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Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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| Painted Rocks water update. |
Given the ridiculously hot weather and the lack of rain, it is no surprise that anglers and river advocates cast their attention to Painted Rocks Lake. The stored lake water that MFWP manages on behalf of the trout, the river and the anglers is often a tonic that
 keeps the upper river in good shape in hot dry summers.
Due largely to the efforts of BRTU since the 1980's, supplemental flows from the lake have played a significant role in our commercial and recreational fishery. Some of the 32,000 acre-feet of water in the reservoir (at full pool) is manged by MFWP and some by the Painted Rocks Water User irrigation group. The impressive and long-standing cooperation between these 2 entities has been instrumental in the success of the program.
DNRC Water Resources
Division
Civil Engineer Larry Schock sent the following report out on April 28, and it contains some useful information (This was also in the last issue of BRTU E-News).
While the water levels at Bell Crossing continue to be good, the flows in the West Fork continue to steadily drop off. With the predicted extended warm weather, water temps may become a concern. Therefore, the FWP has called for a release of fisheries water from Painted Rocks Reservoir, and a 50 cfs release will be made on Thursday July 30th. It is anticipated that the additional flows will be released around mid-day.
The inflows to the reservoir continue to steadily drop off and as of today the inflows/outflows are around 235 cfs, and it is anticipated that the reservoir will stop spilling with the next day or two. The outflows from the reservoir after the 7/30 adjustment will equal the inflows + 50 cfs.
I want to remind everyone how Painted Rocks Reservoir is managed, and how releases are made.
1. The DNRC does not determine when contract water is delivered. The DNRC insures that the reservoir is filled in a timely fashion and kept full until water is requested by the contract holders. Whenever possible, gate adjustments are made mid-week, however they are conditions/contract delivery dependent.
2. Decisions regarding the timing and size of the contract water releases are made by:
Larry updated his report last Friday, July 31.
A 56 cfs release of fisheries contract water was made today at Painted Rocks Dam.
The reservoir details are below.
PAINTED ROCKS STATUS JULY 30, 2020
USGS Outflow:
Pre Adjustment 234 cfs
Post Adjustment 275 cfs
Reservoir Storage:
Elevation 4725.25 ft.
Storage: 32,362 AF
Reservoir Inflows:
Blue Joint 40.36 cfs
West Fork 149.96 cfs
Overwhich 16.19 cfs
Slate Cr 7.62 cfs
Ltl. Boulder (est.) 5.00 cfs
Total Inflows 219.13 cfs
Release:
275 cfs - 219.13 cfs = 55.87 cfs
Larry
sends out updates and you
can receive them directly by emailing him
and asking to be added to the distribution list
.
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Bitterroot River cleanup.
Every year about this time, the
Bitterroot Water Forum holds its annual Bitterroot River Cleanup and Run for the River.
 Many BRTU members participate. Katie Vennie has supplied the following details which are a bit different this year due to the pandemic in the valley.
Bitterroot River Clean Up
If you've participated before, the River Clean Up will be very similar to previous years.
Sign up is available on our website
to claim your walking site or floating stretch along the full length of the Bitterroot.
Clean Up on your schedule Saturday, August 8th and then bring your trash to our dumpster at Anglers Roost from 5 - 7 pm. We'll have volunteers with face coverings help unload the trash into the dumpster. We do this to get a total weight of trash pulled out of the River, but if you can't make it that's okay.
Unfortunately, we won't be able to have the big 15th year bash with music and food that we'd been hoping for, but we can still have a big impact for our River with your help!
If you see larger items in the River leading up to the Clean Up check out the "Report Trash" section on the Clean Up page.
Join us for a beautiful run/walk along the Bitterroot River.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we will be spreading out the event.
The course will be marked and available from 5 pm Friday August 7th until dusk on Sunday, August 9th.
Prizes for top man + woman finishers and door prizes.
Participants for both events will receive a neck gaiter and a coupon for free local treats!
Let
Katie know if you have any questions.
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| Smith River mine receives national and international news coverages! |
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BRTU E-News has covered the Black Butte copper mine issue since news of this environmental travesty first appeared.
Readers will recall that the project now being  schemed up by an international mining conglomerate envisions a large copper mines in the upper reaches of Sheep Creek, a clean flowing spawning tributary of the Smith River. The mining companies always promise results like those seen in the photo to the left, but all too often they skip town leaving something more like the photo to the right.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality recently approved the Environmental Impact State for this project ignoring the cogent analysis of watchdog groups like
Montana TU and the
Montana Environmental Information Center. So, the battle to prevent the mine from going in shifts to new arenas.
Recently, the issue was covered in the International Edition of the
Guardian and that
excellent piece featured writer Annick Smith and Montana TU Executive Director David Brooks. There was also a
fine piece in my favorite newspaper,
High Country News.
