Since it was founded in 1983, no other organization in America has done more to protect the spectacular free-flowing rivers and wild trout fisheries in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem than the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Two things make us unique. First we’re the only conservation organization that focuses exclusively on protecting the lands, waters and wildlife in the three states (Montana, Wyoming and Idaho) surrounding Yellowstone National Park. And second, while most conservation organizations focus on protecting public lands or private lands, we advocate for both because we understand that fish and wildlife know no boundaries.
Some of the legendary rivers where we’ve won key conservation victories in the past are the Gallatin, Madison, Yellowstone, Henrys Fork, Snake, South Fork Snake, and Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone. Currently, we have major river protection campaigns ongoing in all three states in the region. In Wyoming, GYC is spearheading the Campaign for the Snake Headwaters (www.snakeheadwaters.org), an ambitious effort to gain federal Wild and Scenic River Act protection for over 500 miles of the Snake River and its tributaries around Jackson Hole. In Montana, we’re pushing a bill in the legislature (the Montana Stream Legacy Act) that would keep all new building construction a safe distance away from all the state’s major rivers and streams. And in southeast Idaho, GYC is fighting to keep open-pit phosphate mining from wiping out several important populations of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Blackfoot and Salt River drainages.
The Montana Stream Legacy Act
What It Does
• Requires all new homes and commercial buildings to be set back at least 250 feet from the mean high water mark of Tier 1 streams (see list on reverse side) and 150 feet from Tier 2 streams (direct tributaries of Tier 1 streams with a drainage area of at least 25 square miles)
• Prohibits the removal of native vegetation within 100 feet of Tier 1 streams and 50 feet of Tier 2 streams
• Keeps new roads away from rivers and streams if practicable alternatives exist
• Allows counties to adopt their own setback standards in lieu of state standards as long as the local standards are based on sound science (e.g. floodplain studies, aerial photos, etc.)
Why It’s Needed
• Development along Montana’s rivers and streams is occurring at an unprecedented rate
• More people and homes are being placed in harm’s way
• More riverside development leads to more river channelization projects (e.g. riprap and levees), which increase the frequency and severity of floods
• Water quality is being degraded
• Valuable fish and wildlife habitat is being harmed
Why It’s a State Issue
• Protecting public health and safety is a state issue
• The bed and banks of all rivers and streams in Montana belong to the people
• The water flowing in all rivers and streams in Montana belongs to the people
• The fish and wildlife that depend on clean water and healthy riparian areas belong to the people
• Actions of upstream counties regarding riverside development affect downstream counties
• Less than half of Montana’s counties have adopted any form of setback regulations
How This Bill is Different From the 2005 Bill
• The setback distance has been reduced from 300 feet to 250 feet along major rivers
• Counties can now adopt their own setback standards in lieu of state standards
• Counties can now impose fees to cover the cost of enforcing setback standards
• This bill enjoys widespread support from realtors, floodplain managers, and county planning officials
Who’s Supporting the Montana Stream Legacy Act?
• Fishing and hunting groups
• Conservation organizations
• County planning officials
• Floodplain managers
• Realtors
List of Tier 1 Streams in Montana
Beaverhead River
Big Hole River
Bighorn River
Bitterroot River
Bitterroot River, West Fork
Blackfoot River
Boulder River (Jefferson River tributary)
Boulder River (Yellowstone River tributary)
Clark Fork River
Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River
Clearwater River
Dearborn River
East Gallatin River
Flathead River
Flathead River, Middle Fork
Flathead River, North Fork
Flathead River, South Fork
Gallatin River
Jefferson River
Jocko River
Judith River
Kootenai River
Little Blackfoot River
Madison River
Marias River
Milk River
Missouri River
Musselshell River
Poplar River
Powder River
Red Rock River
Rock Creek (Clark Fork tributary)
Rock Creek (Yellowstone River tributary)
Ruby River
Shields River
Smith River
Stillwater River (Yellowstone River tributary)
Stillwater River (Flathead River tributary)
Sun River
Swan River
Teton River
Thompson River
Tongue River
Whitefish River
Yaak River
Yellowstone River
Whether it involves participating in local planning and zoning, lobbying in the state legislatures, or walking the halls of Congress, you can count on the Greater Yellowstone Coalition to stand up for the wild rivers and wild trout fisheries you cherish so much. If you would like to find out how you can help us protect Greater Yellowstone’s incomparable aquatic treasures, please call us at (406) 586-1593. To join GYC, please visit:
http://greateryellowstone.org/involved/join.html
