The endangered pallid sturgeon in Montana’s Yellowstone River now has a better chance of making it upstream thanks to fish-friendly upgrades to a century-old irrigation system that was diverting fish along with water into farm fields.The new intake structure, completed this week, features a series of fish screens that will keep the sturgeon and other fish from inadvertently ending up in irrigation canals. The Lower Yellowstone Project, as the irrigation system is called, was originally built in 1905 — long before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the sturgeon under the 1973 Endangered Species Act . . . the upgrades to the project, which irrigates about 54,000 acres, involved several federal and state agencies, including the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corps of Engineers, FWS, U.S. EPA, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the Montana Department of Natural Resources. The improvements, which began in August 2010, are part of a larger effort by the Army Corps to help mitigate the effects of dams and diversions in the Missouri River Basin.

Corps Northwestern Division Clippings -17May12
Photo courtesy: YRCDC

PRESS RELEASE – For Immediate Release

For more information or interviews contact Cal Cumin, Yellowstone Co. Parks Dept at 406-690-1763 or email c-cumin@hotmail.com

THE RUSSIANS ARE ALREADY HERE….

…and they are en-mass along the Yellowstone River and many of its tributaries. That’s the invasive Russian Olive tree. These prolific and hardy trees will snuff out all native vegetation including the cottonwoods and generally threaten the habitat along the river corridor.

The Yellowstone River Conservation District, the Yellowstone County Parks Department, the Yellowstone County Weed Department, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation are combining efforts to remove at least 17 acres of the trees at Two Moon Park, beginning on March 21st, 2012.

All of the agencies involved recognize the need to control the quick growing species of tree, and the YRCDC and Yellowstone County are cooperating to make a huge dent in the Russian olive population in Two Moon Park.

The task of shearing off the trees at ground level and making slash piles of the debris will be completed within four weeks. Those who use the park on a regular basis may find some areas and trails closed during the operation.

An informational sign will be erected encouraging other landowners to perform the same task where Russian olives have begun to dominate their landscape.

The area to be cleared of Russian olives will need to be replanted in the near future with native plants and trees, and the YRCDC is seeking volunteers to help accomplish this task. If you are interested in helping plant new trees and native plants please call the YRCDC office, Kelly Norwood at 406-247-4411 or email at knorwood@mt.gov.

Public Service announcements and a video will be produced for a continuing education project for the general public.

If you have any questions about the project contact Cal Cumin at Yellowstone County Parks Dept at 406-690-1763 or email at
c-cumin@hotmail.com.