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Headwaters Restoration Partnership Project Update

The Yaak Valley Forest Council’s Headwaters Restoration Partnership Project (HRPP) had a busy year in 2022. The projects are developed to collect data from the tributaries in the Yaak watershed to determine the health and restoration priorities with our partners.

The Yaak Valley Forest Council has continued, for the second year, a water quality monitoring program. Collecting data on nutrient conditions in the Yaak watershed and another site out of the Yaak valley that has been identified as a quality Bull trout stream. This work, which is planned in conjunction with the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) and the Monitoring Montana Waters (MMW) program, will enhance both our Headwaters Restoration and our Climate Refuge field program through addition of site-specific water quality data to long-term stream temperature and sediment source data collection. Our initial field protocols, established during the 2021 field season, include training in water quality sampling from FLBS staff, and implementation of water quality testing at all long term thermograph sites.

 

 

We utilized the Sampling/Analysis Plan (SAP) and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) established by FLBS and YVFC to analyze a panel of water nutrients including Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Phosphorus (TP), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Nitrite plus Nitrate (NO2+3). 11 sites were sampled throughout the Kootenai Valley, once in the spring and again in the fall.

Lab results are entered into the MT DEQ database by YVFC personnel following each field season. YVFC has identified an additional 11 sites for this upcoming season. This would bring our sample total to 22 sites.

For more information visit the MMW website here.

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