WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS MEETING OBJECTIVES: • Provide an overview of the watershed characterization information that has been covered in previous meetings • Discuss the priority concerns that have been identified in previous meetings • Discuss example management strategies that can help address the identified water resource concerns • Obtain feedback on priority concerns and assess the potential success of the example improvement strategies
A QUICK REVIEW WHAT IS OUR GOAL? LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO DEVELOP LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO OUR CURRENT, AND FUTURE, WATER RESOURCE CONCERNS. • IDENTIFY WATER RESOURCE CONCERNS. • IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES • DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OR RESTORATION EFFORTS TO REACH OUR DESIRED CONDITIONS
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? WATER QUALITY – STREAMS THAT HAVE WATER QUALITY IMPAIRMENTS CLIMATE VARIABILITY – HISTORIC AND FUTURE WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS GROUNDWATER – SUPPLY TRENDS, CONDITIONS, AND FUTURE CONCERNS
WHAT ARE OUR OBJECTIVES? • MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE HEALTHY WATERWAYS • MANAGE HEALTHY RIPARIAN AREAS AND WETLANDS • MAINTAIN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY • ENHANCE ECONOMIC VIABILITY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY • ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE USE OF WATER NOW AND IN THE FUTURE
WATER QUALITY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Stream Name Nutrients Metals E. coli Temperature Sediment Antelope Creek Bear Creek Blaine Spring Creek Cherry Creek Elk Creek Hot Springs Creek Moores Creek North Meadow Creek O'Dell Creek Red Canyon Ruby Creek South Meadow Creek Watkins Creek West Fork Wigwam Creek
CLIMATE VARIABILITY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Number of Days 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 0 5 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 Number of Days for Each Year > 90 º F. Ennis, MT 1938 1940 1942 1945 1947 1949 1951 1953 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963 1965 1967 1969 1971 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
CLIMATE VARIABILITY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Jack Creek Streamflow – At Canyon 1976-1986 Average 2006-2016 Average 200 180 160 140 120 cfs 100 80 60 40 20 0 3/15 3/22 3/29 4/5 4/12 4/19 4/26 5/3 5/10 5/17 5/24 5/31 6/7 6/14 6/21 6/28 7/5 7/12 7/19 7/26 8/2 8/9 8/16 8/23 8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/11 10/18 10/25 Madison River Streamflow - West Yellowstone Average Streamflow 1917-1926 Average Streamflow 2007-2016 1000 800 600 cfs 400 200 0 1/1 1/28 2/24 3/22 4/18 5/15 6/11 7/8 8/4 8/31 9/27 10/24 11/20 12/17
CLIMATE VARIABILITY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Temperature Precipitation Snow Water Equivalent
GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? • Roughly 50% of groundwater claims are for domestic use • Roughly 50% of groundwater withdrawals are for irrigation (*note the seasonality of use) Groundwater Claims by Type of Use Claims for Groundwater Withdrawals (gpm) 60000 DOMESTIC 50000 STOCK 4% LAWN AND GARDEN gallons per minute 40000 6% 3% COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION 30000 FISH AND WILDLIFE 11% MUNICIPAL 20000 50% INDUSTRIAL 10000 INSTITUTIONAL MINING 23% 0 RECREATION GEOTHERMAL OTHER FIRE PROTECTION
wells/yr GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? 100 120 140 20 40 60 80 0 1900 1906 1910 Wells Completed Anually in the Madison Watershed 1919 1924 1930 1934 1938 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015
GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Groundwater Monitoring Fractured Bedrock • Large seasonal fluctuations: High in May, low in October • Recharged by Snowmelt • Sensitive to climate and development (pumping) • Vulnerable to contamination • Low well yields (GPM) 120 ft 2017 2002 2006 Montana Groundwater Assessment Program
CONCERNS IDENTIFIED BY COMMUNITY SURFACE WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY o Timing of runoff and changes in snowpack affecting water use and availability o Warm water temperatures affecting water quality o Increased evaporation (and evapotranspiration) with warmer summers o Changes in form of precipitation affecting water supply o Insufficient water for instream flows o Poor water quality GROUNDWATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY o Insufficient supply for future growth o Annual snowpack unable to recharge aquifers to current and historic levels o Septic systems and land management practices affecting quality of water in surrounding wells
