BRTU E-News
Because there's more to fishin' than just fishin'!
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#286: May 7, 2023
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Under the watchful eyes of BRTU Chapter President Dave Ward and teachers Vanessa Haflich and Joe Ruffato, the students from Hamilton High School's Classroom Without Walls give their salmonid classmates a chance to swim in Hieronymus Park. Source: Jessica Abell, Missoulian.
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Students monitor the water temperature before releasing the trout fry into Hieronymus Park. Source: Jessica Abell, Missoulian.
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On Wednesday, May 3, the participants in Hamilton High School's Classroom Without Walls, tossed some of their classmates into the drink! The occasion was the culmination of the students' Trout in the Classroom project and the swimmers were small rainbow trout who had shared a classroom with their bipedal warm-blooded colleagues since last November.
Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is a National TU program that educates students to trout development, water chemistry, fishery science, climate change, and conservation. BRTU has been supporting TIC in local schools for the last 3 years, beginning with Vanessa Haflich's class at Hamilton High School.
BRTU supplies all the materials and equipment, like aquaria and pumps, and when everything is set up and ready to go, provides a shipment of rainbow trout eggs from the Jocko River Trout Hatchery. Then the students have to carefully monitor the environmental conditions in the aquarium to make sure that the water quality is good enough for the eggs to develop into fry.
Once the fry attain a certain size they are released into the pond Hieronymus Park and the trout swim. The entire project is coordinated with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks fishery staff to remain compliant with the restrictions on releasing fish.
BRTU's TIC has now expanded to a number of valley high schools, including a class at the Trapper Creek Job Corps Center. The success of the project is due to the dedication of BRTU volunteers, like Chapter President Dave Ward. BRTU E-News will feature photos from additional schools as the releases are scheduled.
Ravalli Republic reporter Jessica Abell has done a terrific story on this project which I encourage you to read.
In Alaska, the program is called Salmon in the Classroom and it is very different from the one in the Bitterroot! But the aim is the same, teaching kids about the consequences of pollution, climate change and the importance of environmental stewardship.
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Teller Wildlife Refuge to host Youth Con-Ed Expo on May 20.
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This year will be packed with conservation and recreation fun from a climbing wall, fly casting, archery ranges, trout fishing pond, interactive presentations and more! And the best part, its FREE to attend!
All ages are invited to join into the fun, but youth ages 18 and under will receive 10 free raffle tickets just by showing up! They will have the chance to win a new fly rod, archery equipment, camping gear, a brand new rifle, family memberships and so much more! Join us for a day to explore, discover and play with all things wildlife, conservation, and outdoor recreation!
Teller Wildlife Refuge is one of BRTU's oldest and most enduring conservation partners, and we have participated in many previous expos there. We will have a booth this year, too. We are looking for volunteers to help at the booth. If you can help, let Dave Ward know.
The event is free and will be Saturday, May 20 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The venue is the Barn at Teller, 1180 Chaffin Lane, Corvallis.
Here is the link for more information on the Expo.
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Plan to attend BRTU's May 25 Stream Management Workshop.
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Downed trees like this offer both good habitat for trout and a significant hazard for floaters. The woody debris task force was formed to balance both. Source: BRTU.
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It won't be long before Painted Rocks Lake fills and we will see water topping the spillway as in this photo. Source: Larry Schock.
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Failure to scout a route and be watchful for hazards can lead to situations like this. Source: BRTU.
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A comfortable and convenient personal floatation device like this might save your life. They are rarely seen on the Bitterroot. Source: Whygin Argus.
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The Bitterroot River is likely the most dynamic stream in the state. Every year channels migrate, banks erode, trees fall into the water, logjams form, gravel bars appear and new runs become apparent. These features are what make the river such a terrific and scenic fishery, but they also introduce hazards for floaters and headaches for irrigators and landowners.
In our valley, the management of issues like this primarily falls to the Bitterroot Conservation District, which is charged with administering Montana's Natural Streambed and Land Preservation Act of 1975, also known as the 310 Law for the permits that are issued by the Conservation District. These are the permits that an irrigator is supposed to obtain before moving gravel around with a bulldozer, that a land owner is supposed to obtain before riprapping a bank, and a citizen is supposed to obtain before cutting out a logjam. In addition to the Conservation District, MFWP, DNRC, and the County Floodplain administrator play a role in the evaluation of projects and issuing of permits.
In order to clarify roles and responsibilities of stream management, BRTU is partnering with the Bitterroot Conservation District, MFWP, DNRC and the Bitterroot River Commissioner to host a free panel discussion on Thursday, May 25 at 7:00 PM at the Hamilton Elks Club.
There will be several panelists on hand to explain their role.
- Bitterroot Conservation District Supervisor Kent Myers will discuss the laws regulating activities in the streambed and floodplain. Kent will also describe the Woody Debris Task Force that was formed to address stream issues that impede floating, like logjams, and explain the proper and legal way to deal with downed trees.
- River Commissioner JR Iman and DNRC Engineer Larry Schock will preview the Painted Rocks water status and probable water release schedules. They will also describe the much needed repairs to the dam outlet works and the process for getting that done. It will take a lot of bake sales!
