Centennial Valley Association Inc

THE CENTENNIAL VALLEY EDRR INVASIVE WEED MANAGEMENT PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL PRIMARILY OCCUR IN THE CENTENNIAL WATERSHED, DESIGNATED BY THE BLM DILLON FIELD OFFICE. THE CENTENNIAL WATERSHED IS IN SOUTHEASTERN BEAVERHEAD COUNTY, MONTANA, TOWNSHIPS 13-15 SOUTH, RANGES 1-7 WEST AND RANGE 1 EAST. THE EAST-WEST BOUNDARY SPANS FROM RED ROCK PASS (EAST) TO LIMA DAM RESERVOIR (WEST) AND THE NORTHSOUTH BOUNDARY SPANS FROM THE CENTENNIAL MOUNTAINS (SOUTH) TO THE GRAVELLY RANGE (NORTH). BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LANDS ACCOUNT FOR 83,000-ACRES OF THE AREA, WHICH INCLUDES THE CENTENNIAL MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, GRAZING ALLOTMENTS, AND TRAILS. IN ADDITION, PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL ALSO EXTEND INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE SAGE CREEK WATERSHED. THE ENTIRETY OF THE SAGE CREEK WATERSHED IS LOCATED IN TOWNSHIPS 10-13 SOUTH, RANGES 6-10 WEST. THE PROPOSED CENTENNIAL VALLEY EDRR INVASIVE WEED MANAGEMENT PROJECT WILL EXTEND ACTIVITIES INTO THE RAILROAD, MAYBERRY, AND SAGE CREEK ALLOTMENTS TO PROVIDE A MANAGEMENT BUFFER TO PROTECT THE CENTENNIAL WATERSHED FROM THE SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS.

SOUTHWEST MONTANA HIGH DIVIDE ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION

FRENCH CREEK ARCTIC GRAYLING AND WCT CONNECTIVITY PROJECT- THIS PROJECT WILL OPEN 7.5 MILES OF STREAM HABITAT FOR ARCTIC GRAYLING AND WCT BY REMOVING OR REPLACING FOUR CULVERTS IN THE FRENCH CREEK DRAINAGE, IN SW MONTANA. THE ENTIRE FRENCH CREEK DRAINAGE IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED IS BEING RESTORED FOR NATIVE SPECIES INCLUDING ARCTIC GRAYLING AND WCT. TRIBUTARIES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO FRENCH CREEK INCLUDING LITTLE CALIFORNIA, SIX-MILE CREEK, AND JULIUS GULCH ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO FISH BECAUSE OF FOUR PERCHED OR NON-FUNCTIONING CULVERTS. THIS PROJECT WILL REMOVE TWO CULVERTS AND BUILD A SERIES OF STEPS POOLS THAT PROVIDE FISH PASSAGE AND REPLACE TWO CULVERTS WITH STRUCTURES MEETING AOP GUIDELINES. DOWNSTREAM OF THE PROJECT LOCATION, MTFWP INSTALLED A BARRIER AND COMPLETED A NON-NATIVE FISH REMOVAL IN 2020 AND 2021. ARCTIC GRAYLING AND WCT REINTRODUCTIONS WERE INITIATED IN 2022 AND WILL CONTINUE IN 2023 AND 2024. ONCE RESTORED, THE FRENCH CREEK POPULATIONS WILL REPRESENT THE SECOND LARGEST INTERCONNECTED POPULATION OF WCT IN THE UPPER MISSOURI RIVER DRAINAGE AND THE ONLY POPULATION OF FLUVIAL ARCTIC GRAYLING THAT EXIST IN THE ABSENCE OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES. PROJECT PARTNERS: BIG HOLE WATERSHED COMMITTEE, MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE PARKS (MTFWP), GEORGE GRANT TROUT UNLIMITED. SMITH SPRINGS ARCTIC GRAYLING RECONNECT PROJECT THIS PROJECT WILL RESTORE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN SMITH SPRINGS AND THE NORTH FORK OF THE BIG HOLE RIVER FOR NATIVE ARCTIC GRAYLING BY INSTALLING A SIPHON TO TRANSPORT IRRIGATION WATER UNDER SMITH SPRINGS, REBUILDING A CONNECTING CHANNEL, AND INSTALLING AN AOP STRUCTURE AT A ROAD CROSSING. CURRENTLY, SMITH SPRINGS FLOWS INTO AN IRRIGATION CANAL WHICH LIMITS FISH MOVEMENT AND MIGRATIONS INTO THE LARGER NORTH FORK RIVER. WHEN SMITH SPRINGS IS RECONNECTED, ARCTIC GRAYLING WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FROM THE NORTH FORK OF THE BIG HOLE INTO SMITH SPRINGS TO SPAWN AND REAR, THEN MOVE BACK TO THE LARGER SYSTEM FOR SUMMER AND WINTER HABITATS AS LARGER, OLDER FISH. THIS PROJECT INCLUDES AN AOP DESIGNED CULVERT CROSSING REPLACEMENT AT UPPER NORTH FORK ROAD, AN IRRIGATION SIPHON TO PASS THE IRRIGATION DITCH UNDER SMITH SPRINGS, RECONSTRUCTION OF 2,500-FT OF CHANNEL CONNECTING SMITH SAGE SPRINGS FROM THE NORTH FORK BIG HOLE CHANNEL TO A NEW CULVERT CROSSING OUTLET, AND RECONSTRUCTION OF 1,200-FT OF IRRIGATION CHANNEL BANK. PROJECT PARTNERS: BIG HOLE WATERSHED COMMITTEE, MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE PARKS (MTFWP), GEORGE GRANT TROUT UNLIMITED.

