Proceedings - Montana AWRA€¦ · 9:00David Ketchum. High Resolution Irrigated Lands Mapping in the Western United States. 8:40Christine Sundnas. Gallatin County Interactive Water

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ContentsThanks to Planners and SponsorsFull Meeting AgendaAbout the Keynote SpeakersConcurrent Session and Poster Abstracts* Session 1. Groundwater/Surface Water InteractionSession 2. Water QualitySession 3. HydrologySession 4. Management and RestorationSession 5. ModelingSession 6. Ecology, Climate and CollaborationSession 7. GroundwaterSession 8. HydrogeochemistryPoster Session

*These abstracts were not edited and appear as submitted by the author, except for some changes in font and format.

Proceedingsfor

Groundwater UncoveredAmerican Water Resources Association Montana Section 2019 Conference

October 9 - October 11, 2019Rock Creek Resort-- Red Lodge, Montana

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Melissa Schaar

Nancy Hystad

Kim Snodgrass Hannah Riedl

THANKS TO ALL WHO MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE!

• The AWRA OfficersMelissa Schaar, President -- Montana DNRCKim Snodgrass, Vice President -- Water and Environmental TechnologiesHannah Riedl, Treasurer -- Montana DEQNancy Hystad, Executive Secretary -- Montana State University

• Montana Water CenterWyatt Cross, Director, and Whitney Lonsdale, Assistant Director

And especially the conference presenters, field trip leaders, moderators, student judges and volunteers.

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The Montana Section of the American Water Resources Association would

like to thank our sponsors

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REGISTRATION

7:30 am REGISTRATION, COFFEE, BREAKFAST AND CONVERSATION

OPENING DAY PLENARY SESSION

8:00 am WELCOME WITH INTRODUCTIONS, LOGISTICS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Melissa Schaar -- AWRA Montana Section President

8:10 A MESSAGE FROM THE MONTANA WATER CENTER Wyatt Cross -- Montana Water Center, Director

8:20 KEYNOTE SPEAKER 1: Alfonso Rivera, Ph.D., Chief Hydrogeologist, Geological Survey of Canada Title: Issues and challenges for the assessment and management of transboundary aquifers at the global scale

9:20 KEYNOTE SPEAKER 2: Joanna Thamke, Supervisory Hydrologist, Montana-Wyoming Science Center, United States Geological Survey Title: Assessing groundwater at a national scale from the USGS perspective

9:50 KEYNOTE SPEAKER 3: John LaFave, Hydrogeologist, Groundwater Assessment Program Manager, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Title: Assessing groundwater at a state scale from the MBMG perspective

10:20 BREAK

10:40 Special Speaker: Jason Mohr, Research Analyst - Legislative Update

11:00 PANEL DISCUSSION: West Billings Aquifer -- Land use change and consequences to groundwater resources

12:00 Water Legend Presentation: Congratulations to Joanna Thamke!

12:30 LUNCH - Provided to all conference attendees

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019

REGISTRATION

10:00 am – 12:00 pm REGISTRATION Preconference registration available through the MT AWRA website

FIELD TRIP and HYDROPHILE RUN

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Groundwater in Action, Revised Plan Presentations, Conference Room, Rock Creek Resort 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Hydrophile 5k Run/Walk - Carpool and meet at Red Lodge Ales

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Montana AWRA Community night at Red Lodge Ales

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019 (continued)

TECHNICAL SESSIONS: ORAL PRESENTATIONS (Blue text indicates student presenters)

SESSION 1 (Concurrent) GROUNDWATER/SURFACE WATER INTERACTION

Moderator: Elliot Barnhart

SESSION 2 (Concurrent) WATER QUALITY

Moderator: Christine Sudnas

SESSION 3 (Concurrent) HYDROLOGY

Moderator: Katherine Zodrow

SESSION 4 (Concurrent) MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION

Moderator: James Rose

3:30 pm Haley Tupen. Hydraulic and Hydrologic Characteristics and Resulting Fish Passage at the Huntley Diversion Dam Nature-like Fish Bypass.

3:30 pm Tera Ryan. Saline seeps: how land-use management connects to both their development AND reclamation.

2:50 Ali Gebril. Application of Geophysical Methods in Hydrogeologic Studies to Investigate Late-summer Dewatering in Lolo Creek, Southwest Missoula, Montana.

2:30 Payton Gardner. Using Synoptic River Surveys to Characterize Groundwater Systems.

2:10 Jeremy Crowley. Insights into seasonal geothermal spring and river interactions using unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry and thermal data, LaDuke Hot Springs, MT.

1:50 Evan Norman. Quantifying Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions in Low-Impact Stream Restoration Environments.

2:50 Elizabeth Mohr. Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Linked Elemental Cycling in Freshwater Ecosystems.

3:10 BREAK

2:30 Meryl Storb. Using diel and seasonal variation in dissolved metabolites and conservative tracers to explore the influence of nutrient loading on stream ecosystem function.

2:10 Miranda Margetts. Montana’s first wastewater based epidemiology investigation.

1:50 Sara Eldridge. Cyanobacterial bloom distribution, toxicity, and associated water-quality conditions in Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area: A USGS-NPS Partnership.

1:30 pm Mark Petersen. Variability in range cattle water quality and precipitation in the Northern Great Plains over 10 years.

1:30 pm Kimberly Bolhuis. Controls on magnitude and spatio-temporal distribution of bedrock infiltration in a semi-arid, mountainous catchment.

3:10 BREAK

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6:00 - 9:00 PM POSTER SESSION and EVENING SOCIAL: Heavy hors d’oeuvres and Photo Contest 7:00 PM HENDERSON AWARD PRESENTATION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019 (continued)

TECHNICAL SESSIONS: ORAL PRESENTATIONS (continued)

4:10 Mike Roberts. Water Distribution Foot Soldiers: What Water Commissioners Can Do For You.

4:10 Kimberly Bray. Primary controls on nutrient use: ecosystem metabolism and disturbance in a small headwater stream, western Montana.

4:30 Ronald Breitmeyer. Immediate Post-wildfire Soil Hydrologic Changes in a Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystem.

4:30 S. Katie Fogg. Shading Beyond the Channel: Effects of Vegetative Shade on Hyporheic Water Temperatures in the Broader Floodplain.

4:50 Chuck Parrett. Are Increasing Temperatures in Montana Affecting High and Low Streamflows?

4:50 Ginette Abdo. The Effects of Changing Land Use on Water Resources – Agriculture to Residential Expansion.

5:10 BREAK & POSTER SET UP 5:10 BREAK & POSTER SET UP

3:50 Abaye Abebe. How do variations in the sources of recharge influence the general nature of groundwater storage in intermountain basin aquifer?

3:50 Andy Bobst. Changes in Riparian Evapotranspiration following Beaver-Mimicry Stream Restoration.

SESSION 3 (Concurrent) HYDROLOGY (continued)

SESSION 4 (Concurrent) MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION (continued)

Brianna Whitehead. Quantifying a Parafluvial Soil Response to Beaver Mimicry Restoration.

Sarah Khalid. Simulating Energy and Water Dynamics for a Temperate Urban Microclimate Using a Fully Distributed Eco-Hydrological Model.

Lauren Werner and Rebecca Tseng. Wastewater Analysis Identified Drug-Use Trends for a Montana Community on Independence Day 2019.

Megan Guinn. Development and Hydraulics Testing of a Modified Denil Fishway.

Cullen Cunningham. Occurrence and removal of drugs of abuse in wastewater processes.

Kaitlin Perkins. Examining the Abundance and Composition of Submicron Particles in a Mine-waste Contaminated Intermountain West River.

Jordan Jimmie. Modeling Hydrologic Impacts of Water Rights Quantification and Settlement on the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project.

Allison Kelly. Pesticides Enhance Bacterial Growth and May Exacerbate Reverse Osmosis Biofouling

Caleb Lockyer. Investigation of spatial and temporal distributions of metals in a stormwater retention pond after storm events.

AWRA 2019 POSTER PRESENTATIONS

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Matthew McGlennon. In-situ groundwater monitoring using micro-fabricated sensors: Advantages and challenges.

Zachary Lauffenburger. Calibration of Hydrologic Component of the Hydro-Economics of Agriculture Model.

Holly Nesbitt. Hydro-social and socio-hydrological modeling: Challenges with data, scale, and perspective.

Kendra Allen. The Beaver Project: Natural Water Storage and Climate Adaptation in Blackfeet Nation.

Kevin Hyde. The Montana Mesonet: Near Real-time Climate Data for Decision Support.

Jennifer Muscha. Livestock water quality varies across 10 years (2009-2018) in Eastern Montana.

Spruce Schoenemann. Precipitation Isotope Ratios and Tree-ring based Snowpack Relationships to inform Paleoclimate Reconstructions from Lake Sediment δ18O.

Bill Kleindl. Floodplain Ecological Assessment Across Temporal and Spatial Scales: Does the Portfolio Effect Apply to Rapid Assessment Tools?

Lacey Gunther. Cottonwood Restoration in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

James Berglund. You Con-duit! Modeling conduit flow and geometry using high-resolution temperature monitoring and dye tracing

Zach Lenning. Research and conservation seed increase at The Bridger Plant Materials Center.

Anthony Sammartano. Restoration focused on Community Educational Opportunities.

Claudia Macfarlane. Macroinvertebrate and Water Quality Education Program in the Ruby Valley.

Liz Shull. Cultivating Lasting Conservation Change through Shared Values and Collaboration.

Natalie Poremba. Aquatic Invasive Species Education and Monitoring in the Flathead Valley.

Mitchell Hoffman. Musselshell Cooperative Weed Management Area.

Ryan Schaner. Inventorying Headcuts on Mesic Sites Adjacent to Sage Grouse Leks on the Matador Ranch.

Julia Nave. How Can a Water Fund Work in Montana?

McKenzie Schessl. Clearwater Resource Council: Protecting the Natural Resources and Rural Lifestyle of the Clearwater Watershed.

Meg Desmond. Holistic Planning and Grazing Management.

Emilie Lahneman. The Bitter Root Water Forum: Building Community around a River.

Caroline Provost. From Headwaters to Flat-water, Montana’s Birds Call Water-based habitats Home.

Zane Ashford. Gallatin Watershed Council: Preserve & Restore.

Grant Flaming. Upper Overwhich Creek Fish Removal Project.

Lauren Odom. Lake County Junior Conservationist Education Program.

Valerie Bednarski. Upper Gallatin Nuisance Algae Investigation.

Stuart Ellsworth. Configuration of StreamPro Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ACDP) to Measure Streamflow in Montana’s Rivers for a Wide Range of Conditions.

Haley Gamertsfelder. Mapping the Spread of Lepidium latifolium (Perennial Pepperweed) and Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag Iris) on the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers in Missoula County.

Shawn Kuzara. Groundwater Recharge in Flood to Pivot Irrigation Conversions.

Mark Werley. Utilizing ArcGIS Online to Create Interactive Tools and Stories for the Charles M. Russel Community Working Group.

Lauren Herbine. Developing field protocol for characterizing stable isotope composition of winter recharge water to a western basin: A collaboration of BSWC, UM, USFS, MBMG, in the Lolo Basin.

AWRA 2019 POSTER PRESENTATIONS (continued)

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2019

SESSION 5 (Concurrent) MODELING

Moderator: David Donohue

SESSION 5 (Concurrent) ECOLOGY, CLIMATE & COLLABORATION

Moderator: Payton Gardner

7:30 am GATHER FOR COFFEE, BREAKFAST AND CONVERSATION WITH COLLEAGUES

TECHNICAL SESSIONS: ORAL PRESENTATIONS

9:40 Attila Folnagy. Montana’s Groundwater Modeling Portal: Usefulness for Water Users.

9:20 Willis Weight. Numerical Groundwater Flow Model of the Kalispell Valley, Kalsipell Montana.

9:00 David Ketchum. High Resolution Irrigated Lands Mapping in the Western United States.

8:40 Christine Sundnas. Gallatin County Interactive Water Quality Mapper Demos.

8:20 Patrick Wurster. Validation of the SMAP Level 4 Carbon Product using a continuous crop condition survey index.

8:00 am Paul Hegedus. Combining data intensive precision agriculture and transport modeling to limit nitrate loss to groundwater from conventional dryland wheat farming.

9:40 Brett Marshall. Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Study Designs: A Critical Examination of Four Assumptions Leading to their Misuse.

9:20 Kelsey Jencso. Enhancing the Upper Missouri River Basin Drought Early Warning System.

9:00 Heather Nold. Low Head Dam Feasibility Study for the Sourdough Watershed.

8:40 Luke Buckley. Data Center Evolution: Building a Water Communication System through Collaboration and Networking.

8:20 Zach Hoylman. An evaluation of gridded drought indices to enhance the Upper Missouri Drought Early Warning System.

8:00 am Robert Ray. Strategically Implementing Montana’s Nonpoint Source Management Plan.

10:00 BREAK 10:00 BREAK

TECHNICAL SESSIONS: ORAL PRESENTATIONS (continued next page)

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2019 (continued)

12:20 BREAK

12:00 Katherine Zodrow. Pesticides in Groundwater Impact Bacterial Growth and Biofilm Formation.

11:40 James Swierc. Groundwater in the Northeastern Helena Valley, Lewis & Clark County, Montana.

11:20 Elliot Barnhart. Small Injection of Organic Nutrients in a Subsurface Coal Bed Stimulates Microbial Gas Production.

10:40 John Reiten. The Tale of Two Aquifers: A Study in Aquifer Sustainability.

11:00 Kevin Chandler. Great View, But Where’s the Water?

SESSION 7 (Concurrent) GROUNDWATER

Moderator: Robert Ray

10:40 James Rose. Assessing the increase of nitrate and chloride in groundwater at Meadow Village, Big Sky, MT.

11:00 Joe Griffin. Cumulative gain-loss analysis – a technique used to locate stream reaches where metal contaminated groundwater inflow is degrading water quality in Silver Bow and Blacktail Creeks within the Butte Superfund Site.

11:20 Adam Sigler. Denitrification Patterns Across a Dryland Agroecosystem in the Northern Great Plain.

11:40 Joe Naughton. Practical implications of the Biotic Ligand Model as a water quality standard.

12:00 Ben Colman. Colloidal and truly dissolved metal(loid)s in wastewater lagoons and their removal with floating treatment wetlands.

10:20 Camela Carstarphen. Montana’s Precipitation Isotope Network (MTPIN): data and a year’s worth of lessons Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology’s (MBMG) Ground Water Assessment Program (GWAP).

SESSION 8 (Concurrent) HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY

Moderator: Willis Weight

10:20 David Donohue. The Importance of Perfecting Your Water Reservation - Now is the Perfect Time.

12:20 BREAK

12:30 CLOSING PLENARY: Announcements - New Officer, Student Awards, Next Year’s Location

ADJOURN

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ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS AT THE GLOBAL SCALE

Alfonso Rivera, Geological Survey of Canada

A great number of transboundary water systems of the world, including transboundary aquifers (TBAs), support the socioeconomic development and wellbeing of an important part of the world’s population. At present, nearly 600 TBAs have been defined in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Transboundary water issues abound and are complicated by lack of adequate governance and shared management. Of upmost importance to resolve those issues are the background assessments, legally-binding agreements and by the fact that in many cases institutional asymmetries do not allow for a standardised knowledge.

We present a critical look at the transboundary aquifer issues, based on the analysis of identified TBAs, and discuss what is working and what it is not to illustrate the most important steps and lessons learned, as well as the good practices needed for water management in the transboundary context.

Our analysis of the current state of knowledge of TBAs in four continents shows that information on most transboundary aquifers remains limited. Given important aspects related to incomplete or contradictory knowledge on TBAs, the large number of stakeholders and opinions involved, scarce legal agreements, and the interconnected nature of these problems with other problems, lead us to conclude that groundwater science alone cannot solve transboundary groundwater issues.

Issues that still need to be addressed are: hydrogeological understanding of the transboundary systems, clear and unambiguous delineation of TBAs, indicators of cooperation, data harmonization and information sharing and management, and water use conflicts or impacts of global changes in the systems. Addressing these issues requires a concerted effort of all stakeholders involved to establish a satisfactory balance between scientific knowledge and efficient management and protection of transboundary waters.

Alfonso Rivera is the chief hydrogeologist of the Geological Survey of Canada. He has served as both research manager and research scientist. Alfonso is the author and editor of the book “Canada’s Groundwater Resources” published in 2014. He is adjunct professor at the University of Quebec-INRS, Canada, and member of the Académie de l’eau, France. When he is not working as a hydrogeologist, he travels to exotic places for scuba diving, his other passion.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER 1

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER 2

ASSESSING GROUNDWATER AT A NATIONAL SCALE FROM THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PERSPECTIVE

Joanna Thamke, U.S. Geological Survey, Montana-Wyoming Science Center

Groundwater is among the Nation’s most important resources. It provides drinking water to more than 140 million residents, or nearly half of our Nation’s population. It is the primary source of drinking water for almost all of our rural population, as well as for some of our largest metropolitan areas. More than 50 billion gallons of groundwater are used daily in support of our Nation’s agricultural economy. Groundwater can play a crucial role in sustaining streamflow, particularly during droughts and other low-flow periods. It also plays an integral role in maintaining the health of riparian, aquatic, and wetland ecosystems.

Established by an Act of Congress 140 years ago, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been the Nation’s principal source of information about its natural resources. In 1896, Congress included an annual appro-priation to the USGS for ‘the investigation of underground currents and artesian wells in arid and semiarid sections’ that began in earnest the Nation’s groundwater research. Since then, the USGS has provided groundwater information that includes: more than 10,000 groundwater-related publications, dozens of open-source groundwater modeling software, groundwater educational products, a National Groundwater Monitoring Network, Groundwater Watch and Climate Response Network websites, and a National Ground-water Atlas.

The first USGS groundwater assessment was completed by O.E. Meinzer (1923) who has been called the ‘father of groundwater hydrology’. Meinzer’s publication was followed by several decades of USGS State-by-State summaries on groundwater resources, summary appraisals for 21 regions of the Nation in the 1970s, the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis Program which evaluated 25 of the Nation’s most important regional groundwater systems, and ongoing groundwater research with International, Federal, Tribal, State, and local agencies. The USGS has identified more than 60 Principal Aquifers and nearly 70 Secondary Hydrogeologic Regions for the Nation. Most recently, 22 USGS Regional Groundwater Availability Studies have been con-ducted as part of the National Water Census. Moving forward, the USGS will be conducting Integrated Water Availability Assessments that will collectively comprise a multi-extent, stakeholder driven, near real-time census and seasonal prediction of water availability for both human and ecological uses at regional and national extents.

Joanna Thamke has been a hydrogeologist with the U.S. Geological Survey since the mid-1980s and has spent most of her career in Helena, Montana. Joanna enjoyed being the Montana American Water Resources As-sociation President during 1999-2000. She is the Section Chief for the very skilled Groundwater and Surface Water Section of the Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center. She also leads several USGS project teams that focus on water quality, water availability, water use, and energy in the Williston Basin.

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ASSESSING GROUNDWATER AT THE STATE SCALE FROM THE MONTANA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY PERSPECTIVE

John LaFave, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology

Since its inception 100 years ago, the Montana Bureau of Mine and Geology has played a vital role in evaluating the state’s groundwater resources. Initially created as the Montana State Bureau of Mines and Metallurgy to “promote the development of mineral resources…” the name was changed in 1929 to the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) to reflect the expanding role as the state’s geological survey. Following the name change, groundwater research became a core part of MBMG’s mission.