TIMING OF RUNOFF AND REDUCTION IN SNOWPACK AFFECTING WATER USE AND AVAILABILITY Jack Creek Streamflow – At Canyon IMPLICATIONS: 1976-1986 Average 2006-2016 Average • Runoff may not align with optimal time for 200 180 irrigation use 160 140 120 cfs 100 • Earlier and lower baseflow affecting fisheries, 80 60 recreation, and late-season irrigation 40 20 0 • What else? 3/15 3/22 3/29 4/5 4/12 4/19 4/26 5/3 5/10 5/17 5/24 5/31 6/7 6/14 6/21 6/28 7/5 7/12 7/19 7/26 8/2 8/9 8/16 8/23 8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/11 10/18 10/25 Madison River Streamflow - West Yellowstone Average Streamflow 1917-1926 Average Streamflow 2007-2016 1000 800 600 cfs 400 200 0 1/1 1/28 2/24 3/22 4/18 5/15 6/11 7/8 8/4 8/31 9/27 10/2411/2012/17
TIMING OF RUNOFF AND REDUCTION IN SNOWPACK AFFECTING WATER USE AND AVAILABILITY WHAT CAN WE DO? • Capture early runoff and precipitation through natural storage, and manage vegetation appropriately for the available moisture HOW CAN WE DO IT? • Enhance the function of existing wetlands • Identify opportunities for restoring or creating new wetlands • Manage and restore healthy riparian areas • Assess time of use for existing water rights, and identify changes if necessary • Assess the function of existing storage facilities, and identify efficiency improvements • Improve water holding capacity in soils • Planting appropriate vegetation species adapted for the available moisture • What else?
WARMER WATER TEMPERATURES AFFECTING WATER QUALITY IMPLICATIONS: • Potential for fish kills • Changes in aquatic species composition • Increased pathogens and water quality problems • Economic impacts to recreation and business economy • What else?
WARM WATER TEMPERATURES AFFECTING AQUATIC HEALTH WHAT CAN WE DO? • Lower water temperatures, and mitigate for temperature increases HOW CAN WE DO IT? • Improve riparian shading where possible • Limit heat sources to streams (ponds and reservoirs) • Restore channels to achieve proper width and depth • What else?
INCREASED EVAPORATION WITH WARMER SUMMERS Hebgen Lake loses 4.13 ft. of water annually IMPLICATIONS: At 12,400 acres that is 51,278 acre-ft. per • Water is lost within the local system year One acre-ft. equals 43,600 cubic feet • Stress to vegetation ~2.23 Billion cubic feet per year That’s enough water to run 1,000 cfs out of • Increased risk of forest fire Hebgen Dam for 25 days • What else?
INCREASED EVAPORATION WITH WARMER SUMMERS WHAT CAN WE DO? • Limit the amount of exposed water, and properly manage vegetative cover HOW CAN WE DO IT? • Reduce evaporative losses from unnecessary ponds • Reduce evaporation from soil by eliminating bare ground and using no-till techniques • Reduce evaporative loss by using plant species requiring less water • What else?
CHANGES IN FORM OF PRECIPITATION AFFECTING WATER SUPPLY Precipitation IMPLICATIONS: • Likelihood of more rain and less snowpack • Greater variability in timing and volume of peak streamflow • Less surface water available during irrigation season • Possibility of increased rain-on-snow events • What else?
CHANGES IN FORM OF PRECIPITATION AFFECTING WATER SUPPLY WHAT CAN WE DO? • Capture early runoff and precipitation through natural storage, and manage vegetation appropriately for the available moisture HOW CAN WE DO IT? • Enhance the function of existing wetlands • Identify opportunities for restoring or creating new wetlands • Manage and restore healthy riparian areas • Assess time of use for existing water rights, and identify changes if necessary • Assess the function of existing storage facilities, and identify efficiency improvements • Improve water holding capacity in soils • Planting appropriate vegetation species adapted for the available moisture • What else?
INSUFFICIENT WATER FOR INSTREAM FLOWS IMPLICATIONS: • Reduced habitat for fish • Warmer water temperatures • Increased water quality problems (solution to pollution is no longer dilution) • Economic impacts to recreation economy • Economic impacts to junior water rights users • What else?
INSUFFICIENT WATER FOR INSTREAM FLOWS WHAT CAN WE DO? • Manage water for a diversity of beneficial uses HOW CAN WE DO IT? • Understand the value of water for different uses • Efficiency improvements for diverted surface water (conveyance and application) • Voluntary Water Use Agreements • Water Rights Leasing • Upland (forest restoration) management
POOR WATER QUALITY IMPLICATIONS: • Changes in aquatic life composition • Reduction in productivity of fisheries • Human health concerns • Economic impacts to recreation economy
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