- Ben Dickinson, our new MFWP Region 2 Recreation Manager, will talk about boating safety and recreation issues.
- BRTU President Dave Ward who will present some possible novel solutions for hazard notification that our chapter is working on.
This will be an extremely interesting and important meeting. Guides and outfitters are particularly encouraged to attend.
BRTU will be providing free brats to the first 30 attendees. For additional information, please contact BRTU Chapter President Dave Ward.
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A map delineating the West Fork Road (#473) above Painted Rocks Lake and Horse Creek Pass on the Idaho border. Sheep Creek is a small drainage off this extreme upper end of the West Fork, approximately at the sign SE SW Section 3 Mine. Painted Rocks Lake would be a bit north of Alta and Hughes Creek. Source: Mapcarta.
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The notorious Mountain Pass rare earth mine in California. Approximately 2000 X2600 meters. Source:GoogleEarth.
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We are still waiting for additional substantive information on the proposed Sheep Creek Mine, but in the interim, here is an interesting article about environmental issues associated with some of the materials that go into the batteries of electric vehicles.
Since the announcement by the Utah based US Critical Materials, Corporation in March claiming that there was a "mother lode" of rare earth metals in the Sheep Creek drainage of the upper upper West Fork above Painted Rocks Lake, interest has remained intense.
The company's claims in the Sheep Creek area cover about 7 square miles. However, in an effort to understand and map the Sheep Creek and potential vicinal deposits, the US Geologic Survey will be doing aerial surveys in Montana and Idaho, which are described in this Missoulian article.
There is still no report that a Plan of Operation has been filed with the Bitterroot National Forest, so the course of action remains speculative. However, BRTU and Montana TU, as well as other groups, continue to monitor this latest snake oil project. The drainage downstream from the claims is home to populations of native cutthroat and bull trout. As a result, it is a mistake to discount this project which warrants watchful waiting.
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This issue's Picture of the Week was submitted by former BRTU Chapter President Jeremy Anderson.
Ever since he was a kid, Jeremy has made an annual family trip to Texas to fish for largemouth bass in the Toledo Bend Reservoir. This is a rather large (181, 600 acre!) manmade impoundment on the Sabine River which forms the boundary between Texas and Louisiana. This year he took his son Brady for what looks to be a pretty successful, if soggy, trip. Note that both father and son are sporting inflatable PFDs and he sent another photo of an even bigger largemouth.
Please send me any fishing or conservation related photos to be considered for the "Picture of the Week." Make sure that the files are less than 5 mB in size. Note that in general I plan to not to use "grip and grin" photos, but rather pictures of fish in the water or net.
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There were several correct answers to this BRTU Puzzler, but the first was from diligent newsletter reader Greg Vester.
Greg correctly identified the fish as a northern pikeminnow or Ptychocheilus oregonensis. These fish are native to Western Montana but are generally held in low regard. They are a predacious species and will eat smaller sportfish. They readily take a fly and the first fish I ever caught on a fly was a northern pikeminnow.
Historically the 4 species of these fish were known by the rather offensive and frankly racist term "squawfish," until 1999 when the American Fisheries Society changed the name to northern pikeminnow. The fish can grow to significant size and have thrived in the reservoirs impounded by the dams on the Snake and Columbia River. Here are they take a substantial poll on salmon and steelhead trying to negotiate those waters, and there is a bounty on them!
Because Greg was the first to submit a correct answer, he won the BRTU Puzzler and a prize from the Puzzler's sponsor. He can claim his prize at the Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton.
The BRTU Puzzler now has a new sponsor - Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton. Chapter One is offering a $10 gift card to each winner but it must be picked up in person. The book store is a long time BRTU supporter and has an unbelievable inventory of books and magazines. If Chapter One doesn't have the tome you want, they can get it in a jiffy. Shouldn't we be patronizing local small independents rather than big online giants?
If you have a cool fishing, outdoor activity, or conservation related photo, consider submitting it to BRTU Puzzlemaster Marshall Bloom for the BRTU Puzzler. The first correct entry will be the winner.
BRTU E-News will no longer publish grip and grin photos of native fish out of water but will highlight photos of actual fish in the water.
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Monte Dolack BRTU prints
now available at Joe's Studio.
A very few Publisher's Proofs of the limited edition "Bitterroot River-Lost Horse Bend" by Monte Dolack are still 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 BRTU sponsor, 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 Dave Ward. 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 the BRTU website. chapter number is #080. If you have a question about your membership, please call the Montana TU office at 406-543-0054.
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
Donna Haglund; Vice President; E-mail: haglunddonna@gmail.com
Don Patterson, Treasurer; d5357mt@gmail.com
BOARD MEMBERS
Charlie Harris; E-mail: hmgharris@gmail.com
Joe Byrne; E-mail: byrnej@hsd3.org
Paul Stone; E-mail:
Vacant; (student board member)
GENERAL FACTOTUM AND NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER
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Bitterroot Trout Unlimited| PO 262, Hamilton, MT 59840 | www.bitterroottu.org
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