Throughout the decades, groundwater research at MBMG has been marked by distinguished hydrogeologists, novel programs, and inter-agency collaborations. During the dustbowl years of 1930’s, Eugene Perry described available and potential groundwater resources throughout eastern Montana. During the 1950’s and 60’s, Sid Groff, chief of the newly formed Groundwater and Minerals division, oversaw the “Cooperative Program” with the US Geological Survey (USGS), to “study the source, movement, quality and quantity of groundwater” in several western river basins. During the 1970’s and 80’s Wayne Van Voast, working in southeast Montana, pioneered the field of coal hydrology and initiated a monitoring program (that continues to this day) to assess the effects of coal mining on groundwater resources. In the 1970’s, Marvin Miller gained international recognition for his work on assessing and remediating saline seeps in the Great Plains; John Sonderegger and Bob Bergantino, with assistance from US Department of Energy and Montana Department of Natural Resources, characterized Montana’s geothermal resources and their potential for economic development. In the 1980’s, water-quality and reclamation issues at legacy mines, including the EPA Superfund designation in the upper Clark Fork basin, gave rise to the MBMG Environmental Hydrology program. The1980’s also saw MBMG assist the Montana Department of Agriculture in developing a state-wide ag-chemical groundwater monitoring network. In the 1990’s, the state legislature established the Ground Water Assessment Program at the MBMG to systematically assess Montana’s groundwater resources; Tom Patton oversaw the development of a comprehensive state-wide groundwater monitoring network, the digitization of water-well records, and the creation of the Ground Water Information Center—which now serves as Montana’s official repository for groundwater information. Additionally, Tom worked on the USGS-led pilot program to establish a national groundwater monitoring network. In 2009, the legislature established the Ground Water Investigations program to provide detailed groundwater information in areas of current and anticipated development.

Today, 230,000 wells withdraw about 200 Mgal/day from Montana’s 10 principal aquifers. The MBMG’s ongoing monitoring, investigation, interpretation, and dissemination of groundwater data ensures that those with a vested interest in groundwater development, protection, and management can make decisions based on long-term, high-quality information.

John LaFave has 26 years of experience as a hydrogeologist with the Montana Bureau of Mines and currently serves as the program manager for the Montana Groundwater Assessment Program. He has a BS in Geology from the University of Wisconsin and an MA is Geology from the University of Texas. His research interests include all aspects of groundwater resource assessment, groundwater quality, and isotope hydrology.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER 3

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PANEL DISCUSSION

LAND USE CHANGE AND GROUNDWATER AVAILABILITY IN BILLINGS AREA

West of Billings and east of Laurel, land use is undergoing steady change from agricultural to residential hous-ing. Most of the construction is located in areas beyond Billings municipal services and these new homes rely on the shallow alluvial aquifer for potable water. The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology has identified agri-cultural irrigation as the primary source of aquifer recharge, and as land conversion to residential development continues, reductions in aquifer recharge may alter groundwater availability and quality.

Monica Plecker, AICP, Planning Division Manager, City of Billings and Yellowstone CountyKevin Chandler, Hydrogeologist, Montana Bureau of Mines and GeologyDr. Mark Ellison, Manager, Billings Regional Office of the Water Resources DivisionDavid Mumford, P.E., Public Works Director, City of Billings

Monica Plecker is the Planning Division Manager for the City of Billings and Yellowstone County. Specifically, the Division is part of the Planning and Community Services Department and she is responsible for overseeing daily operations related to current, long-range and transportation planning in Billings, Broadview and Yellow-stone County. Monica graduated with a degree from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has experience as both a public and private sector planner. Monica is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and is serving her second term as member of the Board of Director’s for the Montana Association of Planners (MAP). She also represents the Roberts district for the Carbon County Conservation District.

Kevin Chandler, M.S. Geosciences, began working as a Hydrogeologist with Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology in October of 2009 and has developed groundwater–flow models of West Billings, the Ash Creek Mine-Decker Mine areas, buried valley aquifers in Medicine Lake and Sidney, and the Fox Hills/Hell Creek Aquifer in eastern Montana. Kevin is currently working on two groundwater projects in Richland County, mod-eling the West Crane Buried Valley aquifer and Fox Hills/Hell Creek aquifer flowing well remediation.

Mark Ellison was raised in Missoula and graduated from the University of Montana. He received a PhD in Geology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1987. Mark worked in the oil industry and as a teacher until coming to the DNRC in 2013 as a hydrologist. He is currently the manager of the Billings Re-gional Office of the Water Resources Division.

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WATER LEGEND

SPECIAL SPEAKERS

MONTANA WATER CENTER UPDATEWyatt Cross, Director, Montana Water Center

Wyatt Cross is the Director of the Montana Water Center, and a professor in the Department of Ecology and Montana State University. He’s working to focus and grow the water center as the nexus between the Mon- tana Universities and water resource professionals across the state.When he’s not working on Water Center business, his research laboratory is focused on understanding how stream ecosystems respond to various human perturbations, including river regulation, climate change, and nutrient pollution.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATEJason Mohr, Research Analyst, Legislative Environmental Policy Office

Jason Mohr is a research analyst for the nonpartisan Montana Legislative Environmental Policy Office (LEPO). He also serves as staff for the Water Policy Interim Committee. Mr. Mohr has worked for the Montana Legis-lature for 10 ½ years. He has previously worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Minnesota and Mon-tana, and has degrees in chemistry and journalism.

JOANNA THAMKE, Hydrogeologist, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, U.S. Geologial Survery

Joanna has been a respected Hydrologist with USGS for 35 years. She moved to Helena, MT in 1988, and has been working at the Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center for 31 years. She has served as a mentor for most of the present hydrologic staff at the USGS setting a high standard for professionalism. She is the Section Chief for the Groundwater and Surface Water Section. The diversity of her projects includes various aspects of water quality and quantity as they relate to energy development, mining, public water supply, and agriculture. Her current work focuses on water quality, water availability, water use, and energy in the Wil-liston and Powder River Basins. Her work in the Williston and Powder River basins has yielded a wealth of groundwater information and has increased our understanding of this critical resource in the region.

Joanna has also been very proactive in conducting studies answering transboundary groundwater questions. As an example of this, she has been studying the brine contamination related to historic oil and gas activities, and nitrates related to agriculture on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation since 1989, making her the foremost expert on the issues in that area. Joanna has completed studies and investigations that provide a blueprint of practical field methodologies for future studies.

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ABSTRACTS FOR ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS

LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, BEGINNING ON NEXT PAGE

Joanna is held in the highest regard as a professional Hydrogeologist, and in the Helena community in general. Joanna “sets the gold standard” for conduct, work ethic and professional excellence. She is a consummate professional that is sought out by coworkers as well as professionals outside USGS because of her unparalleled professional opinion on water-resource quality and quantity issues in Montana. In addition to the excellence in scientific contributions Joanna strives for, what is arguably more remarkable about her is the value she places on people. Joanna is regarded as a mentor and role model. She has an open-door policy which gives her a reputation for dropping whatever she is doing and focusing on the individual coming to her for guidance. Joanna was a Montana AWRA board member from 1997-2000. She is extremely generous with her time outside her professional life, serving as a board member of World Montana since 2015, President of Helena Public Montessori Parents, Inc, and the Helena Rotary Club’s Youth Exchange Counselor and International Committee member. World Montana assists in changing the image of the United States one person, one friend at a time and to bring the world – its people and cultures, problems and triumphs, customs and cuisines, phi-losophies and religions into the great state of Montana.

WATER LEGEND (continued)

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ORALPRESENTATIONABSTRACTS

(listedinalphabeticalorderbyfirstauthor’slastname)

Theeffectsofchanginglanduseonwaterresources–agriculturetoresidentialexpansion

GinetteAbdo1

1MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology

Increasingdemandforwatersupplyduetosubdivisiongrowthandresidentialexpansioncanresultinincreasedgroundwaterdrawdownanddecreasedstreamflow(streamdepletion).Thisraisesconcernswithwaterrightholders,landowners,andadjacentsurface-waterusers.Subdivisionwaterneedsaretypicallysuppliedbyeitheroneormorecentralizedpublicsupplywells(PWS),orindividualprivatewells.

TheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,GroundWaterInvestigationProgram(GWIP)hasinvestigatedtheeffectsofsubdivisiongrowthinseveralprojectareas;thesestudieshaveacommongoalofcharacterizingthemagnitudeofchangestothegroundwaterandsurfacewatersystems.Wehaveusednumericalgroundwaterflowmodelingtointerpretfielddataandtopredictfuturehydrogeologicresponses.Thispresentationisacompilationofmultiplestudies.

Takentogether,resultsfromtheseprojectssuggestthatdomesticconsumptionisasmallportionoftheoverallgroundwaterbudget.Groundwaterandsurfacewaterresponsetopumpingdependsonaquiferproperties,pumpingratesanddistancestosurfacewater.TheseprincipalsarewellknownintheliteratureandwereappliedtoGWIPprojectareasinMontanathroughnumericalmodels.

Modelingresultsofhypotheticalsubdivisions,mainlyinsouthwesternMontanawatersheds,suggestthatthemagnitudeofstreamdepletioncanbesmallenoughthatitisoftenwithinmeasurementerror.However,sincestreamdepletionisproportionaltothepumpingrate,asresidentialdevelopmentcontinuestheeffectsonstreamflowwillincrease.Thetimingofwhenstreamdepletionoccursisimportantinmanagementandplanning.Thesestudiesalsoindicatethatinmostsettings,theremovalofirrigationrechargeaslandusechangestoresidentialdevelopmenthasalargereffectonthehydrologicsystemthanincreasesinpumpingfromresidentialwells.

Howdovariationsinthesourcesofrechargeinfluencethegeneralnatureofgroundwaterstorageinintermountainbasinaquifer?

AbayeGAbebe1,RobertAPayn1,StephanieAEwing1,PaytonWGardner2

1Montanastateuniversity,2UniversityofMontana

InformedmanagementdecisionsregardingsustainablewateruseduringdryseasonsinthewesternUSrequireanimprovedunderstandingofthegeneralnatureofgroundwaterstorageinintermountainbasins.Thegoalofthisstudyistoexplorethefundamentalsofhowtheabundanceandbehaviorofgroundwaterinbasinaquifersdependsonsourcesofwateroriginatingfromadjacentmountainsandfromlocalprecipitation.Here,weconsidervariationsinfourrechargepathwaystointermountainbasinaquifers:(1)mountainfrontstreamrecharge(MFSR),(2)mountainfrontblockrecharge(MFBR),(3)rechargefromlocalprecipitation(LPR),and(4)

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rechargefromirrigationinfrastructure(IIR).MFSRissourcedbystreambedinfiltration,mainlyinproximitytothemountainfront.MFBRissourcedbysubsurfacetransferfromtheadjacentmountain-blocks.LPRisdistributedacrossthesurfaceofthebasinfloor.IIRcombinesinfiltrationfromcanalleakageandanyexcessfieldapplicationsthatarenotconsumedbyevapotranspiration.Wearebuildingacollectionofparsimoniousgroundwatermodels(usingMODFLOW)tounderstandtherelativeinfluenceoftheserechargesourcesongroundwaterstorage,outflowfromtheaquifer,potentiometricsurface,andaquiferflowvectorfieldsrelativetostreamsandriverswithinthebasin.Themodelisdrivenbyseasonally(monthlytimescale)transientconditionstosimulatetheaquiferdynamicsduetoseasonalvariationsoftypicalsnowmeltdrivenhydrologicregimes.Sensitivityanalysesallowexplorationofhowthechangeinmodelparametervaluescontrollingeachrechargemechanismaffectstheresponseoftheaquifertodifferentrechargescenarios.InitialmodelingscenariosdemonstratethatthehydraulicconductivityofstreambedscontrollingMFSRandthelowerboundaryconditioncontrollingdrainagefromthemodelhaveastronginfluenceongroundwaterstorageandthegeneralnatureoftheflowvectorfieldinthesimulatedintermountainbasinaquifers.Higherconductivityatthelowerboundaryandlowerconductivityinthestreambedsleadtolosingstreamconditionsacrosstheintermountainbasin.Lowerconductivityatthelowerboundaryandhigherconductivityinthestreambedsleadtoaprogressionfromlosingtogainingconditionsinstreamsacrossthebasinfromthemountainfront.Furthersensitivityanalysesexplorehowthesepatternsandtheresultingwaterbalancesareinfluencedbyscenarioswheretheintermountainbasinaquifersaremoreconnectedvs.lessconnectedfromMFBRandhowtheymaybeinfluencedbytheenhancementofdivergentflowatthemountainfrontviairrigationinfrastructure.Explorationofthesefundamentalpatternscontributesatheoreticalbenchmarkforunderstandingthepotentialforgroundwaterstorageinintermountainbasinstoaugmentdry-seasonstreamflowandwaterresourceavailability.

Smallinjectionoforganicnutrientsinasubsurfacecoalbedstimulatesmicrobialgasproduction

ElliottBarnhart1,LeslieRuppert1,ArthurClark1,EdwinWeeks1,GeorgePlatt2,HannahSchweitzer2,HeidiSmith2,WilliamOrem1,ShuheiOno3,MatthewFields2

1USGS,2MontanaStateUniversity,3MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology

ThesubsurfacegroundwaterbiosphererepresentsalargefractionofEarth’sbiomassbutlittleisknownabouttheinsituactivityofthisimportantmicrobialecosystem.Subsurfacemicroorganismshavegeneratedsubstantialquantitiesofcoalbedmethane(CBM)inmanysubsurfacecoalbedsandlaboratoryexperimentsindicatethatCBMcanbeenhancedwithrelativelysmalladditionsoforganicnutrients.ThepotentialforenhancingmicrobialcommunitiestoproduceadditionalCBMwithorganicnutrientshasnotbeendemonstratedinsitu.Here,wecomparedtemporalvariationsofgasconcentrationsmeasuredbyadown-wellPro-Oceanustotaldissolvedgasprobe(MiniTDGP)overtwoyearstothosecalculatedbasedonisothermanalysisfromcoresobtainedfromawellintheFlowers-GoodalecoalbedinthePowderRiverBasin,MT,USA.TheMiniTDGPthenmeasuredadown-wellgasrisefromapproximately25%to50%saturatedoverfourmonthsfollowingasmall(200L)injectionof0.1%yeastextractand0.45%deuteratedwater.Down-wellwater,gasandmicrobialsampleswerecollectedjustbeforeandafterthisinjectionwithasubsurfaceenvironmentsampler(SES)thatmaintainedinsitupressureuponretrieval.ThecoalslurryandwaterfromtheSESwereanalyzedtodeterminethemicrobialandgeochemicalshiftsthatoccurred,andthegaswasanalyzedforisotopicchangesandrareisotopologuestocharacterizetheoriginofthemethane.Thesedown-wellresultssuggestinsitumicrobialcommunitiescanbestimulatedtoproduce

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additionalmethaneinsubsurfacecoalbeds,andthemethodstestedanddevelopedinthisstudycouldbeusedtodeterminetheactivityofmicrobialcommunitiesinothersubsurfaceenvironments.

Changesinriparianevapotranspirationfollowingbeaver-mimicrystreamrestoration

AndrewLBobst1,RobertAPayn2,RobertWPal3

1MBMG,2MSU-LRES,3MontanaTech-BiologicalSciences

Beavermimicrystreamrestoration(BMR)attemptstorestorestreamecosystemsbysimulatingtheeffectsofbeaveractivity.ObjectivesforBMRprojectsoftenincludeincreasingboththeextentoftheriparianplantcommunityandlate-summerstreamflows.WeexpectthatshallowergroundwatertablesfromBMRwillmanifestinmorerobustriparianplantcommunitiesandsubsequentlyinhigheractualevapotranspiration(ETa).ThiseffectresultsinapotentialtradeoffbetweenBMRgoals,sinceenhancedETacandecreasetheamountofwateravailabletosupplementlate-summerstreamflows.ThisprojectevaluatesthistradeoffattwoheadwatersstreamsinsouthwestMontana.

HighresolutiondroneimageryprovidesanopportunitytoinvestigateandquantifythemechanismscontrollingETa.Weevaluatedpre(2016)andpost(2017-2018)treatmentvegetationindexes(NDVI)collectedfromdroneimagery.NDVIvaluescanbeusedtoestimateETabasedonrelationshipswithpotentialET(ETo)valuescalculatedatnearbyweatherstations.Piezometersinstalledin2015and2016providearecordofdepthtogroundwater(DTW)throughoutthesitesoverthe4yearperiod.ETa/ETovalueswerecalculatedfora1mbufferaroundeachpiezometer.ETa/ETodecreasesasDTWincreases.BelowaDTWvalueof0.8mtheslopeofthisrelationshipisabout-0.09/m,andabout-0.38/mwhenDTWisgreaterthan0.8m.DTWappearstoprovideafirstordercontrolonETa;however,considerablevariationinETa/EToremainsafterremovingthatexplainedbyDTW.

Bothofoursitesexhibitedincreasesinriparianevapotranspirationafterrestoration.AtLongCreek,thetreatmentareasshowedanaverageincreaseinETa/ETovaluesof0.13,whilethecontrolareasincreasedby0.07.Appliedacrossthe17.3treatedhectares(42.6acres)a0.06increaseresultsinanadditional5,800m3/yr(4.7acre-ft/yr)ofwaterconsumedbyplantsinthetreatedareas.Thisequatestoanaverageof0.37L/s(0.013cfs;5.8gpm)morewaterbeingusedbyplantsoverthegrowingseason(ApriltoSeptember).AtAlkaliCreek,ETa/ETovaluesincreasedby0.06inthetreatmentarea,whilethecontrolshowednochange.Thisincreaseresultsinanadditional2,740m3/yr(2.2acre-ft/yr)ofwaterconsumedbyplantsoverthe7.26treatedhectares(17.9acres),oranaverageincreaseinplantwateruseduringthegrowingseasonof0.17L/s(0.006cfs;2.7gpm).

OurresultsshowthatETalikelyincreasesduetoBMR,andthoseincreasesappeartobelargelydrivenbychangesingroundwaterelevations;however,theresidualvariationintheDTWtoETa/ETorelationshipsuggeststhatothervariables(e.g.planttype,%leafarea)maybeimportanttopredictingETa.ThegrowingseasonETaincreasesatbothsiteswereabout0.02L/spertreatedhectare(0.0003cfs/acre).

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Controlsonmagnitudeandspatio-temporaldistributionofbedrockinfiltrationinasemi-arid,mountainouscatchment

KimberlyKBolhuis1,W.PaytonGardner1

1UniversityofMontana,Geosciences

Mountainsinaridandsemi-aridregionsreceiveadisproportionatelylargeamountofprecipitationcomparedtotheirboundingvalleyaquifersduetoorographiceffects;however,littleisknownabouthowmuchandwheremountainprecipitationinfiltratesintobedrock.Manyconceptualandnumericalhydrologicmodelstreatthebedrockasanimpermeablebarrierrelativetothesoilmantle,partitioningflowonthehillslopeandinthecatchmentintoshallowsubsurfaceandsurfaceflowonly.Recentresearchhasilluminateddynamicinteractionsbetweensoilandbedrockreservoirsonresearchhillslopesaroundtheworld,andhasshownthatbedrockpermeabilityisamajorcontrolonthevolumeofbedrockgroundwaterrechargeandwatershedresponsedynamics.Thisstudyfocuseson:1)constrainingthesurfaceconditions(e.g.degreeofantecedentmoistureandpotentialevapotranspiration)andlandscapepositionmostconducivetodeeppercolationandrechargetothebedrockgroundwatersystemand2)theapplicabilityofcurrentmethodsusedtoestimaterechargeacrossvariationsinlandscapepositionandlithologyinmountainouswatersheds.Rechargeandhydrologicconnectionatthehillslopescaleisevaluatedusingobservationsofwatertabledynamicsinnestedsoilandbedrockwellsacrossavariationinlandscapeposition.Bedrockpermeabilityisestimatedfromslugtests,coresamples,andoutcropfracturemapping.Stablewaterisotopicandgeochemicalsamplesofprecipitation,soilandbedrockgroundwater,andstreamwaterareusedtoevaluatetherechargefluxandmagnitudetothemountainblockatthehillslopeandwatershedscale.Wellhydrographsanddischargeobservationsintwowatershedsunderlainbybedrockofdifferingpermeabilitiesareusedtoevaluatetheresponseofthewatershedtodeepinfiltrationfromsnowmeltandstormevents.Thewatershedwithmorepermeablebedrockshowedaslowandsubduedresponsetoprecipitationinputs,whilethecatchmentwithlesspermeablebedrockexhibitedamorerapidandflashyresponsetoprecipitationinputs.Observationwellsscreenedbelowthesoil-bedrockinterfaceexhibitedahydraulicresponsetosnowmelt.Theobserved2Hand18Ovaluesforbedrockgroundwaterandforbaseflowaresimilar.Thebedrockgroundwaterandbaseflowisotopicvaluesareheaviercomparedtodepth-integratedsnowpackisotopevalues.Theseresultsindicatethepotentiallyactiveroleofbedrockgroundwaterinuplandcatchments.Thisresearchexpandsthecurrentknowledgeoftheseasonality,magnitudeof,andcontrolsonrechargetothebedrockreservoirinmountainousterraininasemi-aridclimate,indicatingtheimportanceofunderstandingthekeyrolethatbedrockplaysinpartitioningandtransmittingflowthroughthemountainblock.

