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Covering the Bitterroot Valley – “Where Montana Begins!”
Volume XXXV, Number 1
For a healthy river
Established 1985 - Locally owned & independent
Two Stevensville council members resign By Michael Howell
DEQ has trained over 30 Bitterroot River Health Check volunteers in the practices and protocols involved in collecting water quality samples in the last two years. Last month this group of “citizen scientists” received instructions from Monitoring and Assessment Specialist Elizabeth McWilliams.
DEQ adopts 20-year plan for monitoring nutrients in river
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has initiated the implementation of a 20-yearlong water quality monitoring project on the mainstem of the Bitterroot River. The agency is taking samples for nutrient testing from five sites on the river’s mainstem including sites at the USGS gauge south of Darby and at the bridges at Main Street in Hamilton, Bell Crossing, Florence and Buckhouse. The sampling design and primary objective of this monitoring effort is to detect longterm trends in nutrient and benthic algae chlorophyll concentrations in the Bitterroot River. According to the plan, sampling results will be published annually with a trend analysis produced every five years. The
impetus behind establishing a long-term nutrient monitoring program on the Bitterroot River is supported by the agency’s Monitoring and Assessment (MAS) Program’s and Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program’s strategic longterm plans. One of MAS’s stated strategic plan objectives are to track water quality change over time, particularly in watersheds where multiple DEQ program priorities align. Over the next 2-3 years, a majority of the NPS Program’s financial and technical resources will be focused in the watershed, thereby increasing momentum for education and outreach and voluntary restoration implementation. A major goal of the Bitterroot Mainstem Longterm Nutrient Trends Monitoring
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Project is to help demonstrate the success of this effort. DEQ has been doing similar monitoring in the mainstem of the Clark Fork River since 1993 and continues to monitor that river with help from the Clark Fork Coalition, Avista and the University of Montana Watershed Health Clinic. In 2016, the Bitterroot River Protection Association (BRPA) expressed an interest in extending that monitoring effort up the Bitterroot. While the laboratory personnel at the Missoula wastewater treatment laboratory continued to monitor at Maclay and Buckhouse bridges, BRPA volunteers undertook monitoring at the Darby gage site, Main Street
Stevensville Town Council President Bob Michalson and newly appointed council member Jim Crews both submitted brief and somewhat similar letters of resignation last Tuesday, July 16, at 1:55 p.m. “Consider this my formal resignation as a member of the Stevensville Town Council Ward 2, effective immediately. “I cannot remain a member of a local government organization where truthfulness, compliance with local resolutions, ordinances, state and federal law are not a cherished attribute,” wrote Crews. Michalson wrote, “I am submitting my resignation as Town Council President/ Town Council Ward 2, effective immediately. “I can no longer sit idle and watch the Criminal Activity being carried on within the Town Hall of Stevensville, Mt.” Michalson said in a telephone interview that he didn’t want to go over all the problems that he had with the mayor over his illegal activities, but he did comment on a couple of issues. For one, he called the
“Those interviews should be open to the public,” said Michalson. “Nothing’s going to come of that, I know,” he said. “It’s water under the bridge now. I think it’s just time to walk away.” Mayor Dewey said that the
check for the fireworks was on the agenda for approval at a council meeting that was cancelled by Michalson. As a result, he said, the check was written out of cycle. He said it wasn’t illegal. He said the expenditure had been budgeted for and the money was available in the general fund. He said Michalson even signed the check. “I guess he had second thoughts about it, I don’t know,” said Dewey. Dewey said regarding the closed interviews that he had discussed it with the town’s attorney and that if a legislative body was conducting interviews they would necessarily be open to the public, but a public meeting was not required for an executive officer to interview an employee or prospective employee. According to Dewey, the two vacant seats in Ward 2 have been advertised. By law candidates are given 10 days to apply, meaning applications are due by July 31. At that point, he said, the two remaining council members constitute a quorum and will appoint two new members at a properly noticed public meeting.
New fires start over weekend
DEQ Monitoring Project Director Randy Apfelback and Monitoring and Assessment Specialist Elizabeth McWilliams watch as Bitterroot River Health Check volunteers Liz Hibala and Kelsey Milner collect a filtered water sample from the Bitterroot River. The officials were in the valley auditing the volunteer sampling practices which must follow strict protocols to ensure the integrity of the testing results.