Take a minute to read these articles and forward them on to friends who realize that the real treasure in Montana is our streams and fisheries, not the easily exhausted minerals in the rocks.
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Picture of the Week.
This week's pictures were submitted by Billings physician and Montana TU supporter Dr. Neil Ku. In recent months, Neil who is an infectious disease specialist has been leading the fight against COVID-19 in Biliings and taking care of some very ill patients. He doesn't have doubts that COVID-19 is real!
However, Neil is also an incredibly skilled fly fisherman and has fished in many exotic locations. He sent the following narrative accompanying the photos:
This titan or moustache triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) was caught on Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in June 2018. I used an 8-weight Thomas & Thomas Exocett rod and Tibor Everglades reel. Mantis shrimp patterns, especially orange, and crab patterns are very effective. With a good pair of polarized sunglasses, they are fairly easy to spot. When feeding during low tide, you can spot them when the stick their tailfin out of the water. The casting presentation is very important as they spook very easily. Of note, these fish have sturdy teeth and strong jaws which are known to bite through leader tippets. If you happen to hook one, it will head to the nearest hiding hole. So, part of the challenge is to maneuver the fish away from the holes while trying to land it.
Of course, BRTU Dr. President Jeremy Anderson is a dentist and I wonder what he thinks of those choppers! Looks to me like that fish flosses with 40 pound Maxima!
Please be sure to send me any photos that might be suitable for the Picture of the Week. I promise not to divulge locations.
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The BRTU Puzzler.
There haven't been any correct entries yet for this most recent BRTU Puzzler. So, I will leave it up for a few more weeks in the hope someone can identify it.
This week's puzzler is again submitted by BRTU member and supporter Les Korcala. Les, who has traveled the world fishing. As a master tier and photographer, he has accumulated a veritable cornucopiua of gadgets.
The first person to correctly identify this gadget and explain its use will win the next BRTU Puzzler! Please send your entries to BRTU Puzzlemaster Marshall Bloom.
Chuck Stranahan has generously offered a prize to all winners of the BRTU Puzzler. The winner will be able to can claim a prize of hand-tied trout flies by contacting
Chuck
.
Please feel free to submit any ideas and photos for the next BRTU Puzzler to Marshall Bloom.
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October 2020 BRTU banquet cancelled!
The BRTU Board of Directors has made the hard decision to cancel our 2020 banquet that was scheduled for this coming October. Uncertainties about status of the COVID-19 pandemic at that time and possible reluctance of people to come together in large groups were 2 of the factors.
Plans are being made to have a virtual auction and we have already lined up some exceptional premiums. As soon as more details are available, we will share them.
This would have been the 41st annual fundraiser and this decision was not made easily.
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Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A small number of Pubisher's Proofs of the limited edition "Bitterroot River-Lost Horse Bend" by Monte Dolack are now available at Joe's Studio. BRTU commissioned Monte
 Dolack in 2007 to create this iconic print of the Bitterroot River.
The remaining Publisher's Proofs are $375 and all proceeds support BRTU efforts to protect trout and streams.
Joe's Studio, a regular sponsor of our banquets, is located in Hamilton at 220 Marcus Street (961-4586, joesstudio@aol.com)
The "U" in BRTU
Unlike many groups, BTRU has no paid staff. We are an entirely volunteer organization. We are always looking for new members to get involved in projects or to join our board and assist with maintaining our focus on native fish, clean healthy streams and education. If you would like to help out, please contact BRTU Chapter President Jeremy Anderson
. We could sure use your help!
In other words, how about putting a little "U" in BRTU?
If "U" are not already a member, "U" can join TU today by going to the
BRTU website. Our chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call Clayton at 406-543-0054.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemi, BRTU board meetings are now being held virtually on ZOOM. They are open to all BRTU members. Date and time vary, so please contact
Jeremy if you would like to log in and learn what is going on.
The BRTU Mission statement is "
To conserve, protect, and restore the Bitterroot River and it's watershed," directly in line with the Montana TU mission statement.
For your information, here is a tabulation of our current
hard-working BRTU officers and board members.
BOARD OFFICERS
Dr. Jeremy Anderson; President; E-mail: mtwildtrout1@gmail.com
Dave Ward; Vice-President; E-mail: dward451@comcast.net
Marissa Sowles, Secretary (acting);
sowlesm@gmail.com
Keith Mullan, Treasurer;
E-mail: keithcmullan@hotmail.com
BOARD MEMBERS
Donna Haglund; E-mail: haglunddonna@gmail.com
Marlin Lewis; E-mail: Lewism@hsd3.org
Shelia Bryan; E-mail: shoe6561@gmail.com
Gavin Marston (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
Dr Trout (
Marshall Bloom);
E-mail: drtrout@mtbloom.net
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We're currently in the planning stages of our Annual Fall Event. This has historically been one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and we could always use more help. To learn more about how you can volunteer, please email Rick Todd at
email@constantcontact.com.
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Learn More.
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