Primarycontrolsonnutrientuse:ecosystemmetabolismanddisturbanceinasmallheadwaterstream,westernMontana

KimberlyKBray1,H.MauriceValett1

1UniversityofMontana

Ecosystemmetabolismanddisturbancecanalternutrientretentioninaquaticsystems.NitrateconcentrationsfollowedconsistentdielswingsinMillerCreekofwesternMTin2019withminimaoccurringduringthedayandmaximaatnight.Researchaddressingtheinteractingdeterminantsofnitrateretentionwasconductedwithasingle-stationmethodfromJunetoOctoberof2019.Fine-scaletemporalmeasurementscollectedfromasuiteofin-situsensorsplacedinthestreamrevealed

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significantdailytrends.Generalizedlinearmodelswereusedtodeterminetherelativerolesofphysiochemicalcharacteristicsandstreammetabolismondailychangesinnitrateretention.Instreamexperimentationandmesocosmincubationswereusedtoinvestigatehowinteractionbetweenreducedsedimentstabilityandmetabolismchangenitrateretentionatawhole-systemscaleovermultipleseasons.

Immediatepost-wildfiresoilhydrologicchangesinasagebrushsteppeecosystem

RonaldJBreitmeyer1,RileyCromie2,AllisonCramer2,KyleO’connor2

1MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,2UniversityofNevada,Reno

WildfireimpactshundredsofthousandsofacresofdelicateecosystemseveryyearinthewesternUnitedStates.Inparticular,sagebrushsteppeecosystemsareslowtorecoverinthepost-wildfireenvironmentpotentiallyexposingwhatareoftenthinlayersofsoiltoerosionandultimatelylossofsubstrateforreestablishmentofnativevegetation.Additionally,fireimpactstosoilsmayalterhydrologicpropertiesofsoilsaffectinglong-termsoilwaterstorageandinfiltrationdynamicsultimatelyimpactinggroundwaterrechargeinfireimpactedareas.Animmediatepost-firesnapshotofsoilhydrologyinasagebrushsteppeecosystemwascollectedinthePerryCanyonwatershedinWashoeCounty,Nevada.InAugust2018,theareawasburnedintheapproximately70,000-acrePerryFire.Hydrologicanalysisincludedcollectionofsemi-undisturbedcoresamplesfromsixsamplingsiteswithinPerryCanyonforlaboratorysoilwatercharacteristiccurve(SWCC)andunsaturatedhydraulicconductivity(K_θ)analysis.Soilsateachsiteinthewatershedwerecollectedinburnedandunburnedareaslocated~1-2mapart.In-situmini-discinfiltrationtestsforfield-saturatedhydraulicconductivity(K_fs)werealsocollectedatthetimeofsampling.TheSWCCforsoilsinburnedareasgenerallyexhibitedalowerair-entrysuctionandhigherrateoflossofwatercontentwithincreaseofsuctionrelativetosoilssampledfromunburnedareas.Therelativehydraulicconductivity(K_θ/K_s)tendedtobehigheratequivalentlevelsofsaturationforsoilssampledinburnedareasversusthosesampledinunburnedareas.Saturatedhydraulicconductivity(K_s)fromlaboratorytestsgenerallysuggestedhigher(K_s)forsoilsinunburnedareas.TrendsinK_fswereinconsistentwithburnedareasexhibitinghigherK_fs(relativetounburnedareas)atsomesitesandvis-a-versaatothersites.Thepost-firesnapshotpresentedinthisstudyindicatesthatwildfireinthisenvironmenthasalteredhydrologicpropertiesofsoilsthataffectinfiltrationandpotentiallygroundwaterrecharge.Themagnitudeofthoseeffectsandlonger-termevolutionofthesoilhydrologyissubjecttoongoinginvestigation.

Datacenterevolution:buildingawatercommunicationsystemthroughcollaborationandnetworking

LukeBuckley1

1MontanaTechnologicalUniversity-MBMG

TheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology’s(MBMG)DataCenterisevolvingtoexpanddatadisseminationthroughcollaborationandnetworking.StreamlineddiscoveryofandaccesstoMontana’swater-resourceinformationcangreatlyenhanceresearchprojects.Collaborationamongdatausersrequiresthatdatabevisible,discoverable,andretrievable.RecognizingthatnotalldatacollectorsinMontanacanprovidedatatoawideaudience,MBMGofferscollaborationopportunitiesthroughtheonlinesectionoftheDataCenter.

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TheMBMGworkswithseveralNational,State,andlocalagenciestopromotedatacollectionandsharingefforts.GroundwaterscientistsarefamiliarwiththeGroundWaterInformationCenter(GWIC)—thestate’srepositoryforwater-welllogsandgroundwaterdata.Since2014,MBMGandDNRChavecollaboratedtobuildastatewide,real-time,surface-water-monitoringnetwork(SWAMP).Wecontinuetoexpandthenetworkbyworkingwithlocalwaterqualitydistrictstocollectanddeliverlocallycollecteddata(GallatinandLewisandClark).In2018,theMontanaClimateOffice(MCO),MontanaDepartmentofAgriculture(MDA),andMBMGcollaboratedtoharvestgroundwater-leveldataatMDA-Mesonetstations.MCOstoresanddeliverstheatmosphericandsoilmoisturedata,andMBMGwillstoreanddeliverthewaterlevelandtemperaturedatathroughtheDataCenter.

Currently,MBMG’sDataCenterprovidesrawdatatoconsumersthroughmorethan40websites,applications,andservices.WebsiteslikeGWICandSWAMPsupportdirectcontactwiththeusersthrougheitherabrowserormobiledevice.MBMGdeliversreal-timeaccesstootherwebsitesthroughaseriesofwater-relatedwebservices,suchastheNaturalResourceInformationSystem’s(NRIS)DigitalAtlasandtheUnitedStatesGeologicSurvey’s(USGS)NationalGroundWaterMonitoringNetwork(NGWMN).DuringFY2019,morethan450,000visitorsinteractedwiththeMBMG’swebpresence,generating29millionhitsanddownloadingmorethan11.6billionpiecesofdata.

Montana’sprecipitationisotopenetwork(MTPIN):dataandayear’sworthoflessonsMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology’s(MBMG)GroundWaterAssessmentProgram(GWAP)

CamelaACarstarphen1,JacqualineTimmer2

1MontanaTech,MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,2MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology

TheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeologydevelopedapilotnetworktocollectmonthlyprecipitationsamplesforstableisotopeanalysisfromeightsitesinsouthwestandwesternMontana(theLolo,UpperClarkFork,LowerBlackfoot,andUpperMissouriWatersheds).October2019marksthecompletionofthefirstyearofmonthlycompositesamplecollectionatall8sites.Characterizingthenaturalstableisotopevariations(18O/16Oand2H/1H)inprecipitationsupportsidentificationofgroundwaterrechargesources.Isotopeanalysisofgroundwaterandsurface-waterisfairlycommon;however,theisotopiccompositionofMontana’sprecipitationisnotwelldocumented.Thepilotprogramobjectivesincludedocumentingthespatialandtemporalvariationinisotopiccompositionofprecipitation,establishingsamplingandhandlingprotocols,andevaluatingtheutilityandfeasibilityoflong-termnetworkoperation.Eachsiteconsistsofaprecipitationsamplerpairedwithaclimatestation,suchasaMontanaClimateOfficeMesonetstation,oraNaturalResourcesConservationServices(NRCS)snowtelemetry(SNOTEL)site.PrecipitationiscollectedwiththeInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency’sGlobalNetworkofIsotopesinPrecipitation(IAEA’sGNIP)recommendedsampler.Monthlycompositesamplesarecollectedanddecantedinto20mlHDPEconicalcappedbottleswithnoheadspaceforanalysisatMBMG’sAnalyticalLabusingcavityring-downspectroscopy.DataareavailablethroughtheMBMGGroundWaterInformationCenter(GWIC)websiteandareincludedintheGlobalNetworkofIsotopesinPrecipitationdatabase.Datafromthreebasins(Lolo,lowerBlackfoot,andUpperMissouri)includegroundwaterandsurfacewatersamplingsites.Inadditiontostablewaterisotopeanalysis,samplesfortritiumanalysisarecollectedbi-annuallyatfourofthesites.Todate,onlyLolobasinhasafullyearofdatacollection.Aweightedlocalmeteoricwaterline(LMWL)usinghighelevationdataplotsontheGlobalMeteoricWaterLine(GMWL),δD=8.23δO18–12.20(r2=1.0).AweightedLMWL

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usinglowerelevationdataissimilartothepublishedLMWLofGammons,2005:δD=7.33δO18–9.16(r2=1.0).Octobercompositesamplescollectedfromthreesitesin2018havetritiumconcentrationslowerthanreportedglobalvalues:LoloPassSite-4.0tritiumunits(TU’s),MacdonaldPassSite-7.3TU’s,andLubrechtSite–3.7(TU’s).

Greatview,butwhere’sthewater?

KevinMChandler1


Scenicviewsoflimestonepalisades,rollinghillsofaspensandpines,andclearrunningstreamsdrawpeopletotheBeartoothMountains.Whenlookingforgroundwaterresources,mountainfrontrecharge(MFR)isoftenassumedtoreplenishtheaquifersalongmountainfrontsandbeyond.Butasthecasewithallrecharge,geologicstructureandmaterialtypescontrolgroundwatermovement,notnecessarilyproximitytomountains.TheBeartoothmountainfrontfromBigTimbertoWyomingisoneofthemostgeologicallycomplexareasinMontana.Mountainstreamsprovidenearlyconstantrechargetothealluvialaquifers,andthemajorityofwellsinStillwaterandCarboncountiesarecompletedinshallowalluvium.Althoughthealluvialaquifersproduceamplehigh-qualitywater,theyoverlielessthan10percentofthelandarea.Thebedrockaquifersareincreasinglybeingexploredfordomesticandstockwatersources.Water-levelfluctuationsobservedinbedrockwellsandspringdischargesfromthebedrockaquifersdonotindicateconnectiontomountainrechargesources.ThehydrogeologicsettingoftheBeartoothMountainfrontwillbecomparedtoothermountainfrontsettingstoexplainthelackofMFRobservedinaquifersnorthoftheBeartoothMountains.

Colloidalandtrulydissolvedmetal(loid)sinwastewaterlagoonsandtheirremovalwithfloatingtreatmentwetlands

BenjaminPColman1,LaurenSullivan1


Climatechangeispredictedtocausecontinuingdeclinesinlate-seasonstreamflow,thusincreasingtherelativecontributionofwastewatereffluenttosurfacewaterflows.WastewatereffluentrepresentsacriticalpointsourceofmetalandmetalloidcontaminationtoaquaticecosystemsandwastewaterlagoonsareasthemostcommonwastewatertreatmentsystemintheruralUnitedStates.Althoughthefractionoftotalwastewatermetalsandmetalloidsin“dissolved”forms(definedhereas<450nm)likelydrivesthepotentialfornegativeeffectsonreceivingwaters,thisbroadoperationaldefinitionlumpstrulydissolvedsolutes(<1nm)withsmallcolloidsandnanomaterials(1-450nm;hereaftercolloids).Thissizedistinctionmaybeimportantascolloidalparticlesandtrulydissolvedsolutesdifferintheirinteractionswithaquaticorganismsandlikelywouldrequiredifferentstrategiesfortheirremovalfromwastewater.Onepotentialtoolforimprovingmetal(loid)removalinwastewaterlagoonsisfloatingtreatmentwetlands,whichconsistofhydroponicallygrownplantsonfloatingmats.Thisstudyexaminedthedistributionofmetal(loid)sbetweentrulydissolvedandsmallcolloidalsizefractionsinsixwastewaterlagoonsystems.Additionally,theefficacyoffloatingtreatmentwetlandsinremovingmetal(loids)andinfluencingthedistributionofcontaminantsamongtrulydissolvedandsmallcolloidalsizerangeswasexamined.Inthissurveyofsixlagoons,itwasfoundthatiron,lead,copper,manganese,and

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zincweremostabundantassmallcolloidalparticleswhilealuminum,arsenic,andchromiumwerefoundmostlyastrulydissolvedsolutes.TheFTWswereespeciallyeffectiveatremovingthosemetal(loid)sthatwereabundantincolloidalforms,suggestingapotentialroleforFTWsinenhancingwastewaterlagoonefficiencyforsomemetal(loid)contaminants.

Insightsintoseasonalgeothermalspringandriverinteractionsusingunmannedaerialvehiclephotogrammetryandthermaldata,LaDukeHotSprings,MT

JeremyCrowley1,AlanEnglish1,RajaNagisettyNagisetty2,JesseBunker2

1MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,2MontanaTechnologicalUniversity

UsingtemperatureasatracerofGWSWinteractioninlarge,dynamicriversystemsischallengingbecausethegroundwatertemperaturesignalistypicallysmallcomparedtothesurfacewatersignal.SeasonalstudiesofGWSWinteractionshavealsobeenhinderedbythetimingofcontrastintemperaturebetweenthegroundwaterandsurfacewater,whichlimitstheoptimalperiodsofstudytothesummerandwinter.Geothermalgroundwatersystemshaveaveryhightemperatureandcontrastcomparedtosurfacewater,providinganopportunitytoinvestigatetemporalvariationinGWSWinteractionoveranentireannualcycle.Thisstudyusedforwardlookinginfrared(FLIR)fromanunmannedaerialvehicle(UAV)platform,streamandgroundwaterdischarge,andprecipitationtoevaluatetheseasonalityandspatialdistributionofGWSWinteractionofasmallgeothermalfeatureinsouthwestMontana.LaDukehotspringsisaseriesofgeothermalspringsthatdischargeintotheYellowstoneRiveraboutfivemilesnorthwestofGardiner.

FielddatacollectionandUAVflightswereconductedapproximatelyevery2monthsfromSeptember2018toSeptember2019.UAV3Dphotogrammetrymodelsweresuccessfullydevelopedthroughouttheyear,evenwhenupto1.5mofsnowwaspresentintheareaofinterest.The3Dmodelswereusedtodetermineaccurateriverelevationinthestudyarea.Preliminaryfindingsindicatethatsomeofthespringsremaininfixedlocationsthroughouttheyear,whileothersappeartomigrateupanddownslopebasedonriverstage.FLIRthermalmosaicmodeldevelopmentwasmostsuccessfulduringperiodsoflowtomoderateriverdischarge.Duringperiodofhighriverdischarge,thermalmosaicmodelsweredifficulttodevelopbecausepixeluniformitycontributedtothelackofkeypointdiscriminationintheriver.Thedifferentialbetweenupstreamanddownstreamsynoptic-streamflowmeasurementswasnotlargeenoughtodeterminethemagnitudeofthegeothermalspringdischarge.ThegeothermalfeaturesareonlypresentontheeastbankoftheYellowstone,potentiallyduetoproximitytofaultsand/oraclaylayerwhichdipstothewest.

Theimportanceofperfectingyourwaterreservation-nowistheperfecttime

DavidDonohue1,LucasOsborne1,DavidBaldwin1

1HydroSolutionsInc

Thirty-threemunicipal,fortyconservationdistrict,andtenStateandFederalwaterreservationshavebeengrantedinMontana.TheDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation(DNRC)recentlycompleteda10-yearreviewofexistingstatewaterreservationsasdirectedbythe2015MontanaLegislature.Eachwaterreservationholdersubmittedareportwhichprovidedinformationonhowtheobjectivesofthereservationarebeingmet.ThisinformationwasusedbyDNRCtoevaluatethecontinuingneedforeachreservation.MostwaterreservationsinMontanaare

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associatedwiththreeFinalOrdersissuedbyDNRC:1)Yellowstone,2)UpperMissouri,and3)LowerMissouriFinalOrders.WaterreservationusescreatedthroughtheseFinalOrdersincludemaintaininginstreamflowforfisheries,municipal,irrigation,andmulti-purposeuses(chieflylargestoragereservoirs).Municipal,irrigation,andmulti-purposereservationswereallrequiredtosubmitaresponsetotheDNRCrequestforinformation.Inmostcases,DNRCfoundthattheactualvolumeusedtodatehasbeenconsiderablylessthanexpected.

OnlytheUpperMissourimunicipalreservationshaveaperfectiondateattachedtothereservation,whichisDecember31,2025.IntheUpperMissouri,severalmunicipalitieshavemovedaheadwithdevelopingwaterreservations,eitherwithscoping,planning,anddesigning,orwithactualuseofthewater.TheCityofHelenahasdrilledtwotestholesandinstalledoneproductionwelltoevaluatetheavailabilityofwaterinthedeepalluvialaquiferwithinthereservationboundary.Inaddition,theCitycontinuestotapintothewaterreservationwithapplicationstochangethepointsofdiversionwithintheplaceofuseforselectedirrigationprojects.TheCityofGreatFallshasperfectedmostofitssurfacewaterreservationthroughchangeapplicationsforparklandirrigationandindustrialuse.

TheCityofShelbysubmittedapplicationstochangetheplaceofuseandpointofdiversionforeachoftheCity’smunicipalwaterrightsandreservation.TheCityrequestedthewaterrightchangestomeetcurrentmunicipaldemandsfromportionsoftheCitythathavegrownoutsideofitshistoricboundaries.Additionally,theCityhasobtainedmultiplewateruseagreementstodistributewatertooutlyingcommunities.ThewaterrightandwaterreservationchangesarepartofaninterimsolutiontoprovidereliablepotablewatertolocalcommunitiespriortocompletionoftheNorthCentralMontanaRegionalWaterAuthoritypipelineproject.

Inventiveandprogressivepoliciesbysomemunicipalitiesshowthatnumerousopportunitiestodevelopandperfectwaterreservationsareavailable.Enduserswillgreatlybenefitfromaccesstoreliableandsufficientwatersupplies.Movingforwardwithplanning,design,andactualuseofthewateriscriticaltoensuringthereservationisnotwithdrawnforlackofuseinthefuture.But,the2025deadlinemeansthatsomewaterreservationholdersmustinitiateactionsquickly.

Cyanobacterialbloomdistribution,toxicity,andassociatedwater-qualityconditionsinBighornCanyonNationalRecreationArea:AUSGS-NPSPartnership

SaraLEldridge1

1USGEOLOGICALSURVEY

BighornCanyonNationalRecreationArea(BICA),betweentheBighornandPryormountainsinsoutheastMontanaandnorthcentralWyoming,offersmorethan120,000acresofforests,mountains,deepcanyons,highdesert,andsurfacewatertoover200,000visitorseachyearwhovaluetheareaforitsvastanddiversefishing,boating,swimmingandwildlifeorscenicviewingopportunities.Recently,densephytoplanktonbloomswereobservedbetweenJulyandSeptemberinBICAasaresult,inpart,oflanduseandupstreamactivitiesthatenhanceeutrophication.Thereislittledataconcerningtheextentandseverityoftheseblooms,anditisunknownwhethertheyproduceharmfulcyanotoxins.Therefore,theUSGSWyoming-MontanaWaterScienceCenterformedapartnershipwiththeNationalParkServiceinBICAtoconductasynopticsurveyofwaterqualityconditions,cyanotoxinoccurrence,andphytoplanktonbloomcommunitycompositionacrosstheparkin2019and2020todeterminehowthesebloomsinfluencewaterquality,thepotentialenvironmentalparametersthatpromotebloomdevelopmentandtoxicity,andthe

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possibleimpactsofcyanotoxinsanddegradedwaterqualityresultingfromthesebloomsonhumansandwildlifethatinhabitoruseBICAwaterresources.

