WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS MEETING OBJECTIVES: Provide an overview - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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?

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 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

Number of Days

Number of Days for Each Year > 90º F. Ennis, MT

CLIMATE VARIABILITY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

200 400 600 800 1000

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 cfs

Madison River Streamflow - West Yellowstone

Average Streamflow 1917-1926 Average Streamflow 2007-2016 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 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

cfs

Jack Creek Streamflow – At Canyon

1976-1986 Average 2006-2016 Average

CLIMATE VARIABILITY: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Precipitation Snow Water Equivalent Temperature

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)

50% 23% 11% 6% 4% 3%

Groundwater Claims by Type of Use

DOMESTIC STOCK LAWN AND GARDEN COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION FISH AND WILDLIFE MUNICIPAL INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONAL MINING RECREATION GEOTHERMAL OTHER FIRE PROTECTION 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 gallons per minute

Claims for Groundwater Withdrawals (gpm)

GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 1900 1906 1910 1919 1924 1930 1934 1938 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 wells/yr

Wells Completed Anually in the Madison Watershed

GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Montana Groundwater Assessment Program

• 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

Groundwater Monitoring Fractured Bedrock

2002 2017 2006

CONCERNS IDENTIFIED BY COMMUNITY

SURFACE WATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY

• Timing of runoff and changes in snowpack affecting water use and availability
• Warm water temperatures affecting water quality
• Increased evaporation (and evapotranspiration) with warmer summers
• Changes in form of precipitation affecting water supply
• Insufficient water for instream flows
• Poor water quality

GROUNDWATER SUPPLY AND QUALITY

• Insufficient supply for future growth
• Annual snowpack unable to recharge aquifers to current and historic levels
• 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

IMPLICATIONS:

• Runoff may not align with optimal time for

irrigation use

• Earlier and lower baseflow affecting fisheries,

recreation, and late-season irrigation

• What else?

200 400 600 800 1000

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 cfs

Madison River Streamflow - West Yellowstone

Average Streamflow 1917-1926 Average Streamflow 2007-2016 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 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

cfs

Jack Creek Streamflow – At Canyon

1976-1986 Average 2006-2016 Average

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?

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?

WARM WATER TEMPERATURES AFFECTING AQUATIC HEALTH

INCREASED EVAPORATION WITH WARMER SUMMERS

IMPLICATIONS:

• Water is lost within the local system
• Stress to vegetation
• Increased risk of forest fire
• What else?
• Hebgen Lake loses 4.13 ft. of water annually
• At 12,400 acres that is 51,278 acre-ft. per

year

• One acre-ft. equals 43,600 cubic feet
• ~2.23 Billion cubic feet per year
• That’s enough water to run 1,000 cfs out of

Hebgen Dam for 25 days

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?

INCREASED EVAPORATION WITH WARMER SUMMERS

CHANGES IN FORM OF PRECIPITATION AFFECTING WATER SUPPLY

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?

Precipitation

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?

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

INSUFFICIENT WATER FOR INSTREAM FLOWS

POOR WATER QUALITY

IMPLICATIONS:

• Changes in aquatic life composition
• Reduction in productivity of fisheries
• Human health concerns
• Economic impacts to recreation economy

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Implement Best Management Practices and/or

restoration efforts to maintain and enhance water quality HOW CAN WE DO IT?

• Upland management practices to reduce soil

erosion and runoff

• Healthy riparian management to provide

streamside buffers

• Managing streamflow to help dilute pollutants
• Maintaining roads to reduce runoff of sediment

and other pollutants

POOR WATER QUALITY FOR FISHERIES AND RECREATIONAL USE

INSUFFICIENT GROUNDWATER SUPPLY FOR FUTURE GROWTH

IMPLICATIONS:

• Existing water users losing reliable

water supply

• Vacant lots might be unbuildable
• Increased cost of new wells
• Depletion of aquifer

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Understand our groundwater capacity, and use

it wisely HOW CAN WE DO IT?

• Utilize the MBMG groundwater investigation

study to help make informed decisions

• Encourage and/or require current and future

development to restrict non-essential uses (e.g., lawn irrigation)

• Develop water-savings incentive programs
• Educate homeowners on responsible water use
• Encourage non-sustainable recharge areas to

limit development

INSUFFICIENT GROUNDWATER SUPPLY FOR FUTURE GROWTH

ANNUAL SNOWPACK UNABLE TO RECHARGE AQUIFERS TO CURRENT AND HISTORIC LEVELS

IMPLICATIONS:

• Long-term depletion of aquifers
• Economic impacts to ag producers, out-of-town

residents, and municipality

• Reduced groundwater contributions to streamflow
• Lower flows and higher water temps
• Potential impacts to wetland areas

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Call Road (Snow Water Equivalent)

ANNUAL SNOWPACK UNABLE TO RECHARGE AQUIFERS TO CURRENT AND HISTORIC LEVELS

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Capture runoff and precipitation through natural storage

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

SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AFFECTING QUALITY OF WATER IN SURROUNDING WELLS

IMPLICATIONS:

• Bacteria and other contaminants affecting water

supply making it unsuitable for human consumption

• Economic impacts to homeowners for relocation of

drain field or water source

WHAT CAN WE DO?

• Prevent contamination from septic and land

management activities from affecting nearby wells HOW CAN WE DO IT?

• Educate homeowners on septic maintenance and

land management practices

• Incentive program to homeowners for upgrading

failing septic systems

• Proper planning of well and septic placement
• What else?

SEPTIC AND LAND PRACTICES AFFECTING QUALITY OF WATER IN SURROUNDING WELLS

NEXT STEPS

• 1. COMPLETE THE WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION REPORT

 WILL HELP IDENTIFY KEY AREAS THAT WE FOCUS ON

• 2. CONVENE SMALLER STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO DEVELOP MORE SPECIFIC

PRIORITIES

• 3. WORK WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC PRACTICES AND

PROJECTS FOR PRIORITY LOCATIONS

• 4. DRAFT THE WATERSHED PLAN

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS CONCERNS? IDEAS?

WE WANT YOUR INPUT ON PRIORITY CONCERNS, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES

• 1. Which concerns are of highest priority?
• 2. Which strategies have the greatest

potential for successfully addressing the concerns, or which strategies should be further look into?