GRIZZLY BEAR AWARE CRI PROJECT.

THE HIGH DIVIDE HEADWATERS IS THE LAND IN BETWEEN THE ICONIC GREATER YELLOWSTONE AND CROWN OF THE CONTINENT LANDSCAPES. STRADDLING THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ALONG THE IDAHO MONTANA BORDER THE HIGH DIVIDE HOUSES HEADWATERS FOR THE GREAT MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA WATERSHEDS. THE LANDSCAPE IS CHARACTERIZED BY NUMEROUS HIGH ELEVATION MOUNTAINS RANGES EXPANSIVE SAGE STEPPE AND LARGE PRODUCTIVE VALLEYS THAT PROVIDE A DIVERSITY OF HABITAT AND SERVE AS A STRONGHOLD FOR WILDLIFE THAT HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM MUCH OF THEIR HISTORIC RANGE. THE VALLEYS ARE LARGELY PRIVATELY OWNED WITH LIVESTOCK AND HAY PRODUCTION BEING THE PRIMARY LAND USE. LAND OWNERSHIP IS A MIXTURE OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LANDS. THE HIGH DIVIDE ALSO CONTAINS IMPORTANT HABITAT AND MIGRATION CORRIDORS FOR NATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE SPECIES THAT NEED TO BE MAINTAINED ACROSS MIXED LANDOWNERSHIP. FOCUS SPECIES IDENTIFIED IN THE MONTANA PARTNERS FOR WILDLIFE STRATEGIC PLAN WITHIN THE HIGH DIVIDE ECOSYSTEM INCLUDE GREATER SAGE GROUSE ARCTIC GRAYLING WESTSLOPE CUTTHROAT TROUT TRUMPETER SWANS AND GRIZZLY BEARS. ENHANCING HABITAT AT A LANDSCAPE LEVEL FOR THESE SPECIES WILL ALSO IMPROVE HABITAT QUALITY AND CONNECTIVITY FOR MANY OTHER SPECIES. THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO RESTORE NATIVE UPLAND STREAM AND WETLAND HABITATS WITH PROJECTS FOCUSING ON RESTORING UPLAND WETLAND RIPARIAN AND INSTREAM HABITATS IMPROVING BOTH WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE TO SUPPORT LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION WORK IN THE MONTANA PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE CENTENNIAL AND BIG HOLE HIGH DIVIDE CONSERVATION FOCUS AREAS AS IS IDENTIFIED IN THE USFWS REGION 6 PFW 5 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO RESTORE NATIVE UPLAND, STREAM AND WETLAND HABITATS FOR THE BENEFIT OF SAGE GROUSE, ARCTIC GRAYLING, WESTSLOPE CUTTHROAT TROUT, TRUMPETER SWANS, AND GRIZZLY BEARS AND MANY OTHER AND WILDLIFE SPECIES PROJECTS WILL FOCUS ON RESTORING UPLAND, WETLAND, RIPARIAN AND INSTREAM HABITATS, IMPROVING WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN HABITATS PROJECT ACTIVITIES MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO REDUCING GRIZZLY BEAR CONFLICTS BY REMOVING ATTRACTANTS ON THE LANDSCAPE, ASSISTING RANGE RIDER PROGRAMS, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES, PROMOTE BEAR AWARENESS AND SAFETY PROGRAMS HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS MAY INCLUDE STREAM AND WETLAND MESIC RESTORATION, IMPROVING WATER QUALITY AND IMPLEMENT RIPARIAN MANAGEMENT PLANS THROUGH FENCING, STOCK WATER, IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY, GRAZING MANAGEMENT, WEED MANAGEMENT, CONIFER REMOVAL AND INSTALLING FISH BARRIERS CONNECTIVITY PROJECTS MAY INCLUDE INSTALLING FISH LADDERS, REMOVING NON FUNCTIONING CULVERTS, CONSTRUCTING BRIDGES OR GRADE CONTROL STRUCTURES, REMOVING OR ALTERNATING FENCES, PROTECTING IMPORTANT CORRIDORS THROUGH GRAZING MANAGEMENT OR LAND PROTECTION SERVICE AND CVA PERSONNEL WILL ANNUALLY PURSUE PROJECTS WITH STAKE HOLDERS, AGENCIES AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO MEET PROJECT OBJECTIVES