Shadingbeyondthechannel:effectsofvegetativeshadeonhyporheicwatertemperaturesinthebroaderfloodplain

S. KatieFogg1,GeoffreyCPoole1,AnnMarieReinhold1,ScottJO’daniel2,ByronAmerson1

1MontanaStateUniversity,2ConfederatedTribesoftheUmatillaIndianReservation

In2011,MeachamCreek(UmatillaBasin,Oregon,USA)underwentarestorationeffortreconnectingthestreamchanneltoitshistoricfloodplain–withtheintentofincreasinghyporheicexchangetocoolsummertimestreamtemperatures.Inresponsetotherestoration,wemeasuredanimmediateincreaseinwaterlevelofthealluvialaquiferandasubsequentincreaseinsummertimestreamtemperatures.Additionally,simulationmodelingoftherestoredstreamsuggeststhathyporheicexchangerateandheattransfertotheaquiferincreased.Becausemuchofthefloodplainvegetationwasremovedforheavyequipmentaccess,wehypothesizedthatlossofshadeinthestreamcorridorwarmedchanneltemperaturesdirectlyviatwomechanisms:(1)increasedsolarradiationonthestreamsurface,and(2)increasedheatconductionintothehyporheiczonethroughexposedfloodplainsediments.Weexaminedthepotentialeffectsofreducedfloodplainshadeonhyporheicwatertemperaturesusingagroundwaterheatbudgetmodel,withandwithoutfloodplainshade.Modelresultsshowedfloodplainshadehadlittleaffectonhyporheicwatertemperaturesofshortflowpathsbutlargeeffectsonhyporheictemperaturesoflongerflowpaths,especiallyduringthesummermonths.Wherehyporheiczonesextendlaterallyfromthechannel,managementoffloodplainshade,inadditiontostreamsideshade,mayhaveimportantimplicationsforchannelwatertemperaturedynamics.

Montana’sgroundwatermodelingportal:usefulnessforwaterusers

AttilaJFolnagy1,MelissaSchaar2

1MT DNRC,2MT DNRC

AnewgroundwaterdevelopmentrequiresanalysisbyDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation(DNRC)ofimpactstoseniorgroundwaterandsurfacewaterusers.ThispilotprojectexaminesthepotentialforagroundwatermodelingwebapplicationtoprovidetheDNRCandwateruserswithabetterunderstandingoftheimpactsofaproposedwell.ThetwomodelsuploadedintothewebapplicationanddiscussedinthistalkarefortheWestBillingsandFlatheadValleyAquifers.TheselocationsarerepresentativeareasofMontanawhereDNRCreceivesmanygroundwaterpermitapplications.ThiswebapplicationrunstheMODFLOWgroundwatermodelingsoftwarethatsimulatesgroundwaterflowintheaquifer(s)aswellassurfacewaterconditions.ModelingwithMODFLOWrequiresaspecificskillsetthatmostusersdon’thave.Thus,thewebapplicationprovidesauser-friendlyplatformwhereausercaninputtheinformationaboutaproposedwellandgeneratedrawdownandstreamdepletionresultsforpotentialprojects.Thiswillprovidetheuserwiththeknowledgeofpotentialimpactsoftheproposedwellpriortoapplyingforapermit.Theultimategoalofthispilotprojectistobenefitfuturegroundwaterpermitapplicantswithanunderstandingofpotentialimpactspriortodrillingawell.ThewebapplicationwillassisttheDNRCandwateruserswhohaveproposedgroundwaterprojectsduringthepre-applicationphaseofthepermittingprocess.Animportantcomponentofthepilotprojectisthatthewebapplicationwillbe

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usedbyDNRCstafffordemonstrationanddiscussionpurposestodetermineitsusefulnesstoDNRCandwaterusers.Ifthisgroundwatermodelwebapplicationpilotstudyissuccessful,thenDNRCwillpursueadditionalfundingforuploadingadditionalgroundwatermodelsandmakingthegroundwatermodelingwebapplicationavailableforpublicuse.

Usingsynopticriversurveystocharacterizegroundwatersystems

PaytonGardner1


Here,Idemonstratetheutilityofsynopticstreamwatersurveysasaconvenientmeanstointerrogatepropertiesofthesurroundlocaltoregionalgroundwatersystem.Synopticsamplingofstreamchemistryhaslongbeenusedasapowerfulmethodologyforestimatingthevolumeandlocationofgroundwaterdischargetostreamsoveravarietyofspatialscales.Theprincipalbehindthetechniqueistofindasuitabletracerthatispresentinthegroundwatersystemataknownconcentration,andtheninfertheamountofgroundwaterinsurfacewaterfromtheconcentrationofthetracerinthesurfacewaterandmassbalancecalculations.However,inmanycasestheconcentrationofthetraceringroundwaterisnotuniform,norwellknownandmayencodeinformationonthegroundwatersystemdischargingtothestream,suchasthegroundwaterresidencetime,provenance,quality,andchemicalevolution.Infact,inmanycases,itisthetracerconcentrationordistributionofconcentrationsingroundwatersystemfeedingthestreamthatweareinterestedin.However,regionalscalesamplingofthegroundwatersystemisoftendifficultandlimitedbythelocationandamountofgroundwaterwells.Here,wefliptheparadigmofstreamtracersurveys,byusingstreamdischargeandchemistrytoestimatethetracerconcentrationandinferpropertiesofgroundwaterfeedingthestream.Groundwaterdischargetothestreamcanbeestimatedusingonesetofenvironmentaltracers,appliedtracers,synopticstreamgaugingorothermethods.Theconcentrationofatracerofinterestinthegroundwatercanthenbeestimatedusingtheestimatedgroundwaterdischargeandtheobservedriverchemistry.Inthisparadigm,thestreambecomesaneasilyaccessiblelocationtosampletotheflowweightedaverageconcentrationoftraceringroundwatersystemdischargingtothestream.Weusethismethodologytoinferpropertiessuchasthemagmaticisotopiccomposition,agedistribution,andqualityofthesurroundinglocaltoregionalgroundwatersystemsdischargingtothestream.Inthistalk,Iwilldevelopthetheorybehindthemethodanddemonstrateitsapplicationinseveralgroundwatersystemsoflocaltoregionalscale.

Applicationofgeophysicalmethodsinhydrogeologicstudiestoinvestigatelate-summerdewateringinLoloCreek,SouthwestMissoula,Montana

AliGebril1


LoloCreek,aperennialmajortributarytotheBitterrootRiver,insomeyears,hasbecomeintermittentinthelowerreachesinlatesummermonths.FindingreasonsforlatesummerdewateringhasledtogeophysicalandhydrogeologicstudiesbytheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeologytounderstandthecauseandeffectrelationshipbetweensurfacewaterandgroundwateruses,andstreamflow.Lithologyfromboringlogs,streamflowandgroundwaterlevelmeasurements,LiDARandsurveydata,andgeophysicalinformationhelpedtoconstructa

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conceptualmodelforLoloCreekstudyarea.GeophysicalmeasurementsincludingElectricalResistivityTomography(ERT),SpontaneousPotential(SP),andMultichannelAnalysisofSurfaceWaves(MASW)wereusefulto1)delineatethesaturatedzones,2)estimatedepthstobedrock,3)locatefracturedbedrockzones,and4)identifyageologicfaultnearthetownofLolo.Inaddition,wedevelopedanempiricalrelationshipbetweensaturatedzoneshydraulicconductivitiesandelectricalresistivitybasedonafieldscaleinvestigation.Thisrelationshipprovidedestimatesofhydraulicconductivitiesatotherlocationswhereaquiferpropertieswerelacking,providingreasonableestimatesofinitialaquiferhydraulicconductivitiesinthestudyarea.Informationobtainedfromgeophysicsstudiesarevaluabletoconfirmhydrogeologicframeworkandtheconceptualmodel.AsoundconceptualmodelisvitaltobuildarobustgroundwaterflowmodelsintendedtouseasaninvestigationtooltostudyLoloCreeklate-summerdewatering.TheresultsofthisinvestigationwouldbeusefultoforwatermanagementdecisionsandrestorationeffortsintheLoloCreekwatershed.

Cumulativegain-lossanalysis–atechniqueusedtolocatestreamreacheswheremetalcontaminatedgroundwaterinflowisdegradingwaterqualityinSilverBowandBlacktailCreekswithintheButteSuperfundSite.

JoeGriffin1

1MontanaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality-RetiredalsoTechnicalAdvisoryCommitteeClarkForkCoalition

Over100yearsofminingandsmeltinginButte,MontanahasleftalegacyofcontaminatedstreamsandgroundwaterthattheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencybegantoaddressundertheSuperfundprograminthelate1980s.Themassivecleanup,whichincludesgroundwatercapture/treatmentandstreamrestoration,hasdecreasedin-streamcopperconcentrationsbyclosetotwoordersofmagnitude.TheprogramisnowatapointthattheeffectofcontaminatedgroundwaterdischargingtoBlacktailandSilverBowCreeksissubtlebutevident,andinneedofadditionalenvironmentalmanagement.Therobustsurfacewatermonitoringprogramforthesite,synopticsampling10to12timesperyearatseveninstreamstations,hasproveninvaluable,enablingthetechnicalteamtolocatestreamreachesthatstillrequireadditionalgroundwatercaptureorsourcematerialexcavation.Auniqueformofcumulativegain-losstemporaltrendanalysisisbeingusedtolocatereachesthatareaffectedbymetalcontaminatedgroundwaterinflow.Forinstance,thedifferenceintotalrecoverablecopperconcentrationbetweenanytwostationswillshoweitheragainorlossofcopperoverthereach.Byaddingthegainsorlossesfromsuccessivemonitoringevents(cumulativegain-loss),andbycomparingtherelativeslopesthroughtimebetweenreaches,managersarelocatingproblemreachesandfocusingadditionalgroundwatercaptureorsourcematerialexcavationalongthoseareas.Thistypeoftrendanalysisalsorecordsthosetimeswhenengineeredremedyfeatureshaveaffectedandimprovedin-streamwaterquality.Inthenearpast,naturesstreamengineers–beavers–havealsoaffectedgroundwater-streaminteractionandwaterqualitybybuildingdamsandpondingwater.

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Combiningdataintensiveprecisionagricultureandtransportmodelingtolimitnitratelosstogroundwaterfromconventionaldrylandwheatfarming

PaulBHegedus1,StephanieAEwing1,RobertAPayn1,BruceDMaxwell1,W.AdamSigler1

1MontanaStateUniversity

Inefficientusesofnitrogen(N)fertilizercanleadtodetrimentaleffectsongroundwaterqualityinagriculturalregions.HereweusemeasuresofnitrateinsoilwatertoconstrainaverticalsolutetransportmodelexaminingsoilNuseefficiencyinagriculturalsoils.WepresentmodelsensitivityanalysesinthecontextofconventionaldrylandwheatproductionintheJudithRiverWatershed(JRW)ofcentralMontana,whereupto25%ofprivatewellssampledhaveexceededtheEPAstandardfornitrateindrinkingwater.Ourgoalistoincorporateamechanisticmodelofsolutetransportthroughsoilsintoadata-intensiveprecisionagricultureapproachthatutilizesthevaststreamofdataavailablefromfarmstooptimizeNfertilizerapplicationsbasedonmaximizingproducerprofitsandmaximizingagronomicNefficiency.Morespecifically,weaimtousethewaterandsolutetransportmodeltoidentifykeysoilparametersandpatternsofconditions(management,weather)thatcanbeusedtopredictNfertilizerinefficienciesanddesignfertilizerprescriptionsthatmaximizeefficiencyofNuse.InefficientusesofNaredefinedasanyfateofNthatdoesnotresultinincreasedproductivity(yieldorproteincontent)andsubsequenteconomicnetreturn.ThemodelwasparameterizedbasedonsoildatacollectedintheJRW,andweperformedsensitivityanalysestoevaluateNdynamicsundervariousscenariosofsoilattributes,cropmanagement(croppedvsfallow),andweather.ResultsfromthesesensitivityanalysesprovideinsightintocircumstancesthatproducethelargestagronomicandeconomicNuseinefficienciesandallowbetterunderstandingofhowcompetingprocesses(i.e.leachinganddenitrification)dictateNloss.Theseeffortshighlightwhereandwhen“perfectstorms”ofNuseinefficienciescouldoccur,andaidindevelopingmanagementrecommendationsthatreducethepotentialforthoseepisodesofinefficiencytodegradegroundwaterquality.Ultimately,data-intensiveprecisionagricultureprovidesabasisformanagementdecisionsthatbothsaveonapplicationcostsandreducenutrientloadingtowaterresources.

AnevaluationofgriddeddroughtindicestoenhancetheUpperMissouriDroughtEarlyWarningSystem

ZacharyHHoylman1,KelseyJencso1,ZacharyHolden2,MichaelDowney3,TroyBlandford4,KyleBocinsky1,KevinHyde1

1MontanaClimateOffice,2USFS,3MontanaDNRC,4MontanaStateLibrary

EarlydetectionofdroughtcanbecrucialtomitigatingitsimpactsonMontana’seconomy,throughchangestothemanagementofoursurfacewaterresources,agriculture,livestockproductionandoutdoorrecreation.Duetocomplexland-atmosphereinteractions,droughtimpactsourwaterresourcesindifferentwaysduetodifferencesinantecedentconditionsandtheintensityofaparticularevent.Previousworkhasfocusedondevelopmentofgriddedindices(e.g.PDSI,SPEI,SPI,Deficit,etc.)thatattempttocapturethevariousphysicaldriversofdrought.However,itisoftenachallengetoknowwhenduringtheseasontouseaspecificindexandwhichtimescales(fromdaystomonths)bestdescribedifferentformsofdrought.Here,weleveragesoilmoisturedatafromtheMontanaMesonetandfromSnowTelemetry(SNOTEL)stationsacrossthewesternU.S.(285stations)toevaluatecommongriddeddroughtindicesandthetimescalesforeachthatarethemostrobustdescriptorsofsoilmoisture,akeydroughtindicatorinsemi-aridlandscapes.Initial

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resultssuggestthatindicessuchastheStandardizedPrecipitationEvapotranspirationIndexhavethegreatestcorrelation(rupto0.8)withsoilmoistureat~90-daytimescales.Generally,timescalesincreasedwithsoildepth,rangingfrom80to200daysfor2into36indepthsrespectively.Wefoundthatthegreatestcorrelationsoccurredduringthesummerandfallmonthswhensoilmoisturewasmoreresponsivetoatmosphericdemandandprecipitationisprimarilyraindominated.TherewasalsospatialvariabilityintheoptimaltimescalesacrossMontana,likelyduetodifferentsoilproperties,topographyandvegetationconditions.Theseresultsprovideimportantinformationfordroughtmanagementtaskforces,suchastheMontanaDroughtandWaterSupplyCommittee,toprovideearlywarningofdevelopingdroughtconditionsandinformtheappropriateapplicationofcommonlyavailabledroughtmetrics.

EnhancingtheUpperMissouriRiverBasinDroughtEarlyWarningSystem

KelseyJencso1,ZacharyHoylman2,ZackHolden3,MichaelDowney4,TroyBlandford5,KevinHyde2,KyleBocinsky2

1UniversityofMontana-MontanaClimateOffice,2MontanaClimateOffice,3UnitedStatesForestService,4DepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,5MontanaStateLibrary

TheMontanaClimateOffice,MontanaDepartmentofNaturalResources&Conservation,UnitedStatesForestServiceandMontanaStateLibraryhavepartneredtofurtherdeveloptheUpperMissouriRiverBasin(UMRB)DroughtEarlyWarningSystemunderNOAANIDISandPublicLaw113-86.Thispresentationwillfocusontheprogressofkeytasksinthistwo-yearproject:1)Collect,assessandintegrateinformationonthekeyindicatorsofdroughtintheUpperMissouriRiverBasin(UMRB)anddroughtimpactsinordertomakeusable,reliableandtimelyforecastsofdrought.2)ContinueongoingresearchandmonitoringactivitiesrelatedtopredictingdroughtinitsvaryingdurationsandmagnitudesacrosstheUMRB.3)ProvidetimelydroughtinformationandproductsfromwatershedtoregionalscalesacrosstheUMRB.Thisprojectutilizesnewandexistingpartnernetworkstooptimizetheexpertiseofawiderangeoffederal,tribal,state,localandacademicpartnersinordertomakeclimateanddroughtsciencereadilyavailable,easilyunderstandableandusable.Ouraimistoimprovethecapacityofstakeholderstobettermonitor,forecast,planforandcopewiththeimpactsofdroughtintheUpperMissouriRiverBasin.

HighresolutionirrigatedlandsmappingintheWesternUnitedStates

DavidGKetchum1,KelseyJencso2,JustinHuntington3

1MontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,2UniversityofMontana,3DesertResearchInstitute

ThesustainablemanagementofwaterresourcesintheWesternUSdependsonimprovedunderstandingoftheimpactofhumanactivitiesonthehydrologicalcycle,themostsignificantofwhichisouruseofwaterforirrigation.Webuiltannual,30mresolutionirrigationmapsforyears1986-2017usingGoogleEarthEngineforthe11conterminousUnitedStates.Ourmapclassifieslandsintofourclasses:irrigatedagriculture,rainfedorunirrigatedagriculture,uncultivatedland,andwetlands.Weused80,000pointsamplesfrom11westernstatesover28yearstoextractLandsat,climate,meteorology,andterraindatatotrainaRandomForestclassifier.Ourclassifierhasanoverallaccuracyof95.3%,withhigheraccuracyforourtargetclassificationofirrigatedlands.WefoundthatmostvarianceinourclassificationiscontrolledbyLandsatopticalgreenand

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redbands,andterrain.Ourmodelismosteffectiveinaridlocationswherethecontrastbetweenunirrigatedandirrigatedlandsishigh.Ourmodelshowspoorresultsinareaswherethespectraldifferencebetweenforest,range,wetlands,andirrigatedlandsislow,especiallyincold,wet,highaltitudeareassuchastheBigHoleinMontana.Thisworkillustratestheneedfortheuseofmodernobjectsegmentationapproachesnowincommonuseinthefieldofcomputervisionthatcouldimproveourabilitytoincreasetheaccuracyofirrigatedlandsmapping.

Hydrologicconsequencesandbenefitsofintensifyingagriculturalwaterdiversions

MarcoManeta1,KimballJohn1,LauffenburgerZachary1,CobournKelly2

1UniversityofMontana,2VirginiaTech

TheagriculturalsystemoftheintermountainwesternU.S.ischaracterizedbyextensivefarmingandranching,lowproductdiversification,andprevalenceofrainfedcrops,whichmakesitveryvulnerabletodroughtandlong-termclimatevariability.AgricultureisamajorcomponentoftheregionaleconomyandofthelivelihoodsofpeopleinstateslikeMontana,forthis,itisimportanttounderstandhowfarmerscopewithdrought.Commonstrategiesinvolveincreasingagriculturalwaterdemandandreallocatinglandtoprioritycropsortofallowtodecreaseimpactsonfarmrevenues.Potentialintensificationsofwateruseinupstreamcounties,however,canhaveimpactsonstreamflows,limitingtheoptionsofdownstreamusers.The2012droughtthataffectedtheU.S.MidwestbutthatonlyimpactedthesouthernhalfofMontanaisanexcellentcasestudytoanalyzehowfarmersadaptintheshorttermtodroughtconditions.Wepresentresultsfromahydro-economicmodelingandobservationframeworkdrivenbysatelliteremotesensingtosimulatethehydrologicandcounty-scaleagroeconomicimpactsofthe2012drought.Weusesimulationresultstoanalyzethemostvulnerableandresilientcountiesandevaluatetheextenttowhichincreasingaccesstosurfacewatertocompensateforprecipitationshortfallsresultinstreamdepletion.

