additionally, all permitting forms and information regarding Montana’s 310 law are available on our website https://madisoncd.net/. You can also visit us in our office at the Lone Elk Mall in Ennis. Our core hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10am to 3 pm.
|
|
|
|
