Montana Biological Survey and Stag Benthics, SP
Lolo Creek, ID, Western Pearlshell Recovery (top) and a dense bed of pearlshells before relocation (bottom).
Kalispell Creek (Idaho) Recovery Bucket of Westslope Cutthroat, Brook Trout and Sculpin
Taking a Hess sample during pre-runoff in the Madison River with the Palisades in the background.
2017 FOCAL PROJECTS
MISSOURI AND MADISON RIVER LONG-TERM MACROINVERTEBRATE MONITORING STUDY, NORTHWESTERN ENERGY (NWE)
NWE contracted with MBS in 2016 and 2017 to share the macroinvertebrate sampling, processing and analysis duties with Dan McGuire for 12 sites in the long-term Missouri and Madison River monitoring program. Most of these sites are associated with hydro-power facilities (Morony Dam to Toston on the Missouri and Greycliff to Hebgen Dam to YNP in the Madison) previously managed by PPL and now NWE. This Monitoring program has been ongoing since the lat 1990's and has been a valued long-term data set in documenting invertebrate community changes.
CLARK FORK RIVER LONG-TERM MACROINVERTEBRATE MONITORING STUDY, EPA-ASARCO-CH2M
CH2M contracted with MBS in 2017 to share and eventually take over the macroinvertebrate sampling, processing and analysis duties from Dan McGuire for 12 sites in the long-term Clark Fork River monitoring program. These sites are from Silver Bow Creek downstream to Huson, Montana and includes the Blackfoot River as a reference site. This Monitoring program has been ongoing since the lat 1990's and has been a valued long-term data set in documenting invertebrate community changes.
ASSESSMENT OF FISHERIES AND STREAM HABITATS OF THE HANNA FLATS PROJECT AREA, PRIEST LAKE, IDAHO. IDAHO DEPT OF LANDS (IDL)
New Wave Consulting, LLC. contracted with MBS in 2017 to sample and assess fish distributions throughout the IDL Hanna Flats project area using standardized fish collection protocols, 2) to identify and interpret potential culvert barriers or habitat limitations to fisheries at the sites. 3) Provide an overall habitat characterization of the aquatic resources in the project area. MBS crew navigated remote field logistics, logging roads and hike-in backpack electro-fishing sites to complete this field assessment.
RELOCATION AND RECOVERY OF THE WESTERN PEARLSHELL MUSSEL IN THE STREAM RESTORATION AREA OF THE COLETTE MINE ON LOLO CREEK, IDAHO. USFS REGION 1 CLEARWATER, NEZ PERCE TRIBES, IDAHO DEPT FISH AND GAME
Employees of Federal, State and Tribal agencies worked together with Montana Biological Survey to salvage >10,000 Western Pearlshell Mussels at a ~1/4 mile long stream restoration site on Lolo Creek during the last week of June. The Nez Perce Clearwater National Forests and the Nez Perce Tribe are restoring a placer mined reach of Lolo Creek, a tributary to the mainstem Clearwater River later this summer. This is one of the most abundant and viable populations of the Western Pearlshell identified in Northern Idaho.