Montana’sfirstwastewater-basedepidemiologyinvestigation

MirandaLMargetts1,DeborahEKeil1


Drugabusecontinuestobeapublichealthproblem.Currentmethodsformonitoringcommunitydruguseincludeself-reportingpopulationsurveys,emergencydepartmentvisits,drugtreatmentadmissions,orfataloverdoses.Datafromtheseapproachesarenotavailablerapidlyandmayrequiremonthstoyearstocompile.Montana,byvirtueofitsreducedpopulationandlargegeographicsizeexperiencesanaddeddataburden.Duetoruralpopulations,county-levelestimatesbasedonsmallsamplesizesaresuppressed.Toprovidenearreal-timemonitoringofdruguse,wehavemeasuredsewagedrugbiomarkerstoestimatedrugconsumptionatthecommunitylevel.ResultsfromourrecentNIH-fundedprojectdemonstratethefeasibilityofwastewateranalysisforillicitandprescriptiondrugsintwoMontanancommunities.Ateachlocation,weundertookweeklysamplingovera3-monthperiodinSpringof2019.Ourpre-treatmentinfluentmeasuresindicatecleardifferencesbetweendrugconsumptionbehaviorsacrossthesecommunities.Preliminaryexaminationofwastewatereffluentatthesetwositesfurtherdemonstratesthatopioidremovalwithinatypicaltreatmentfacilityvariesbyspecificcompoundandmostpersistwiththepotentialtoentersurfacewaters.Thisstudyisthefirstexampleof‘wastewaterbasedepidemiology’inMontanaandthetranslationofourdataforbothpublicandenvironmentalhealthendeavorshas

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beenrecognizedforits‘nearrealtime’surveillancecapabilities.Weanticipatesustainingthisworkthroughourlabandexpandingtoincludeadditionallocations.

Macroinvertebratebioassessmentstudydesigns:acriticalexaminationoffourassumptionsleadingtotheirmisuse

BrettMarshall1

1RiverContinuumConcepts,Inc.

Macroinvertebratestudieshavebecomecommonplacesincetheacceptanceandpromotionofrapidbioassessmentprotocols.Certainassumptionsareimplicittotheuseoftheseprotocolswhenevertheyareusedtodetectchange.Weexaminedfourinter-relatedaspectsofbioassessmentsamplingdesignsthatmayprecludetheiruse(senustricto)todescribechange:(1)aspectsofdesign,(2)assumptionofvariancehomogeneity,(3)assumptionoftaxonomiccompleteness,(4)assumptionofstandarduniteffort.Themisusesofbioassessmentdesignsarisefromafailuretounderstandthelimitationsoftheoriginalstudydesign.Thesemisusesinclude(1)inappropriateuseanddefinitionofreferencecriteria(e.g.,“best-value”referencecriteria),(2)misunderstandingtheallocationofbioassessmentstatisticalreplication,and(3)useofthedesignwhenanalternativedesignshouldbeused.Thesemisusesareoftenrationalizedbytheassumptionsthat(1)thebioassessmentdesign“homogenizesvariance”sufficientlythatitcanbeassumedtobezero,and(2)thesamplesare“taxonomicallycomplete.”Wecollected5replicatecompositebioassessmentsamplesusingtheWyomingbioassessmentfieldmethodsfromfiveimportantlocationsinriversofSubletteCountyWyoming.Weexaminedthevariancefromlargecompositesamplesandcomparedthemtoindividual(non-composited)Surbersamples.Notonlywasthevariancesignificantlydifferentfromzero,butitwasnotreducedwhencomparedwithnon-compositedsamples.Similarly,wecomparedtaxarichnessofelectronicallycompositedindividualSurbersampleswithstandardbioassessmentfield-compositedsamplesandfoundthatdatafromfieldcompositesonlyrepresentedabouthalfofthespeciesrepresentedinindividualsamples.Rarefactionanalysisindicatedthatourresultspredictedthisoutcomefromcompositesamplesandthatearlierinvestigatorsmisinterpretedtheirrarefactionresultsbyprojectingtheasymptotebeyondthelevelofeffortoftheirstudy.Therefore,theassumptionsusedtosupporttheuseofnon-replicatedsamplingdesigns(homogeneityandtaxonomiccompleteness)werenotsupportedbyourstudies.Thiswillseemcounterintuitivetomanyinvestigatorsbecauseasamplecollectedfromalargerareashould,intheory,containmorespeciesthansmallersamples.However,theassumptionthatfieldareacorrespondstoastandarduniteffortalsoappearstobeinvalidinourstudies.Thisisbecauseoneoftheubiquitouscost-reducingproceduresusedtofacilitatelarge-scale(national)studieswastheuseoffixed-countsubsamples.Wefoundthatthedensityofthedominanttaxonhadahugeinfluenceontheproportionofthesampleusedtoattainthesubsampletarget.Itdidnotmatterthatcompositesampleswerecomprisedof8,0.1-m2sampleswhensomesampleswereonlysubsampledto<1%toattainthesubsampletarget.Theamountofsampleusedinsinglesamplestoattainthesubsampletargetrangedfrom0.3%to100%,effectivelycancelingthefielduniteffort.Althoughacceptableforbioassessments,thisisthereasonwhytheassumptionsthatwouldallowbioassessmentstodefensiblydescribechange,withoutreplication,arenotvalid.Moreover,oursubsamplingmodelsuggestsitismuchmoreeffectivetocollectseveralsmallerreplicatesthantousecompositesamplestodescribespatialortemporalchangesinbenthiccommunitystructure.

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Simulationandexperimentalinvestigationoflinkedelementalcyclinginfreshwaterecosystems

ElizabethJMohr1,AnnMarieReinhold1,GeoffreyCPoole1


Bioticremovalofcarbonandnutrientsinstreamsdeterminesthecapacityofastreamtomaintainhighwaterqualityinthefaceofexcessanthropogeniccarbonandnutrientsources.Yetscientistsandmanagersalikelackarobustmechanistictheorytopredictratesofbioticremovaltoinformmanagementofwaterqualityinthefaceofincreasingcarbonandnutrientloadingandinthecontextofglobalclimatedisruption.Webelievetheconceptofthe“individualelementalcycle”(e.g.,thenitrogencycleorthecarboncycle)limitsourabilitytodevelopsuchatheory.Therefore,wehavedevelopedthecapacitytoautomaticallygeneratesimulationmodelsofdynamic“biogeochemicalwebs,”consistingofmultiplelinkedelementalcycles.Themodelsincorporatemultipleclassesofmicroorganismsdefinedbythemetabolicpathwaystheyemploy(e.g.,aerobicheterotrophs,denitrifiers,nitrifiers,methanogens)andsimulatetheassociatedrearrangementofeachelementfoundinmetabolicreactantstoformmetabolicendproductswhileconformingtoconstraintssuchasmassbalance,energybalance,stoichiometry,andthermodynamics.Toassesstheaccuracyandefficacyofourmodelingapproach,wecomparedourmodelresultstoobservationsfromasetofbiogeochemicalmesocosmexperiments.Wefilledthemesocosms(10-litercarboys)withstreamwaterandgravelandamendedthemwithtwostableisotopetracers:either13C-enrichedCH3COONaand15N-enrichedNaNO3or13C-enrichedNaHCO3and15N-enrichedNH4Cl.Themesocosmswereincubatedinthedarkwithnoheadspaceandsampledperiodicallyfor7days.Comparingresultingexperimentaldatawithmodeloutputallowsustoiterativelyrefinetheconceptualmodelonwhichoursimulationmodelisbuilt,revealingdetailsaboutthedominantmetabolicpathwaysandbiophysicalconstraintsgoverningthebehaviorofbiogeochemicalwebs.Asourconceptualmodelsarerefined,weexpecttoidentifytherulesoflifethatexplainobservedvariationincarbonandnutrientuptakeinstreamecosystems.

PracticalimplicationsoftheBioticLigandModelasawaterqualitystandard

JoePNaughton1

1RESPECInc.

TheBioticLigandModel(BLM)hasbeenrecommendedbyEPAasacopperstandardsince2007althoughfewstateshavethusfaradoptedit.Althoughmorerealisticthanpriorhardness-basedstandards,theBLMrequiresamuchgreatersetoffielddata,hasgreaterqualitycontroldemands,andismorecomputationallycomplex.ToevaluatethepracticalconsequencesofadoptingtheBLMasastandardinMontana,therelativerestrictivenessoftheEPA’shardness-basedandBLM-basedstandardswerecomparedforsamplescollectedthroughouttheupperClarkForkRiverbasin.Streamswithinthebasinhaveavarietyofchemicalregimesandalsoavarietyofenvironmentalstressorsincludingmetalcontamination,nutrientenrichment,chronicdewatering,andanarrayofphysicalhabitatdisturbances.Overall,restrictivenesswassimilarbetweeneachstandard(whencomparingdissolvedconcentrations)buttherewerestarkseasonalandspatialdifferences.TheBLM-standardsweretypicallymorelenientinnutrient-enrichedwatersandweremorerestrictiveduringlowflowperiods.TheBLMwashighlysensitivetodissolvedorganiccarbon(DOC)concentrationswhicharedifficulttomeasureaccurately.Interestingly,inputsofcold,cleanwater

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frommountaintributarieshadlittleneteffectonBLM-predictedtoxicityinthemainstemriverbecausedilutionofcopperwasoffsetbydilutionofDOC.

LowheaddamfeasibilitystudyfortheSourdoughWatershed

HeatherNold1


AccordingtoHeadwatersEconomics,alocalresearchnonprofit,theGallatinCounty’spopulationgrewthreetimestherateoftherestofMontanainthelast15years,strainingthelimitedwaterresourcesavailableintheCityofBozeman.Whiletheinfrastructureoncesuitedthecommunity,thehighqualityoflifeinBozemanhasattractedtourists,recreationalists,academia,andentrepreneurstosettleinthevalleyencroachingonlimitedresourcesandonceopenspace.NestledinthevalleyofGallatin,theMadison,andBridgerRange,BozemanisperchedattheheadwatersoftheMissouririver.Itallowsthecommunitytoenjoyincrediblewaterquality.However,80%ofmunicipalwaterissourcedfromlocalsnowpack.Climatictrendspredictthatthesnowpackwillbemeltingearlierintheseasoninadditiontobeingvariablypresent.Ifgrowthmodelsandpercapitausesofwaterinthevalleycontinue,theCityBozemanexpectsawatershortagewithinthenext20years.Inordertoensurefuturehealthoftheaquiferandlocalwaterways,theCityofBozemanisconsideringwaterstoragesolutionsandwaterconservationduetothehighrisksposedbyalocalwatershortage.Whiletraditionalwaterstorageinfrastructuressuchasdamshavefrequentlybeenemployedbymunicipalities,theengineeringcommunityhasbeenshiftingparadigmsinrecentyears.Thedamimpactsofsedimentation,fishbarriers,andlackoffloodplainconnectivity,hasgeneratedinterestininnovativetechnologiestoretainwaterformunicipaluses.Beaverdamanalogs,renownedfortheirabilitytopromotegroundwaterrechargeandpropagatewetlandsareresearchedasstreamrestorationtechniquesinchannelizedreaches.Thebeaverdamanalogsorconstructedlowheaddamstructuresinundatesmallportionsofthewatershed,storingwater.ThroughanalysisofdigitalelevationmodelsintheSourdoughWatershedinGISprograms,thewaterstoragecapacityofseveralofbeaveranalogdamscanbedetermined.ConductinggeospatialandhydrologicanalysisindicatesthatlowheaddamsmaybeafeasibleinfrastructureopportunitytoimprovemunicipalwaterstorageresiliencyfortheCityofBozeman.Inadditiontotheevaluationoftechnicalcriteria,researchwillbeconductedtoreviewcompatibilityofbeaveranalogdamstoexistingwatersupplyinfrastructure,maintenancecostsoftheanalogdams,andthecapitalinvestmentrequiredperacre-ftofwatersupply.Ifdeterminedeconomicallyandtechnicallyfeasiblethewatershedwillbeenabledwiththerestorativequalitiesofbeaveranalogdamswhilereapingthebenefitsofwaterstorage.

Quantifyinggroundwaterandsurfacewaterinteractionsinlow-impactstreamrestorationenvironments

EvanNorman1,GlennShaw1,AmyChadwick2,MarvinSpeece1,MohamedKhalil1

1MontanaTechnologicalUniversity,2GreatWestEngineering

Surfaceandgroundwaterstorage,flow,andexchangeratespreandpoststreamrestorationhasbeenanimportanttopicinhighdivideregionsforseveralyears.Improvedmonitoringregimeshaveaidedinquantifyingrestorationmethodsinavarietyofwatershednetworks.Inthisstudy,arobustdatasetcollectedoverthepreviousfoursummersfollowingrestorationin2016and2018

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willquantifyshortandlong-termimpactsofbeaver-mimicrystructuresinthealpinesettingoftheBlacktailCreekWatershedsouthofButte,Montanainadditiontoin-depthsitecharacterization.Thequestionsforthisstudyare:i)Howmuchsurfaceandgroundwaterflowattenuatesafterstreamrestoration?ii)Doesriverrestorationresultinenhancedlateseasonbaseflows?andiii)Howdothegroundwaterandsurfacewaterinteractionsvarywithinthestreamreachfollowingrestoration?Theseresearchquestionsareimportantforunderstandingecosystemfunctionsasaresultofrestoration.Fieldworkconsistsofmonitoringbothsurfacewaterflowsandgroundwaterlevels,assessmentofhydraulicconductivity,surveyingmonitoringwellandstaffgagelocationsandgeophysicalcharacterizationofaquiferdimensionsandlithology.Surfacewaterflowswereusedinawaterbalanceandspatialtemperatureandspecificconductivityvariationswereusedtoassessgroundwaterandsurfacewaterinteractions.Sieveanalysisonshallow(0-5’)saturatedandunsaturatedsoilswereanalyzedtocharacterizesoiltypesandtoprovideestimatesofhydraulicconductivity(K).Slugtestswereperformedon1”and¾”piezometersusingpressuretransducersandmanualwaterlevelscollection.AQTESOLVsoftwareanalyzedhydraulicconductivityvaluesacrossvariousspatialareasthroughoutthesiteregion.Verticalvariationsoftemperaturewereusedinpiezometersandsurfacewatertoestimategroundwaterandsurfacewaterinteractionsinbothrestoredandnon-restoredsites.MODFLOW2000wasusedtocomparepreandpostrestorationgroundwaterflowratesandgroundwaterandsurfacewaterinteractions.Droneflightsacrossatreatmentandcontrolreachoutputadigitalsurfacemodeltocharacterizethesurfaceofthegroundwaterflowmodels.SeismicandresistivitysurveysperformedbyMontanaTechGeophysicalEngineeringDepartmentestimatedadepthtobedrock,aquiferlithologyandflowdirection.Groundwaterlevels,hydraulicgradients,hydraulicconductivity,streamflowsandsurveysassistedinbuildingaconceptualmodelinGMSandMODFLOWnumericalmodelingsoftware.Thisoralpresentationwillreviewconclusionsofsiteresponsesduringmonitoringyears2016-2019andthepreliminarygroundwatermodelingeffortsdescribingimpactsofbeaver-mimicrystructuresandnaturalgeomorphicfeatures.

AreincreasingtemperaturesinMontanaaffectinghighandlowstreamflows

CharlesParrett1

1RetiredUSGS

AverageannualtemperaturesthroughoutMontanaareincreasing.Monthlytemperaturesgenerallyshowthesamepatternastheannualtemperatures,withthemostdramaticincreases(asindicatedbyLOESScurveplots)occurringfromabout1970to2018.ChangesinMontanaprecipitationaremuchlesssignificantthanchangesintemperature.Forexample,averageannualtemperatureinMontanahasincreasedabout4degreesFsince1950,butaverageannualprecipitation,theprincipaldriverofannualstreamflow,hasstayedvirtuallyconstant.Temperatureincreasesareexpectedtohavethegreatesteffectonlatesummerstreamflowwhentemperaturesandevaporationarehighandflowsarealreadylowduetodepletedsnowmeltrunoff.Highflows,whichoccurmostlyinMayandJune,aretheresultofacomplexinterplayofbothsnowmeltandlargeMay-Juneprecipitation.Increasingtemperatureislikelytoaffectthetimingofsnowmelt,butotherwiseislikelytoplayamuchsmallerroleinproducingchangesinhighstreamflow.

Toexaminewhetherincreasingtemperatureshavehaddiscernibleeffectsonhighandlowstreamflows,datafrom15long-termstreamflowgaugingstationswereexamined.Theselectedstationsallariseinmountainousterrain,andaverageandhighstreamflowshaveasubstantialsnowmeltrunoffcomponent.Thehighflowcharacteristicexaminedfortrendswasannualpeak

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flow,andthelowflowcharacteristicselectedwasmeanAugustflow.SixofthesitesdrainareaseastoftheContinentalDivide,8sitesdrainareaswestoftheDivide,and1site,arisinginGlacierNationalPark,drainsintotheHudsonBaybasin.Allsiteshadatleast50yearsofessentiallycontinuousstreamflowrecord.

Alinearregressionrelatingtheselectedhighandlowflowcharacteristicstothe1970to2018flowperiodwasusedtodeterminewhetherthecharacteristicsshowedatrendforthesameperiodthatshowedthesharpestincreaseineitherannualorAugusttemperature.Thetotalperiodofavailableflowrecordwasalsoexaminedfortrend.Toensurethattrendslopeswerenotundulyaffectedbythefirstfewflowvalues,thebeginningperiodsforthetrendanalyseswerechangedslightlywhenthefirstseveralflowswereeithersubstantiallyaboveorbelowthelong-termmedianflow.Thenon-parametricSensslopeestimatorfortrendwasalsousedatseveralsites,buttheresultsgenerallywerethesameasfortheuseoflinearregression.

Trendtestsforannualpeakflowindicated9siteswithadecreaseinannualpeakdischargeforthe1970to2018periodand6siteswithaslightincrease.Oneofthenegativetrendswasstatisticallysignificant(p-valuelessthan0.05).TrendtestsformeanAugustflowshowedthatall15siteshaddecreasesforthe1970to2018period,andthatdecreaseswerestatisticallysignificantat6ofthesites.Onthisbasis,thereappearstobelittleconnectionbetweenincreasingtemperaturesandhighflows,butastrongconnectionbetweenincreasingtemperaturesandmeanAuguststreamflow.

VariabilityinrangecattlewaterqualityandprecipitationintheNorthernGreatPlainsover10years

MarkKPetersen1,JenniferMMuscha2,KurtReinhart3

1USDA-ARSFortKeoghLivestockandRangeResearchLaboratory,2USDA-ARSFortKeoghLARRL,3USDA-ARSFortKeogh

Insemi-aridtoaridenvironments,livestockwaterisahighlyvaluednecessaryinputthatisscarceandutilizedwhenqualitymaycompromiseanimalwell-beingandproductivity.Knowledgeofthebreadthinmineralsolutecontentfromyeartoyearandfactorsthataltersolutecontentwouldbevaluabletomanagerstoavoidforcedcattleuseofhighsolutepoor-qualitywater.In2015,Petersenet.al.reportedvariabilityoftheconcentrationsofninedissolvedmineralsover5-yearsinstockwater.Thatreportshowedwaterqualityishighlyvariablewithinandbetweenyears,sourcesandlocations,withnoindicationastothecauseofinconsistency.Anassociationbetweenthepatternofprecipitationandwatersoluteconcentrationwashypothesizedascontributingtowaterqualityvariability.Theobjectiveofthisstudywastodeterminetherelationshipbetweenrelativeprecipitationpatternsasabove,beloworintermediateintheprevious1,3,6and12monthsandmineralsoluteconcentrationsfoundinfoursources(pumpedgroundwater,catchmentreservoir,springsandsurfaceflowingwater),inthreegeographicallocations(North,Southeast,andSouthwest)atthe22,500haUSDA-ARSFortKeoghLivestockandRangeResearchLaboratorylocatednearMilesCity,MT.Upto45watersampleswerecollectedforanalysistwiceyearlytodeterminemineralcontentinthegreatestprecipitationmonths(MayorJune)andinalowerprecipitationmonth(September)from2009-2018.SampleswereanalyzedforconcentrationsofNa,Ca,Mg,pH,NO3N,SO4,TDS,Fe,Mn,Cl,andFl(MidwestLaboratories,Omaha,NE).Datawereanalyzedasacompletelyrandomized4×10×3×4×2factorialarrangementoftreatments(precipitationpattern,year,location,sourceandseason)usingtheMIXEDprocedureofSAS(SASInstitute,Cary,NC)withlocation×watersource×year×seasonastheexperimentalunit.

