UPPER YELLOWSTONE WATERSHED BASIN
Park Conservation District
General Membership Meeting
November 6, 2014 at 7:00 PM
St. John's Church, Emigrant
-MINUTES-
PEOPLE PRESENT: (13 people total)
Jessica Anderson, Coordinator
Karen Loveless, FWP
Nicole Divine, YRCDC
Jacquie Nelson
Whitney Tilt
Jon Springer
Jerry O'Hair
Abby Nelson, FWP
Warren Kellogg, YRCDC
Alvin Pierce
David Guttenfelder
Virginia O’Hair
Cecilia Welch, BSWC
Art Burns called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m.
YELLOWSTONE RIVER CUMULATIVE EFFECTS STUDY
Nicole Divine and Warren Kellogg with the Yellowstone River Conservation
District Council (YRCDC) gave a presentation regarding the Cumulative Effects
Study which is approaching completion. Divine and Kellogg explained the
natural and historic significance of the Yellowstone River, combined with major
floods in 1996 and 1997, elevated interest and increased public debate over the
impacts of human activities on the River. The lack of information upon which to
base permitting decisions emphasized the need for public forums to discuss
complex issues and potential solutions. Governor Marc Racicot created the Upper
Yellowstone River Task Force in 1997 to address problems arising from the
floods and begin studying the cumulative effects in Park County. In 1999, the
YRCDC was formed to address conservation issues on the entire river. The
Council is made up of representatives from eleven conservation districts
bordering the main stem of the Yellowstone River, with a twelfth member
representing the Resource Advisory Council of the YRCDC. The Council’s purpose
is to provide local leadership, assistance, and guidance for the wise use and
conservation of the Yellowstone River’s natural resources.
The Council worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the initial
scoping of a federally mandated cumulative impacts study. This proposal insures
local input and direction through the Council, into a federal effort to study the
river. The Project Management Plan and Cost Share Agreement were signed by
the Council and the Corps of Engineers in 2004, allowing work on the study to
proceed as funds become available. The Council has since completed an aerial
mapping project of the entire river to chart eroding banks, in-stream structures,
irrigation facilities, bridges, and other features as well as a county-by-county,
on-site inventory of the river’s physical features.
[1]
5242 Hwy. 89 South Livingston, MT 59047
(406) 222-2899 x111 or Jessica.Anderson@mt.nacdnet.net
UPPER YELLOWSTONE WATERSHED BASIN
Park Conservation District
Divine and Kellogg discussed the various projects and studies that have been
completed, are in progress, or planned:
 Completed a Rapid Aerial Assessment to create a Physical Features
inventory of man-made structures on the Yellowstone River.
 Conducted a comparative study of current and historic geomorphic
features and fisheries which were used to select sites on the river as
"representative reaches" for in-depth study.
 Created a publicly accessible spatial database with Montana’s Natural
Resources Inventory System.
 Developed a Yellowstone River Resource Information and Education
Center, which includes a web site with current and future river activities.
In preparation of project completion, the YRCDC is soliciting localized input on
the following components:
 Land management tools
 Voluntary Better Management Practices (BMPs)
 Restorative project ideas
 Testimony/feedback
 Cumulative Effects Study results
The YRCDC will hold its next meeting on December 4th at MSU-Billings.
ELECTIONS
Alan Redfield made the motion to postpone the nominations and elections of
UYWB chair, vice-chair, and committee chair positions. Jerry O’Hair seconded
and the motion passed.
COMMITTEE UPDATES:
A. Weeds
Anderson reported the Park County Cooperative Weed Management Area will
hold its next meeting at 2:30 on January 20th in the conference room of the
Livingston USDA Building.
B. Irrigation Committee
Committee chair, Jerry O’Hair reiterated the importance of keeping water
rights up-to-date and encouraged everyone to measure and record water
levels if possible. Alan Redfield reported, given recent legislative outcomes,
individuals can now file water rights on springs and encouraged landowners
to do so.
C. Range Committee
No update provided.
D. Stream Stabilization Committee
No update provided.
E. Wildlife Committee
No update provided.
F. Mill Creek Subcommittee
No update provided.
[2]
5242 Hwy. 89 South Livingston, MT 59047
(406) 222-2899 x111 or Jessica.Anderson@mt.nacdnet.net
UPPER YELLOWSTONE WATERSHED BASIN
Park Conservation District
COORDINATOR UPDATES:
A. 2014 BSCW Member:
Anderson reported she has completed the interview process of candidates to
serve as the 2015 Big Sky Watershed Corp (BSWC) member for the Park
CD. Following which, Dylan Graves was selected and has accepted the
position. Graves will begin his term on January 5th.
B. Park CD 5th Grade Ag Fair, Sept. 26th, Nelson’s Spring Creek Ranch:
The annual Park CD 5th Grade Ag Fair was held on September 26th at the
Nelson’s Spring Creek Ranch. 5th graders from Livingston public schools
attended the day-long educational event where they rotated through various
ag-related stations and learned about components of agriculture and food
production. The Ag Fair exhibited the following stations: poultry, beef
cattle, dairy, irrigation/wagon rides, sheep, 4-H, ATV safety, horses, noxious
weeds, and grains. For the 2015 event, Anderson reported she hopes to
include Gardiner, Arrowhead, Pine Creek, and Shields Valley 5th graders and
add a fish/aquatic and swine station.
C. Park CD Board of Supervisors:
Anderson reported Matt Levers has resigned his position on the Park CD
Board of Supervisors. The Park CD is in the process of contacting potential
candidates within the northern region of Park County to fill the position.
D. Park County Landownership Maps:
The Park CD is in the process of ordering booklets forms of Park County
Landownership Maps. The booklets will be available for purchase at the Park
Conservation District office.
E. Six Mile Fire:
A multi-agency and landowner meeting/tour of the Six Mile Creek drainage
was held on August 27th. The tour assessed the damage to irrigation
resulting from the 2013 Emigrant Fire. NRCS is working with local
landowners in the area and Park CD will look into additional funding to help
landowners with irrigation problems.
AGENCY UPDATES:
Karen Loveless, Wildlife Biologist with Montana FWP, reviewed the initial
summary findings of acceptability of elk and management tools in Montana and
provided a hardcopy version to attendees. Loveless also reported there will be
an elk management hunt in early 2015 for Hunting District 393. The goal of the
management hunt is to reduce the current elk numbers in order to bring the
population closer to the objective.
Abby Nelson, Wolf Specialist with Montana FWP, provided an update on the
current status of the season’s wolf harvest. Nelson reported Wolf Management
Unit (WMU) 313 has met its harvest quota, one more wolf can be taken from
WMU 316, and nine wolves have been harvested from WMU 390. The season
will come to an end on March 15th. Nelson also reported the Livestock Loss
Board was given $150,000 in federal funds to allocate toward preventative
measures taken for grizzlies or wolves. For more information, visit their
website.
[3]
5242 Hwy. 89 South Livingston, MT 59047
(406) 222-2899 x111 or Jessica.Anderson@mt.nacdnet.net
UPPER YELLOWSTONE WATERSHED BASIN
Park Conservation District
APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 4th, 2014 MINUTES:
Alan Redfield made the motion to approve the September 4, 2014 meeting
minutes. Alvin Pierce seconded and the motion passed.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
ADJOURN:
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M.
Next Meeting: TBD
[4]
5242 Hwy. 89 South Livingston, MT 59047
(406) 222-2899 x111 or Jessica.Anderson@mt.nacdnet.net