Firefighters are working on two new wildfires caused by lightning and discovered Saturday on the forest. As of Sunday, both fires were burning in remote locations in the Bitterroot Mountains and there were no structures threatened or closures as of press time. The Little Rock Creek Fire was 1/10th of an acre and was staffed with four firefighters who were flown into the area Saturday night and rappelled to the fire from a hovering helicopter. The fire is burning in the Little Rock Creek drainage on the Darby/Sula Ranger District southwest of Lake Como. It is currently contained and was expected to be out later on Sunday. The Canyon Fire was estimated at 3/10th of an acre and is located west of Hamilton at the top of Blodgett Canyon between Blodgett Lake and Blodgett Pass. As of Sunday, there were eight firefighters on scene who were flown in by helicopter and were working to suppress the fire which was 0% contained at press time. The fire is located approximately nine miles west of the Blodgett Canyon Trailhead. In addition to the eight firefighters assigned to the Canyon Fire there is also one helicopter assisting with bucket work to
A male grizzly bear with a GPS tracking collar was detected in a remote area of Montana’s Bitterroot National Forest about 15 miles west of Stevensville before moving back into Idaho early this week. Although the bear has remained in mostly remote areas, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) and Bitterroot National Forest officials say that its movement into the Bitterroot offers a good reminder that people should expect grizzly bears on the landscape across western Montana. “Collared bears provide insights into the movement pat-
population of black bears in the Bitterroot, and the addition of these confirmed grizzly bears means that it is extra important to keep the area around your home free from bear attractants,” FWP’s Jonkel said. Be sure to keep garbage indoors until the day of collection; consider using electric fencing around chickens, garden areas and compost piles; and move other attractants such as pet food, dirty barbecue grills and ripe fruit indoors or into a secure building. “If bears are able to find these things easily, then they tend to stay in the areas around where
See MONITORING, page 12
mayor’s payment for a fireworks display on the 4th of July without council approval “a blatant misappropriation of funds.” He said he had to put a stop on the check and then the mayor went around him and pushed the check through. “Then he went behind us on that and tried to get donations to cover it but failed,” said Michalson. “I’ve just had enough. It’s just not worth it anymore.” He said nothing was getting done by either the mayor or the council “except a revolving door for employees.” But he did add one more complaint, saying, that when Crews was being sworn in as a council member it had to be done on the street because the mayor was holding illegally closed meetings at the time. He said that Mayor Brandon Dewey was interviewing a clerk candidate behind a closed door that said ‘do not disturb, interview in process.’
help control the fire’s spread. The helicopter will also be flying in additional resources for the crew so residents living near the area and anyone hiking the popular Blodgett Canyon Trail #19 should expect helicopter traffic throughout the day. Both fires were burning in remote and rugged locations. The Canyon Fire is located in extremely steep and rocky terrain. Firefighters are working to control both fires, which are being actively suppressed, under a full suppression strategy. A helicopter using buckets to drop water in key locations will check the fire’s growth and aviation will continue to be utilized as needed.
Fire behavior was characterized as creeping and smoldering with some single tree torching and spotting, aided by winds. The fires are burning in timber and brush. The immediate forecast was for hot and dry weather with low relative humidity and gusty winds late in the day The warmest temperatures of the year so far are expected this week, with highs reaching into the mid-90s and a chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Firefighter safety remains a top priority as the fires are burning in remote, rugged, and steep terrain. Fire managers would like to remind visitors and recreationalist to be extremely careful while visiting the forest. Pay attention to those items that may cause a spark, such as chains on a trailer. Ensure that all campfires are dead out by adding water and stirring dirt into hot coals until cold. Remember, if it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave! One spark is all it takes to start a wildfire. 2019 Fire Season: Firefighters have responded to 30 lightning wildfires and 10 human caused fires this summer on the Bitterroot National Forest. Due to the quick response of crews, all fires were kept under one acre is size.
we live, instead of moving on to natural food sources,” Jonkel said. “This grizzly bear also serves as a good reminder for people to keep clean camps and practice bear aware tactics like carrying bear spray when out on the forest,” said Tod McKay, spokesman for the Bitterroot National Forest. The Forest Service recommends that campers never store food or scented products like toothpaste or sunscreen in tents or outside at a campsite, unsecured. Instead, store food in a hardsided vehicle or camper or in an
approved bear resistant storage container when available. When horse riding or backpacking, the agency recommends hanging food at least 10 feet off the ground and five feet from tree trunks and at least 100 yards from campsites. Dishes and cooking utensils should be cleaned promptly after use and away from campsites. “We are used to having black bears around us, and the recent grizzly bear just emphasizes the need to expect the possibility of seeing either type of bear when recreating and to be prepared,” McKay said.
Canyon Fire on July 20th.
Grizzly bear detected on Montana side of the Bitterroots terns of other uncollared bears that we can expect to be out there,” said Jamie Jonkel, FWP Bear Management Specialist. Biologists said that this three-year-old male grizzly made its way south after emerging from its den in the Cabinet Mountains this spring and has spent most of its time recently on the Idaho side of the divide, passing briefly into Montana late last week. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) biologist Wayne Kasworm said wildlife officials plan to continue to monitor the bear and its movements. The remote areas where this bear has
spent most of its time this spring and summer are considered prime grizzly habitat where bears, like this one, are expected to move on their own over time. Grizzly bears in the Bitterroot remain relatively uncommon, compared to other parts of western Montana. Still, through the years, several grizzly bears have been confirmed in the Sapphire Mountains on the east side of the valley, in the Lolo Creek drainage, and as far south as the Big Hole Valley. Last October, a young grizzly bear was captured at the Whitetail Golf Course near Stevensville. “We know we have a strong