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SignificancewasdeterminedatP≤0.05.Precipitationclassesormeasurementintervaldidnotaffectconcentrationsofchloride,fluoride,manganese,ornitrate.Precipitation6and1monthpriortosamplinginteractedwithsourcestoaffectCaandMgconcentrations.GroundandreservoirwaterhadlowerconcentrationsofCaandMgthanspringandsurfaceflowingwater,regardlessofprecipitationamount.Precipitation12,6,and1monthpriortosamplinginteractedwithsourcestoaffectNa,SO4,andTDS.TDSlevelswerehigheringroundwaterthanspringandreservoirwaterregardlessofprecipitationyear.SurfaceflowingwaterhadintermediateTDSlevels,dependentonprecipitationyear.Ingeneral,areaNorthofYellowstoneRiverhaslowerlevelsofNaandTDS.Applicationoftheseresultsbymangerstoassesswaterqualityhazardsforrangelivestockwillrequireknowledgeoftheinteractionsofsoluteconcentrationsinstockwatersourceswithprecipitationfrequencytoroughlyforecastthepotentialofreducedanimalproductivityorinthecaseofsulfurintoxicationpossiblysuddendeath.Becauseinstancesoflowwaterqualityaredifficulttopredict,waterqualityshouldbemonitoredpriortolivestockaccessinsemi-aridoraridenvironments.Managerscanthendetectstockwaterwithunacceptableconcentrationsofdissolvedsolutesandimplementpracticesintendedtoavoidand/orminimizeconsumptionofit.

StrategicallyimplementingMontana’snonpointsourcemanagementplan

RobertRay1,HannahRiedl1

1MTDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality

Montanaisthe4thlargeststateandhasthelowestpopulationpersquaremileinthecontiguousnation.Withalimitedtaxbaseandfundingtoaddressnonpointsource(NPS)pollution,theNPSprogramrecentlyimplementedathree-tieredsystemtomoreeffectivelyapplyresourcesanddemonstratesuccess.ThetieringtailorsNPStechnicalandfinancialassistancetotheneedsandcapacityofindividualwatersheds.Thispresentationwilldiscussthestrategyandprovideanupdateonitsimplementationoverthepastyear.

Thetaleoftwoaquifers:astudyinaquifersustainability

JonCReiten1


TheFoxHills-HellCreekaquiferandglacialburiedvalleyaquifersareimportantsourcesformunicipal,domestic,stock,andirrigationwatersuppliesineasternMontana.TheFoxHills-HellCreeksandstoneformsaregionalaquiferunderlyingabout1/3ofthestate.TherecentlydiscoveredWestCraneaquiferunderliesslopesaboveandwestoftheYellowstoneRiverinRichlandCounty.Thisaquiferiswithina1-1.5miwideburiedvalleyextendingfromFoxCreektoBurnsCreek.Aquifersustainabilityreferstowaterlevelsthatallowlong-termwateravailabilitytowellscompletedinanaquifer.Long-termhydrographsfrommonitoringwellsshowcontrastingconditionsintheseaquifers.Water-leveltrendsdemonstrateaquifersustainability.HydrographsfromFoxHills-HellCreekaquiferwellsintheSidneyareadisplaydecliningtrendsrangingfrom0.3to4ft/yrforthepast30-40yr.Incontrast,hydrographsfromwellsintheWestCraneaquiferfluctuateinresponsetorechargeeventsandwateruse.TheFoxHills-HellCreekaquiferisbeingdepletedineasternMontanaandwesternNorthDakotabecausethedischargeisgreaterthantherecharge.Atmanylocations,wellsthatflowedwhenconstructednolongerflow.FundingthroughtheDNRCReclamationDevelopGrantProgramhasbeenapprovedtoaddressuncontrolledflows

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thatcontributetotheproblem.Atthecurrentdischargerate,theaquiferisnotasustainableresource.TheWestCraneaquiferisanewresourcedevelopedbylocalproducerstoirrigatelandpreviouslyusedaspastureorfordrylandcrops.Since2011,waterusehasexpandedto12centerpivotsystems.AnongoingGroundwaterInvestigationProgram(GWIP)projectprovidesdataenhancingourunderstandingoftheaquiferhydrogeology.Initialwater-leveltrendsindicateseasonaldrawdowndirectlyassociatedwithirrigationpumpingfollowedbywater-levelrecoveryuntilthenextirrigationseason.Water-levelmonitoringandwater-usemonitoringarecriticalelementsofmanagingthisresource.DatacollectedthroughGWIPwillserveasastartingpointfordevelopingandmanagingthisrenewableresourceasasustainablewatersupplyforirrigation.

Waterdistributionfootsoldiers:whatwatercommissionerscandoforyou

MikeJRoberts1

1DNRC

Annualwatershortages,highdemandsonwater,andsubsequentconflictsamongstwaterusershasledtotheneedonmanystreamsinMontanaforqualifiedandobjectivethird-partyindividualstomeasureanddistributewaterlegallyandaccurately.Thesefolks,DistrictCourtappointedwatercommissionersondecreedstreams,arethefrontlinesofwaterdistributioninMontana.Whoexactlyaretheseintrepidmenandwomen,howaretheytrained,andwhatgivesthemtheauthoritytodeliverprivatelyheldwaterrights?Moreimportantly,candatacollectedfromthesedistributionsbeusefultowaterresourcepractitionersconductingwaterright,instreamflow,andhydrologicinvestigations?Asthenumberofenforceabledecreesincreases,andearlyandlateseasonwatershortagesbecomemoreunpredictable,anunderstandingoftheroleofwatercommissionersbecomesevenmoreimportanttowatermanagementinmanybasinsinMontana.

AssessingtheincreaseofnitrateandchlorideingroundwateratMeadowVillage,BigSky,MT

JamesRose1


TheresortcommunityofBigSkyisconcentratedintheWestForkoftheGallatinRiverWatershed.ThewatershedisdrainedbytheNorthFork,MiddleFork,andSouthForkoftheWestFork.TheWestForkandmainstemoftheGallatinRiveraredesignatedBlue-Ribbontroutstreams.However,asthelocalpopulationgrows,nitrateandchlorideconcentrations,indicatorsofsewageeffluent,areincreasinglydetectedinsurfacewaterandgroundwatersamples.Althoughconcentrationsdonotexceeddrinkingwaterstandards,dataindicatedetrimentalchangestotheriverenvironment.

In2007TheGallatinRiverTaskForceobservedalgaeintheMiddleForkdownstreamofMeadowVillageandtheMeadowVillageGolfCourse.Thegolfcoursewasirrigatedwithtreatedsewageeffluentfromthelocalwatertreatmentplant.In2014algaebegantoappearintheSouthForknearMeadowVillage.In2018therewasanunprecedentedalgaebloomthatextendedfromtheMeadowVillagearea,intothemainstemoftheGallatinRiverandcontinuedforseveralmilesdownstream.Thealgaegrowthwasattributedtonutrientloadingfromanunknownsource.

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Surfacewaterandgroundwatersamplingin2014and2015throughoutBigSkybytheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,andtheGallatinWaterQualityDistrictshowedthehighestconcentrationsofnitrateandchloridewereassociatedwiththeMeadowVillageAquifer.Elevatednitrateandchloridevaluesalsooccurredupgradientandoutsideofthegolfcoursearea.ThreespringsflowingfromtheaquiferintotheSouthFork,andtwowellsupgradientfromthegolfcourseshowedthehighestnitrateorchlorideconcentrationssampledatBigSky.ThealgalbloomsappearwherethethreespringsdischargeintotheSouthFork.

Since1970nitrateconcentrationsingroundwateratMeadowVillagehaveshownamodestincreaserangingfromanaverage0.5mg/lto2.0mg/L.However,concentrationsofchloridehaveincreased10-foldingroundwater(2.1mg/lto27.6mg/L)andinsurfacewatersamples(1.5mg/Lto12.7mg/L).Thepresenceofchloridesuggestsamorewidespreadimpactthanthenitrateresultsalone.

ConditionsatBigSkysuggesttheprimarysourceofelevatedchlorideandnitrateinwaterisfromsepticandsewageeffluent.Theconcentrationofchlorideandnitrateingroundwaterandsurfacewaterappeartoincreaseproportionaltotheamountofdevelopmentthathasoccurred.

Salineseeps:howland-usemanagementconnectstoboththeirdevelopmentANDreclamation

TeraORyan1,ScottBrown2

1MontanaSalinityControlAssociation,2MontanaSalinityControlAssociation

AmongtheconditionsrequiredforthedevelopmentofdrylandsalineseepsinMontana,surfacelandusemanagementistheonlyonesusceptibletotheinfluenceofasingleperson.Nobodycanchangewhereinlandseasformedmillionsofyearsago–developingintothebedrockthatistheprimarysourceofsaltsinsalineseeps.Norcanonepersonaloneaffecthowmuchrainwillfalleachsummer.Althoughonecouldarguethatclimatechangecontributestoprecipitationtiming,locationandquantity,thatprocessismoreofaglobalcommunityeffort,whilethispresentationfocusesontheactionsofanindividual.Asingleagriculturalproducercanchangetheirlandusemanagementpracticesandhaveameasurableresultonasalineseep-eitherinitsdevelopmentandexpansion,orinitsreductionandeventualreclamation.Thispresentationwillexplainhowsalineseepsdevelopasaresultofeithernaturallyoccurringconditions,orthroughanthropogenicinfluences.Reclamationmethodsofthelatterwillbedescribed,withexamplesofbothcommonanduniquesitesinMontana.

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DenitrificationpatternsacrossadrylandagroecosystemintheNorthernGreatPlains

W.AdamSigler1,StephanieAEwing2,ScottDWankel3,ClainAJones2,SamJLeuthold4,JackBrookshire2,RobertAPayn2

1MontanaStateUniversity,2LandResources&EnvironmentalSciences,MontanaStateUniversity,3DepartmentofMarineChemistryandGeochemistry,WoodsHoleOceanographicInstitution,4PlantandSoilSciences,UniversityofKentucky

Nitrogenlossfromcultivatedsoilsthreatenstheeconomicandenvironmentalsustainabilityofagriculture.Nitrateaccumulatedfromfertilizationormineralization/nitrificationofsoilorganicmatter(SOM)maybelostfromsoilstodenitrification,producingthegreenhousegasN2O.Nitrateaccumulatedinsoilsandnottakenupbycropsisalsosubjecttoleachingloss,whichcandegradewaterqualityandissubjecttodenitrificationdownstream.Hereweusepatternsintheisotopiccompositionsofnitrateandwatertocharacterizetheinfluenceofnitrogenlosstodenitrificationwithinsoils,groundwater,andstreams(processdomains)ofanon-irrigatedagroecosysteminthenorthernGreatPlains.Withinarelativelysimpleconceptualframeworkofwateranddissolvedorganiccarbon(DOC)availability,theisotopiccharacterofnitrateshowsaremarkablyclearinfluenceofdenitrificationacrossprocessdomains,expressedaspositivecorrelationbetweenδ15Nandδ18Oinnitrate.Theapparentδ15Nfractionationfactor(ε)withdecreasingnitrateconcentration–interpretedasfurtherevidenceofdenitrification-islowestinsoils,whereitmaybesuppressedbyheterogeneouswaterandcarbondistributioninthesoilenvironmentaswellasbyinmixingofnitratefromfertilizationandmineralization/nitrificationofSOMin-situ.Evenso,acleardenitrificationsignalwasobservedduringfallow(nocropgrowing)periodsinsoilswitharchitecturecharacterizedbythickerfinetexturedsurfacehorizons.Theclearestdenitrificationsignalsandlargestεoccurredatripariansiteswheresaturationlimitsoxygensupply,DOCisabundant,andin-situnitratesourcesareminimalcomparedtoinputsfromincominggroundwater.Thisstudyrevealshowsoilwatercontentandgroundwaterrecharge,affectedbycroprotation,influencelandscapescalepatternsofdenitrification.UnderstandingthesecontrolsonpatternsindenitrificationwillbecriticalformanagingtheroleofagriculturalecosystemsintheglobalNcycleandtheclimatesystem.

Usingdielandseasonalvariationindissolvedmetabolitesandconservativetracerstoexploretheinfluenceofnutrientloadingonstreamecosystemfunction

MerylBStorb1,RobertAPayn1,JulianaD’andrilli1


Measurementsofstreamnutrientconcentrationssampledexclusivelyduringdaylighthoursprovidealimitedperspectiveonpotentialvariationindailycyclesofaquaticecosystemfunction.Likewise,daytimesamplingbiasmaymaskthecontributionsofnighttimeperiodsofchronicloading,duetothepotentialforlowerdaytimenutrientconcentrationsduringperiodsofhigherdemandbyprimaryproduction.OurobjectiveistodeterminehowchronicanthropogenicNloadinginfluencesdielvariationinnutrientdemandwithinanalpinestreamecosystem.OurapproachevaluatesthemetabolicregimeoftwostreamreacheswithcontrastingNloads,overanalgalgrowingseason,bymeasuringdielvariationinconcentrationsofinorganicdissolvedmetabolites,conservativetracersandcontinuouswhole-streammetabolismestimates.ThestudyareaistheWestForkoftheGallatinRiverwatershed,encompassingtheBigSkyresortarea(southwestMontana),whichislikelytoexhibitchangesinstreammetaboliccharactercausedbyclimate

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changeandextensivelandusechangeanddevelopment.Inthisstudyarea,streamecosystemsarecommonlynutrientlimitedundernaturalconditions.Therefore,developmentandlandusechangeinrecentdecadesallowscomparisonbetweentwosimilarstreamreacheswithcontrastinghistoriesofNloadingandlimitationduetotheapplicationoftreatedwastewaterasgolfcourseirrigationbetweenthetworeaches.TemporalvariationinnitrateconcentrationsdemonstratelargerdielamplitudesinthedownstreamreachthatissubjecttohigherNloading.Whencombinedwithdielpatternsinconservativetraceranddissolvedoxygenconcentrations,dielvariationinnitrateconcentrationsprovideevidenceofhowchronicnutrientloadsappeartoinfluencenutrientdemandviaalterationofthestreammetabolicregime.Continuedexaminationofdielandseasonalcyclesinmetabolicbehaviorandinorganicnutrientconcentrationsinthissettingwillprovidemoredetailedinsightintothemechanismsbywhichstreammetabolicregimesareinfluencedbyanthropogenicnutrientloading.Likewise,dielvariationinnutrientconcentrationshaveimplicationsforwaterqualitymanagementdecisionsthatareoftenoverlookedbyconventionalregulatorysamplingpractices(i.e.TMDLdevelopment).

GallatinCountyInteractiveWaterQualityMapperDemo

ChristineMSundnas1,GallatinCountyGisDepartment1

1GallatinLocalWaterQualityDistrict

TheGallatinLocalWaterQualityDistrict(GLWQD)inpartnershipwiththeGallatinCountyGISDepartmenthaslaunchedanonlineinteractivemapperwherecitizenscanviewwaterinformation.ThismapwasdevelopedbytheGallatinCountyGISDepartmentandshowsthousandsofwaterqualityresults.Italsoshowsthelocationsoflong-termmonitoringwells,controlledgroundwaterareas,groundwaterequipotentialcontours,geology,andmore.Thismapisagreatresourceforcitizensorprofessionalslookingforwaterrelatedinformationintheirareaofinterest.Thispresentationwilldiscusshistoryofthemapper,datasources,mapperlimitations,use,andfutureupgrades.

GroundwaterintheNortheasternHelenaValley,Lewis&ClarkCounty,Montana

JamesSwierc1

1Lewis&ClarkWaterQualityProtectionDistrict

Localresidentshavelongexpressedconcernsoverthelong-termavailabilityandsustainabilityofgroundwaterresourcesinthenorthernpartoftheHelenaValley,theNorthHills.Thishasresultedintheestablishmentoftwotemporarycontrolledgroundwaterareas,andtwostudiespublishedbytheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology(MBMG)in2006and2012.Thesestudiesfocusedonareaswiththemostdevelopment,centeredinthewesternpartorthearea.Recentsuburbangrowthanddevelopmentintheeasternpartofareahasresultedinadditionalconcernsovergroundwaterresources.Inresponsetothecitizenconcerns,duringFall2018,theLewis&ClarkWaterQualityProtectionDistrict(LCWQPD)implementedagroundwaterlevelmonitoringprogram,coupledwithwaterqualityandwaterisotopesamplingfromselectedwells.

Thispresentationwillpresentrecentandhistoricdataresultsanddiscussconstraintstotheconceptualhydrologicmodelofgroundwaterresourcesinthearea.Areviewofwelllogsshowsthatthelocalaquiferisdominatedbyclay-richlayers,withlocalcoarse-grainedseamsprovidinglocal

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yields.Argillitebedrockispresentalongthewesternpartofthearea,andbeneaththeclay-richlayerswithinthestudyarea.Amajorfaultispresentalongthenorthernpartofthearea,withbedrockexposedatthesurfacenorthofthefault.Majorionwaterqualitydatafortheareawillbepresented,showinglocaldifferencesinmajorioncompositionrelatedtorechargemechanismsandlocalaquifergeology.Waterisotopedatawillbepresentedasconstraintstolocalrecharge.Finally,waterlevelhydrographsfromthe2018-2019forselectwellswillbereviewedandcomparedwithdataforthesamewellsfromtheprevious2006and2012MBMGstudies.

Preliminarydataresultssuggestthatthedepthtoavailablegroundwaterincreasestothenorthandnortheastinthearea,especiallyintheareanorthoftheHelenaValleyfault.Yieldsfromwellsinstalledintotheclay-richlayersgenerallyhavelimitedyields,whilewellsinstalledintobedrockshowmoreconsistentyields.AreviewofreportedstaticwaterlevelsfromwellsinMBMG-GWICdatabasesuggeststhatthegroundwaterdivideinthenorthernpartofthestudyareaislocatedsouthofthesurfacedrainagedivide,reflectingthecomplexityofgroundwatermovementinthearea.

TheNationalDrinkingWaterAdvisoryCouncil

JeffreyTiberi1

1EPA’sNationalDrinkingWaterAdvisoryCouncil

IwasrecentlyappointedtothispositionandwouldliketohearfromyourgroupwhattheyseeasthemostimportantdrinkingwaterissuesinMontana.

HydraulicandhydrologiccharacteristicsandresultingfishpassageattheHuntleyDiversionDamNature-likeFishBypass

HaleyNTupen1


Nature-likefishbypassesutilizelowchannelslopesanddiversevelocitiestoprovidepassagetoawidevarietyoffishspecies.Thenature-likefishwayattheHuntleyDiversionDamnearBillings,Montanawasconstructedinthe1990s,butwassuspectedtobeimpassableduetohighwatervelocitiesandasteepbedslope.Thisstructurewasreconfiguredin2015,butitsefficacyhasnotyetbeenevaluated.Furthermore,nomajorstudieshaveyetbeenperformedtoevaluatetheefficacyofnature-likefishwaysfornon-salmonidfishintheUnitedStates.ThisstudywillcharacterizethehydraulicandhydrologiccharacteristicsthroughoutthisfishwayanddetermineifthestructureispassablebyavarietyofYellowstoneRiverspecies,includingburbot(Lotalota),sauger(Sandercanadensis),andchannelcatfish(Ictaluruspunctatus).Flowrateswithinthebypassweredeterminedusingbothdirectandindirectmeans,includingtheUSGSMidsectionMethod,theSlope-AreaMethod,andtheFloatMethod.Waterstagemeasurementsweremeasuredon-siteusingsurveyequipmentandtemporarystaffgages.U20LOnsetHOBOdataloggerswereinstalledatmultiplepointsthroughoutthebypasstodeterminewaterlevels,temperatures,andpressuresrelativetoabarometricgage.TopographicdataofthesitewascollectedusingaTrimbleGPS,andthisdatawillbeusedtogenerate1,2,and3-Dmodelsofthechannel.Modelresultswillbecomparedwithspecies-specificswimmingcapabilitiesfromliterature,andattractionflowatthe

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bypass-riverconfluencewillbeevaluated.Preliminaryresultsofthehydraulicmodelsandcomparisontospecies-specificswimmingcapabilitieswillbepresented.

