Prioritizing The Upper Clark Fork River Tributaries for Instream Flow Restoration
Off stream uses of water in the west have left many rivers and streams depleted, including the Upper Clark Fork River and its tributaries. As drought conditions persist or worsen, this issue will become more critical. Public-private partnerships, like the Upper Clark Fork Steering Committee, have formed to monitor the flow of our rivers. In order to assist the Steering Committee and river advocacy groups working within the Upper Clark Fork River Basin, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the studies on existing flows and target flows in the upper river, synthesizes past priorities for stream restoration, and provides a case study on how to find flows to rewater a key tributary. With this information, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and others will have a more complete understanding of how to prioritize tributaries for rewatering and restoration with their limited budgets and personnel. This will also aid in the development of the report due to the legislature every five years by the Upper Clark Fork River Basin Steering Committee that is intended to review the basin closure and make recommendations to the legislature regarding necessary changes.
clark fork, instream flow, montana water law, water
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