NumericalgroundwaterflowmodeloftheKalispellValley,Kalispell,Montana

WillisDWeight1

1WDWWritingConsulting&PlanningINC

Anapplicationwaspreparedforaproposedproductionwellthatwouldbeusedforawater-bottlingplantinKalispellMontanawasgiventhestatusofpreliminarydeterminationtograntinJanuary2016.Thisprovidedtheopportunityforconcernedpartiestoobject.WaterForFlatheadsFuture(WFFF)wasanobjectortotheproposedprojectbaseduponthewell’spotentialimpactstotheShallowaquiferandconnectionswithsurface-waterrights.ThedisputewaswhethertheproductionwellwascompletedintheDeepKalispellaquifer,orstratigraphicallysomewhereelse.

TheMBMGhasbeendoingextensiveresearchintheareaincludingdrillingandpreparingageologicmodel.TheyhaveidentifiedaShallowaquifer,ConfiningUnit,anaeriallylimitedintermediateaquifer,anUpperDeepaquifer,andDeepaquifer.MyworkshowstheproductionwelltobelocatedwithintheupperpartoftheUpperDeepaquifer.

Twogeologicmodelswerecreatedduringtheconstructionofthenumericalgroundwaterflowmodel:1)amulti-layeredmodel(MLM),of20orsolayers;and2)asimplifiedLayerModel(SLM),consistingof8-layers.Over1000cross-sectionswereinterpretedfrommorethan220GWICwelllogs.TheMLMcouldnotbeconvertedintoanumericalmodelatthistime,asitpushedthelimitsoftheGMS10.2software;however,theSLMwassuccessfullyconvertedintoanumericalgroundwaterflowmodel,thatappearstocapturethegroundwaterflowsystemandservesasausefultool.ThispresentationwillarticulatetheconceptualandnumericalmodelandprovideexamplesofapplicationsshowingimpactstotheShallowaquiferandconnectionswiththesurface-watersystem.ThiswillbeofinteresttoanyoneworkingintheKalispellarea.

ValidationoftheSMAPLevel4CarbonProductusingacontinuouscropconditionsurveyindex

PatrickMWurster1,SantiagoBeguerIa2,JohnSKimball1,ColinBrust3,MarcoManeta3

1UniversityofMontana,2EstaciónExperimentaldeAulaDei–ConsejoSuperiordeInvestigacionesCientíficas,3UniveristyofMontana

Grossprimaryproduction(GPP)isausefulmetricforunderstandingthecouplingbetweencarbonandwatercycles,andalsomass/energytransfersbetweenthelandsurfaceandatmosphere.Further,accurateestimatesofcroplandGPPcanbeintegratedintocropproductionmodels,thushavingimplicationstoimprovingfarmmanagementpracticesandfoodsecurity.Satellite-basedmodelshavebeendevelopedtomonitortheGPPofseveralplantfunctiontypes(PFT).However,validationofthesemodelshasbeengenerallylimitedtoareaswhereCO2eddyfluxmeasurementtowersarepresent.Here,wevalidatedoperationalGPPestimatesprovidedbytheNASASoilMoistureActivePassive(SMAP)missionLevel4Carbon(L4C)Productusingacropconditionsurveyindex(CCSI)forcerealandbroadleafPFTsintheconterminousUnitedStatesatthestatescale.TheL4CdailyGPPrecordisderivedgloballyusingalightuseefficiency(LUE)modeldriven

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byMODIS(ModerateResolutionImagingSpectroradiometer)vegetationandSMAPderivedrootzonesoilmoistureobservations,andalsodailysurfacemeteorologyinputs(i.e.,solarradiation,vaporpressuredeficit,temperature)fromtheNASAGMAOforwardprocessing(FP)system.TheCCSIisacontinuousrepresentationofweeklycropconditionsurveysconductedatthefieldscalebyfarmersandprovidedbytheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture(USDA)NationalAgriculturalStatisticsService(NASS).TheadvantagesofusingtheCCSItovalidatetheL4Carethetwodatasetsareindependent,andtheCCSIisavailableatahightemporalresolution(weekly).CerealPFTswererepresentedbybarley,springwheatandwinterwheat,andbroadleafPFTswererepresentedbycorn,cotton,andsoybeans.WefoundarelativelystrongcorrelationbetweentheCCSIandL4CinstateswithhighproductionandyieldsoftheselectedPFTs.WealsofoundthatthecorrelationbetweentheCCSIandL4Cimprovesasthephenologyprogresses,withthehighestcorrelationsbeingobservedinthematurestage(e.g.,r2:0.67forcorninKansas).However,lowercorrelationswereobservedforearlierphenologicalstages(e.g.,r2:0.44forsilkingcorninKansas).ThisworkhighlightsthepotentialforidentifyingtheadventofcropstressingeventsbasedondailyGPPvaluesfromoperationalsatellitedrivenmodels.

Pesticidesingroundwaterimpactbacterialgrowthandbiofilmformation

KatherineRZodrow1,AllisonKelly1,EmilyVincent1,AlexisIcenogle1,BrianSt.Clair1

1MontanaTechnologicalUniversity

Inruralagriculturalareas,pesticidesandfertilizerscancontaminateshallowgroundwater,negativelyimpactinghumanhealth.Tonegatethesehumanhealthimpacts,smallpoint-of-usereverseosmosis(RO)systemsmaybeinstalledinthehome.However,littleisknownabouttheinfluenceofpesticidesandfertilizersonROmembranebiofouling,whichisthemaincauseofmembraneandsystemreplacement.ToexploretheinfluenceofpesticidesonRObiofouling,wechosethreepesticidesfoundpreviouslyinthegroundwateroftheJudithRiverBasininMontana—triasulfuron,chlorosulfuron,andmetsulfuronmethyl.BacterialgrowthandbiofilmformationofthemodelorganismEscherichiacoli(E.coli)andtheROmembranebiofilm-initiatingspeciesSphingomonaswittichii(S.wittichii)wereobservedinasolutionwitheachpesticide.Whilebacteriainahighnutrientmedia(TrypticSoyBroth)showednochangesingrowthinthepresenceofthepesticides,growthwasincreasedwhenpesticideswereaddedtominimalM9media,indicatingthatthebacteriawillfeedonthepesticidewhenother,moreattractive,foodsourcesarenotavailable.Likewise,someincreasesinbacterialgrowthwereobservedinthepresenceofnitrate(fertilizer).However,biofilmformationunderstagnantconditionsdidnotchangesignificantlyinthepresenceofeitherpesticidesorfertilizers.Regardless,higherbacterialoadinthefeedwaterofROsystemsmayleadtoincreasedmembranebiofouling,increasingthecostofthesesystemsandtheirefficiency.

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POSTERPRESENTATIONABSTRACTS

(listedinalphabeticalorderbyfirstauthor’slastname)

TheBeaverProject:naturalwaterstorageandclimateadaptationinBlackfeetNation

KendraAllen11BSWC/CenterforLargeLandscapeConservation&BlackfeetFish&WildlifeDepartment

IncreasingnaturalwaterstorageandriparianhabitathasbeenprioritizedintheBlackfeetNationClimateAdaptationPlanningprocessasawaytobuildresiliencetotheimpactsofclimatechange.

InJuly2019,theBlackfeetCommunityCollegeNativeScienceFieldCenterandMontanaConservationCorpsPiikaniLandsCrewparticipatedwiththeKsikStakiior“Beaver”Projecttoengageinhands-onfieldexperiencefocusedonhighlightingconnectionsbetweenbeaver,naturalwaterstorage,andclimatechangepreparedness.Toprotectwaterandriparianareasinawarming,dryingclimate,studentsandlocalcommunitymembersworkedwithnaturalresourceexpertstobuildtwelve,semi-permeablemimicdams(calledbeaverdamanalogsorBDAs)inaprocessthatmimicsbeaverdam-buildingbehavior.Madeofwillow,sod,pine,androcks,thedamswillslowwaterflowovertimeandincreasenaturalwaterstoragetoencouragemorewaterreleaseinlatesummerwhenstreamlevelsarelow.Thedamswillalsoencourageriparianvegetationgrowthonalocalhome-ownersland,wheretheywereconstructed.

KsikStakiiisthewordforbeaverinthePiikanilanguage.MuchoftheKsikStakiiProjectisfocusedoncollectivelyexploringinnovativeadaptationtechniquesandsupportingconversationsaboutthecriticalrolesofbeaverandwaterprotectioninawarmingclimate.TheKsikStakiiProjectisacollaborativeeffortbetweentheBlackfeetCommunityCollege,BlackfeetFishandWildlifeDepartment,BlackfeetEnvironmentalOffice,BlackfeetAgricultureResourceManagementPlanningTeam,andtheCenterforLargeLandscapeConservation.Atitscore,theprojectseekstohonorBlackfeetleadershipinprotectingbeaverandtofosterdiscussionsbetweenstudents,elders,naturalresourcemanagers,producers,andcommunitymembersabouttheimportanceofbeavertoBlackfeetwayoflife.

Webelievethisprojectwillbeamodelfortheregionandwilldemonstratethatclimatechangeadaptationcanbeanaffordableandfunactivitythatbringspeopletogether,advancingscienceeducation,environmentalstewardship,andclimateresilience.

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GallatinWatershedCouncil:Preserve&Restore

ZaneAshford11GallatinWatershedCouncil

GallatinWatershedCouncil(GWC)workswithlocalvolunteers,landowners,andcommunitypartnerstobringwaterqualitymonitoring,streamrestoration,andwatershededucationtotheGallatinValleywiththegoalofimprovingwaterqualityforall.ThissummerGWClauncheditsGallatinWatershedStewardsProgram,amissiontoharnessthepowerofcollaborativecommunityactioninordertopreservetheresourcesoftheLowerGallatinWatershed.ThisgrassrootsmovementaimstoinspireeachindividualtobecomeaWatershedStewardbyactivelyengaginginpreservingtheGallatin’swaterresourcesthroughconservationefforts,educationalworkshops,andvolunteerevents.Thissummer,GallatinWatershedStewardsmonitoredwaterqualityandquantityat16sitesacrossthewatershedthroughGallatinStreamTeams,cleanedupoveratonoftrashandinvasiveweedsfromtheGallatinandEastGallatinRivers,andparticipatedinvolunteerplantingeventstoassistrestorationeffortsacrosstheValley.

Inadditiontocommunityengagement,GWCisworkingtowarddelistingimpairedstreamsacrossthewatershedthroughimplementationoftheLowerGallatinWatershedRestorationPlan(LGWRP).Overthepastyear,GWChasassistedinrestoringover2milesofstreamsintheLowerGallatinthroughcollaborativerestorationprojectswithprivatelandowners,nonprofitpartners,andprivateconsultants.GWCteamedupwithTroutUnlimitedandGaiaResourcestoreducesedimentloadingintoDryCreek,astreamthat’sbeenlistedasimpairedforsedimentandnutrientssince1992.This1.83-mileriparianenhancementprojectiscriticalforachievingsedimentandnutrientreductiongoalslistedintheLGWRP.GWCengagedover25volunteersthroughtheGallatinWatershedStewardsprogramtoassistwithwillowplantingandsupporttherevegetationaspectofthisproject,providingthecommunityanopportunitytogetinvolvedinconservationeffortsinthewatershed.OtherrestorationeffortsfocusedontheEastGallatinRiverwithsupportfromtheMontanaWatershedCoordinationCouncilWatershedFund.

GWC’smissionistopreserveandrestorethewaterresourcesoftheLowerGallatinWatershed.Throughcollaborativepartnerships,communityeducation,restorationefforts,andindividualempowerment,GWCbringstogethertheGallatinValley’sdiverseinterestsandworktowardspurposefulusageandstewardshipofahealthyGallatinWatershed,todayandtomorrow.

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UpperGallatinNuisanceAlgaeInvestigation

ValerieRBednarski11BSWC/GallatinRiverTaskForce

TheGallatinRiverTaskForcebegancollectingroutinewaterqualitydataintheUpperGallatinRiverWatershedin2000.Thisdataisusedtoassessandtracklong-termhealthoftheriversystem,planforrestorationprojects,andidentifyandmonitorunforeseenevents.InlateJulyandearlyAugustof2018,anunprecedentedalgaebloomwasobservedanddocumentedatsitesontheSouthFork,WestFork,TaylorFork,andmainstemGallatinRiver.Excessalgaecannegativelyimpactfishandaquaticinsectpopulationsaswellasthequalityofrecreationexperienceontheriver.Factorsthatinfluencealgaegrowthincludenitrogenandphosphorusconcentrations,watertemperature,hardness,pH,watervelocity,andclarity.Althoughtheprimarydriversofthealgaebloomareunknown,TaskForcedatadidprovideinsightintoconditionsthatcouldexplainnuisancealgaegrowthintheWestForkandintheGallatinmainstemdownstreamofitsconfluence.ElevatedlevelsofnitrogenabovethestateMontanastandardsweresomeofthehighesteverdocumentedintheWestForkoftheGallatinRiver(WestFork).Inadditiontoelevatednitrogenconcentrations,averageweeklywatertemperatureduringthelastweekofJulyattheWestForkstreamflowstationwasthehighesteverrecordedsinceinstallingthetemperaturesensorinlate2009.Thisweekalignedwiththebeginningofthe2018algaebloomandsuggeststhatwatertemperature,inadditiontoelevatednitrogen,mayhavebeenanimportantfactorthatcontributedtoincreasedalgaegrowthintheWestForkandtheGallatindownstreamfromtheconfluence.

YouCon-duit!Modelingconduitflowandgeometryusinghigh-resolutiontemperaturemonitoringanddyetracing

JamesBerglund1,LauraToran21MontanaBureauofMines&Geology,2TempleUniversity

Whilesimulatinggroundwaterflowinporousaquiferscanoftenchallenging,thepresenceofvoidswithintherock,suchassolutionally-widenedconduitsinlimestone(karst)orfracturedcrystallinerock,poseadditionalchallengeswhenproducingaccurateinhydrologicalmodels.Conduitsandfracturesdominatelocalflow,yetthereisoftenmuchuncertaintyastotheirgeometry,location,andinterconnectivitywiththesurroundingmatrix.Thesesystemsthereforerequirespecialmodelingconsiderationsandapproachestoappropriatelycharacterizegroundwaterflow.Temperaturemonitoringanddyetracingprovidedabetterunderstandingofconduitgeometryonwatertemperatureandsolutetransport.Thecombinationofanon-reactive(dye)andreactive(temperature)tracerresultedinausefuldualcalibrationapproachforcharacterizingflowwithintheconduit.AmodelwasconstructedusingFEFLOW,afiniteelementflowandtransportcodethatcanincorporatefractursandconduits,alongwithbothmassandheattransport.Thestudysiteisa750-meterlongkarstconduitconnectingasinkingstreamandaspringwithinthe

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foldedValleyandRidgeProvinceofthenorthernAppalachianMountainsincentralPennsylvania.Adyetracebetweenthestreamandspringshowed65%ofthewaterenteringthestreamreachedthespring,whilethespring’sflowwas5-10xgreaterthanthesinkingstream,indicatingadditionalinflowfromthesurroundingrockmatrix.Thetimingandshapeofthebreakthroughcurveprovidedinformationondyelossandrecoverytothesurroundingrockmatrix.Datafromhigh-resolutiontemperatureloggersinstalledinboththestreamandspringindicatedthatasthewatertravelsfromthesinkingstreamtothespringitstemperaturewasbufferedbyreactingwiththesurroundingrock.Agreaterdegreeofbufferingindicatesagreaterdegreeofwaterrockinteraction,whichiscontrolledbythesizeandgeometryoftheconduitalongwithseasonalvariationsinsinkandspringflow.ThetemperatureanddyetracedatawasthencomparedtoseveralhypotheticalconduitgeometryscenariosusingFEFLOW.Varyingconduitgeometriesandflowparametersdeterminedaforkedconduitclosetothesinkmostcloselyresemblingobserveddata.Asensitivityanalysisindicatedthatconduitgeometry,andconduitconductivityexertedthemostcontrolontemperatureanddyetracebreakthroughcurves.Thisapproachprovidesabetterunderstandingonthenatureofconduitflowthroughbothobservationandmodeling.

ChallengestoIntegratingWaterRightsintoaHydroeconomicModelofMontana

AnnaCrockett11UniversityofMontana

Theuncertaintyofclimatechange,manifestinginshiftsinthequantityandtimingofwaterflows,putsstressoncoupledsocial-ecologicalsystems,particularlyinthearidWesternUnitedStates.Alongwithclimate,governanceofwateralsoplaysaroleinthedistributionandtimingofcurrentandfuturewatersupplies.ThereisaneedtolinkclimatechangepredictionswithinformationdetailingthelegalsystemforallocatingwaterinMontanatobetterunderstandfuturewaterallocationchallengesandtosupportcurrentplanningefforts.ThisresearchseekstoaddressthisneedthroughacasestudyanalysisofinstreamflowpoliciesinMontanaaimedatdeterminingthespatialandtemporalstrainoninstreamflowsgivenfutureclimatescenarios.Weexplorewhetherinstreamflowpolicies,eitherintheircurrentormodifiedform,canservetobalancewaterusebetweenagricultureandaquaticspecieshabitatprotectiongivenuncertaintyoffutureavailabilityandtimingofwater.Weapproachthisproblemthroughastreamflowandpolicyanalysis,mainly,throughintegratingdatafromtheMontanaWaterRightsDatabaseintoaspatially-explicithydroeconomicmodelrecentlydevelopedattheUniversityofMontana.ThisposterpresentsthechallengesassociatedwiththeMontanaWaterRightsDatabaseasadatasource,includingthemeaningfulaggregationofwaterrightsdataintoahydroeconomicmodel.Specifically,Iwillhighlight(1)thedifficultiesofworkingwiththedatabaseitself–alarge,complexdatabaseconstantlyinfluxduetostatewideadjudications;(2)theprocessofdetermininghowtocullandrefinethedatatoincludeonlyinformationpertinenttothemodel;and(3)thechallengesassociatedwithtranslatingdatatothemodelitself,suchasdevelopingarelationalstreamnetworkcoupledwithwaterrightsinformation.Integrating

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waterrightsdataintoahydroeconomicmodelwillallowthemodeltorepresentnotonlyphysical,butalsolegalthresholdsofwateravailabilityandproducemoreaccurate,meaningfulresultsofwateravailabilityforstatewideplanningandmanagement.

Occurrenceandremovalofdrugsofabuseinwastewaterprocesses

CullenCunningham1,TammyJones-Lepp2,NicholasRBishop2,MirandaMargetts1,OttoStein1,EllenLauchnor1,DeborahKeil1,JordanSykes11MontanaStateUniversity,2IndependentContractor-MontanaStateUniversity

Theimpactsofwastewaterdischargeonwaterresourceshavelongbeeninvestigated,howeverthereiscurrentlylimitedknowledgeoftheprevalenceandimpactofcertaintraceorganiccontaminantsinwastewater,suchaspharmaceuticals.Thisstudyinvestigatedtheinfluentandeffluentloadings,aswellastheremovalefficiencybytwomechanical,aerobicactivatedsludgetreatmentprocesses.Wastewatersampleswerecollectedweeklyfromthetwocommunitiesovera12-weekperiodandanalyzedforconcentrationof62drugsandmetabolitesusingLiquidChromatography–MassSpectrometryanalysis.Wereporthowspecifictreatmentstepsinfluencedoveralldrugremovalinoneofthewastewatertreatmentplants.Aseriesofgrabsampleswerecollectedfromseverallocationsalongthetreatmentprocesstoevaluatetheimpactofsolidsseparation,biologicaltreatment,andultravioletdisinfection.Abroadrangeoftreatmentefficacieswereobserved,rangingfromnoremovaltocompleteremovalofselectprescriptionandillicitdrugs.Wealsoobservedsubstantialvariabilityinremovalofagivendrugbetweentheplants,thoughthefundamentaldesignofthewastewatertreatmentprocessesissimilar.Thegrabsamplestakenfromtheintermediateprocesslocationsindicatedthatthebiologicalcomponentofwastewatertreatmentisthemostsignificantsourceofremovalforthedrugsofinterest.Futurestudiesinvolvingmorecommunities,particularlythosefeaturingwastewatertreatmentapproachesapartfromactivatedsludgetreatment,willalsoprovidenewinsightintothetreatmentresponseofthesedrugs.Thedetectionofsomedrugsandmetabolitesinthewastewatereffluentofbothplantsindicatesthatthecompoundshavepotentialtoremainrecalcitrantthroughwastewatertreatmentandenterreceivingwaters.Moreresearchisneededtobetterunderstandeffectivedegradationandremovalmechanismsforthesecompounds,aswellastheirimpactonaquaticlifeandecosystems.

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HolisticPlanningandGrazingManagement

MegEDesmond11BlackfeetAgricultureResourceManagementPlan

TheBlackfeetNationAgricultureResourceManagementPlan(ARMP)wasestablishedin2016inresponsetotheAmericanIndianAgricultureResourceManagementActof1993(AIARMA).TheFederallawcalledonTribestodevelopastrategyformanagingtheiragricultureresources.Whencompleted,theUnitedStatesDepartmentsoftheInteriorandAgricultureshallmanageagricultureresourcesconsistentwitheachTribesARMP.TheBlackfeetNationisthefirstTribetodevelopanARMPcompletelyinhouse.WhilemostTribescontractouttheseplans,theBlackfeetNationsawtheopportunitytointegratetraditionalecologicalknowledgeandcommunityprioritiesintoabindingpolicy.Usingholisticplanningmethodologies,theBlackfeetARMPhasaddressedtheexpansivereachofagriculture,acknowledgingthesystemasawhole.ThemissionstatementoftheARMPdeterminesthat“By2028,weenvisiontheBlackfeetNationfullyengaged,informed,andactivelyinvolvedinthedevelopmentofholisticagricultureresourcemanagementfortheeconomy,theenvironment,andthehealthofthepeople,land,flora,fauna,andwater.Together,wewillworktoembraceournaturallaws,values,andrelationshipsbasedonrespect,trust,andhealing.TheARMPwillprovideameansforestablishingreciprocalpartnershipsamongproducers,businesses,andlandownerstoincreaseinternationalaccessandavailabilityofqualityBlackfeetagricultureproducts.OurBlackfeetyouthwillhavementoringopportunitiestolearnfromelders,producers,andleaderstocontributetheirvoicetoaqualityBlackfeetwayoflife.”CompletingtheARMPsetanewprecedentforTribalNations.Bymakingplansinhouse,collaboratingwithcommunitymembers,usinghighqualitydata,recognizingbothtraditionalandmodernlanduseandlivelihoods,engagingindiversereciprocalpartnerships,ensuringadequateimplementationalabilities,andunderstandingthedynamicnatureofacomprehensiveplan,theBlackfeetNationhasnotonlycreatedapracticaltoolforagriculturalmanagement,butdevelopedatranslationalmethodologyforholisticplanning.ThisrevolutionarymindsethasconnecteddisparatecomponentsofconservationeffortsandunitedtheBlackfeetNationinadesiretoimplementthisprogressivestrategy.DuetotheauthorityderivedfromAIARMA,theBlackfeetNationhastheopportunitytousetheARMPtodrivechangesingrazinghabitsbyutilizingfreemarketincentivestoinfluencechangesingrazingmanagement.Weareworkingtowardsutilizingsoilhealthasathresholdfordeterminingandappraisinglandvaluethatwillencourageproducerstoprioritizeregenerativegrazingpractices,upholdingthehealthoftheecosystemaswellasincreasingthevalueoftheirproducts,therebygrantingthemaccesstonichemarkets.BlackfeetproducersthatengageinconservationmanagementwillhavepriorityaccesstoourproposedBeef/BisonProcessingFacilityanditshigh-qualitymarket.Adjustingstockingratesandincorporatingecosystemhealthintolandappraisalandvaluationprocesseswillprovideopportunitytointegrateclimateadaptationobjectivesintothelanguageofgrazingmanagement.TheARMPteam’sinventivegrazingmanagementstrategiesareatangibleexampleofholisticplanning.Newpracticeswouldseethecollisionofeconomicgrowth,climateadaptation,marketspecialization,humanhealth,policyimprovement,andsoilhealth.

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ConfigurationofStreamProAcousticDopplerCurrentProfiler(ACDP)tomeasurestreamflowinMontana’sriversforawiderangeofconditions.

StuartEllsworth1,TannerTraxler11RESPEC

RESPEC’smonitoringgrouproutinelymeasuresstreamflowtosupportwatershedmonitoringandrestorationprojects,whichrequireflowmeasurementsbetakenforarangeofstreamsizesandconditions.Thetraditionalsingle-pointarea/velocitymethodofmeasuringstreamflowusingawadingstaffandpressuresensor(e.g.MarshMcBirney)atdiscreteintervalsinthechannelisseverelylimitedbytheconditionsoftenencounteredbyourfieldteams,particularlyduringpeakrunoffonlargeriversystems.Thishasresultedinmissedmeasurementsinquarterlymonitoringeventswhensafetyconsiderationsdonotallowforwadingthechannel.Toaddressthislimitation,ourmonitoringgrouphasemployedtheuseofTeledyneRDInstruments’StreamProAcousticDopplerCurrentProfiler(ACDP)tomeasurestreamvelocityandchanneldimensionsmoresafelyandefficiently,alongwiththeaccompanyingWinRiversoftwarepackagetoprocessthesemeasurementsinreal-time.

TheADCPusesDopplerradartechnologytotakeinstantaneousmeasurementsofvelocityanddepthinthechanneldirectlybeneaththeinstrument;a“boat”isusedtofloattheinstrumentasslowly/steadilyaspossibletoachievethemostaccuratemeasurementsacrosschanneltransect.Thedataistransmittedtoafieldlaptop/tabletusingaBluetoothsignal,andthechannelvelocity/dimensionmeasurementsaregraphicallydisplayedinreal-timewiththeWinRiversoftwarepackage.Aminimumofthreetransectswithameasurementprecisionof>5%arerequiredtocalculatestreamflow.Transectsaretypicallycompleteinamatterofminutesallowingformultiplereplicatesandimprovedmeasurementprecisioncomparedtotraditionalmethods;and,theStreamProADCPcanbeconfiguredtoaccommodatedepthsrangingfrom0.1to6meters.

Thishasallowedourteamtosafelymeasurestreamflowinlargeriversystems(e.g.ClarkFork,Madison,andGallatinrivers)duringspringmeltandpeakrunoffconditionsfrombridges,whenthepresenceoficeandhigh,turbulentflowsdonotallowforsafeaccesstothechannels,aswellasduringlowflowconditionsinsmallerheadwaterstreams(SilverBowCreek,BlacktailCreek,Mill-WillowCreek,andJackCreek)wherethepresenceofalgaeandshallowwaterlimittheuseoftraditionalmeasurementtools.OurteambeganusingtheStreamProADCPduringthe2018summerfieldseason,whichallowedforcalibrationoftheinstrumenttobetterhandlesummerlowflowconditions.InitialsiteslocationswerepairedwithUSGSstreamgaugelocationstoverifyinstrumentaccuracy.Atungaugedlocations,measurementswerealsotakenusingtraditionalmethodsforcomparison.Withtheadventofthe2019fieldseason,theinstrument’sconfigurationwasmodified(usingweightsandalargerboat)toaccommodatethehigh,turbulentflowsthatcharacterizepeakrunoffonMontana’slargerivers.StreamProADCPdatacomparisonstotraditionalmethodsandinstrumentcalibration/modificationtechniquesforarangeofstreamconditionswillbepresented.

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UpperOverwhichCreekFishRemovalProject

GrantFlaming11BSWC/TroutUnlimited/USFSRegion1

IntheheadwatersoftheWestForkoftheBitterrootRiver,astrongholdforgeneticallypureWestslopecutthroattrout,upperOverwhichCreeksupportsapopulationofnon-nativeYellowstonecutthroattrout.Locatedupstreamofahighwaterfall,thissystemwasactuallyfishlessuntilYellowstonecutthroatswerestockedmanyyearsago.Inrecentyears,thesenon-nativetrouthavebeenmovingdownstreamoverthewaterfallandhybridizingwithnativeWestslopecutthroats.MontanaFish,Wildlife,&ParksandBitterrootNationalForestareworkingtogethertoremovethesenon-nativefishfromupperOverwhichCreekbytreatingthestreamwithpiscicide.

Thisinformationalposterwillexploreprojecttimelineandscope,howrotenone(thepiscicide)works,howitisappliedtothestream,theuseofsentinalfish,methodsforpreventingcollateraldamage,andprojectresults.

MappingtheSpreadofLepidiumlatifolium(PerennialPepperweed)andIrispseudacorus(YellowFlagIris)ontheClarkForkandBitterrootRiversinMissoulaCounty

HaleyGamertsfelder11MissoulaCountyWeedDistrict-BigSkyWatershedCorps

HaleyGamertsfelder,BigSkyWatershedCorpsMissoulaCountyWeedDistrictandMontanaBiologicalControlCoordinationProject.AmericanWaterResourcesAssociationPosterAbstractSubmission

MappingtheSpreadofLepidiumlatifolium(PerennialPepperweed)andIrispseudacorus(YellowFlagIris)ontheClarkForkinBitterrootRiversinMissoulaCounty.

TheMissoulaCountyWeedDistrictstartedasatraditionalweeddistrictcommoninMontana.Sprayingacresofrightofwayoffofthemajorroadsandencouraginglandownerstospraytheirstatelistedweeds.AsMissoulagrew,theneedsofthecountychanged.Mindsetsshiftedawayfromspraying,therewasmoreoppositiontoherbicidesbeingusedinthecounty.Forthis,theMissoulaCountyWeedDistrictadoptedmoreholisticapproachestoweedmanagement,focusingtheireffortsonthenewestweedinvadersofthecountyandimplementingtheMontanaBiologicalControlCoordinationProject(MTBC.)Theyincreasededucationandoutreachthroughtheirmultipleschoolprogramsandincreasedlandownerincentivesforcontrollingweedsontheirownproperties,leavingthemanagementdecisionsuptotheprivatelandowner.Inrecentyearstheweeddistricthasstartedonalargefeat,toinventory,mapandtreatthenewinvadercategorynoxiousweedsgrowinginthehighwaterzonesalongtheBitterrootandClarkForksriversinMissoulacounty.

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ThecurrentconcernsaretheshowyYellowFlagIris(Irispseudacorus)andlessconspicuousbutequalpartsheinous,PerennialPepperweed(Lepidiumlatifolium.)Thisprojectisrunbytheweedpreventioncoordinatorandcarriedoutbymultiplestaffmembersandseasonalemployees.Onthemaidenvoyageforthisprojecttheweeddistrictdroppedpointsforeachindividualplantorinfestationtheycameacross.Thenextyeartheyrevisitedthosepointsandtreatedthemwithglyphosate,apopulartestedaquaticherbicide.IntheyearssincetheyhavefloatedequippedwithmapscreatedinArcMapsshowingthepreviousroutestakentomonitorpastinfestationsandtreatthosethatwerestillhealthy.Withnewtechnologytohelpbettertrackthespreadofweeds,weareabletogetaslightholdonthisever-growingproblem,whiletakingintoconsiderationthedynamicsofriverinesystems.Thisisanongoingprojectthatwillbecarefullyexecutedeachyearasthewaronweedsisshapedfurtherbyhumaninteraction,climatechange,andtheunpredictabilityoflife.

DevelopmentandHydraulicsTestingofaModifiedDenilFishway

MeganNGuinn1

1MontanaStateUniversityEco-HydraulicsResearchGroup

Optimizingfishpassagearoundman-madestreambarriers,forexampledamsorsmallirrigationdiversions,isapriorityoftheEcohydraulicsgroupintheMSUDepartmentofCivilEngineering.Onefocusisonsmallerstreamswherewaterflowsarelowandmaketraditionalfishways(sometimescalledfishladders)ineffective.Thegoalofthisresearchprojectwastodesign,fabricate,andtestanewfishway.TheprototypeisamodificationofthetraditionalDenilfishladder.Thenewfishwayissmaller,lighter,andfabricatedfromcommonlyavailablematerials.Asmallfishwayisdesirableinsmallstreamswherethetotalstreamflowmaynotbeenoughtosupportthefishwayflowinadditiontothebarrierfunction.Alighterfishwaywouldbeeasiertoinstallandmaintain.Usingcommonmaterialtoconstructthefishwaywillreducethecost.ThenewfishwaywasdesignedinCAD(SolidworksandFushion360).AprototypewasbuiltusingthedimensionsfromtheCADmodel.Asofthiswritingtheprototypeisundergoinghydraulictestingtoassesswatervelocitiesandwatersurfaceprofiles.Thehydraulicobservationswascontrastedagainstpublishedvaluesfortraditionalfishwaysandcurrentknowledgeoffishswimmingcapabilityandithasproventobeapromisingapproachandshouldbefurtherdevelopedandtestedinawiderexperimentaldesign.TheendproductcouldenhancefishmobilityandhabitataccessinbasinswherethetraditionalDenilfishwayisineffective.

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CottonwoodRestorationintheUpperMissouriRiverBreaksNationalMonument

LaceyGunther11FriendsoftheMissouriBreaksMonument

Overthelast200years,theMissouriRiverhasbeenextensivelydammedanddeveloped.Whatwasonceadynamicandhighlyvariablefloodplainhasbeenconstrainedandhardened,andnaturalflowregimeshavebeenheavilymodifiedbydamsandreservoirs(Johnsonetal,2014).Inaddition,landconversionslikeforestclearingtomakewayforagriculturalcroplandandreservoirfillinghasledtoa47%declineinforestandshrublandvegetationfrom1892to2006(Dixonetal,2010).

Theseanthropogenicchangeshaveallhadmajorimpactsontherecruitmentandsurvivalofplainscottonwood(Populusdeltoides)alongtheMissouriRiver.Approximately62%ofcottonwoodtreesareover50yearsold,andonly14%havebeenestablishedinthelast25years(Dixonetal,2010).CottonwoodsareacriticaltreespeciesalongtheMissouriRiver.Theyprovidehabitatforwildlife,helpstabilizestreambanks,providewindbreaksandshade,andcanimprovewaterqualitybytrappingsedimentandfilteringrunoffhighinnutrients.

Over600cottonwoodsaplingshavebeenplantedthroughouttheUMRBNMsince2013,andtheywereinventoriedandassessedforthefirsttimeduringsummer2019.Datacollectedduringthesummerfieldseasonwillbeanalyzedtoassessgrowthrates,determinefutureplantingsites,andseeifthereareanyfactorsthatinhibitorencouragecottonwoodgrowth.

Developingfieldprotocolforcharacterizingstableisotopecompositionofwinterrechargewatertoawesternbasin:AcollaborationofBigSkyWatershedCorps,UniversityofMontana,UnitedStatesForestServiceandtheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeologyintheLoloBasin

LaurenHerbine1,CamelaCarstarphenCarstarphen2,PaytonGardner3,DavidCallery4,JacqualineTimmer21BigSkyWatershedCorps,2MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,3UniversityofMontana,4UnitedStatesForestService

Characterizingthenaturalstableisotopevariations(18O/16Oand2H/1H)inprecipitationsupportsidentificationofgroundwaterrechargesources.Isotopicanalysisofgroundwaterandsurface-waterisfairlycommon,buttheisotopiccompositionofMontana’sprecipitationisnotwelldocumented.Inmanyofourwesternintermontanebasins,meltwaterfromsnowpackfeedssurfacewaterandprovidesgroundwaterrecharge.However,theisotopiccompositionofwinterprecipitationmaychangeasthesnowpackaccumulatesandissubjectedtovariationsintemperatureandpotentialevaporativeconditions.TheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeologydevelopedapilotnetworktocollectyear-round,monthlyprecipitationsamplesforstableisotopeanalysisfromeightsitesin

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southwestandwesternMontana(theLolo,UpperClarkFork,LowerBlackfoot,andUpperMissouriWatersheds).Thepilotprogramobjectivesincludedocumentingthespatialandtemporalvariationinisotopiccompositionofprecipitation,establishingsamplingandhandlingprotocols,andevaluatingtheutilityandfeasibilityoflong-termnetworkoperation.Eachsiteconsistsofaprecipitationsampler(developedbytheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency’sGlobalNetworkofIsotopesinPrecipitation)pairedwithaclimatestation(eitheraMontanaClimateOfficeMesonetstation,oraNaturalResourcesConservationServices(NRCS)snowtelemetry(SNOTEL)site).Wintercollectionatthreehighelevationsitescomparedthesampler(designedtoreduceoreliminatepost-precipitationcondensationandevaporation)toestablishedwinterprotocol(5-gallonHDPEbucket).AtLoloPassduringwintersamplingeventswecollectedsamplesfromtheprecipitationsamplerandacompletecompositesampleofthesnowpack.ExcavationofasnowpitinMarchatonehighelevationsiteallowedustosamplefromdiscretelayerswithinthesnowpacktoassesschangeinisotopiccompositionpriortospringsnowmelt.DataindicatethatthelateDecembersnowpacklostdepth,increasedindensityandbecamelightercomparedtoNovemberandDecember’ssnowfall.However,samplesfromthisportionofthesnowpackcollectedinMarchindicatethesnowbecameisotopicallyheavierduringJanuary(δ2H=-115‰,δ18O=-15.9‰).IsotopicallylightprecipitationcollectedinFebruary(δ2H=-152‰,δ18O=-19.8‰)increasedsnowpackdepthfrom1.4mto2.2m.TheFebruarysnowfallshowedlittleisotopicchangewhensampledfromthesnowpitinMarch.ThecompositesnowpacksignatureforFebruaryrepresentsamixoftheearlyisotopicallyheavierpartoftheburiedsnowpackandthelightervaluesfromFebruaryprecipitation.WarmingtemperaturesandisotopicallyheavierprecipitationgiveMarch,AprilandMaysnowpackcompositionsheaviersignatures(March:δ2H=-152‰,δ18O=-20.3‰;April:δ2H=-139‰,δ18O=-18.3‰;May:δ2H=-131‰,δ18O=-17.6‰).GroundwaterisotopicsignaturesfromthefracturedbedrockresembletheMarchsnowpackwhilesurfacewaterandalluvialaquifersignaturesresembleMay’ssnowpacksignature.Thisimpliesthatcharacterizingthestableisotopiccompositionofwinterrechargewaterscouldbeaccomplishedbycollectingalatewinterandamid-springcompositesnowpacksample.

AssessingCottonwoodHealthontheUpperMissouriRiverBreaksNationalMonument

VictoriaHill11BigSkyWatershedCorps/FriendsoftheMissouriBreaksMonument

In2001,PresidentClintondesignated149milesoftheWildandScenicMissouriRiverand500,000acresoftheNorthernGreatPlainsofcentralMontanaastheUpperMissouriRiverBreaksNationalMonumentforits“spectaculararrayofbiological,geological,andhistoricalobjectsofinterest”(Proclamation7398).Plainscottonwood(Populusdeltoides)areintegraltoallthreeofthosecomponents.CottonwoodsareanessentialaspectoftheMissouriRiverecosystem,providingnestinghabitatformanyimportantbirdspecies,suchasthebaldeagle.Cottonwoodsstabilizetheriverbankandcompletetheiconiclandscapeof

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theWhiteCliffssectionoftheMonument.NativeAmericantribesthatlivedalongtheriparianareausedcottonwoodsintheirmedicines,ascanoes,andassacredpolesinceremonies(NorthernStateUniversity).However,cottonwoodregenerationisthreatenedbyalteredflowregimes,invasivespecies,andcattlegrazing.DamsaboveandbelowtheMonumenthavehaltedfloodingthatcottonwoodsdependonforseedlingestablishment.OnlyfourteenpercentofthecottonwoodsalongtheMissouriRiverhavebeenestablishedinthelast25years,and62%areover50yearsold(Dixonetal.,2010).ThenonprofitFriendsoftheMissouriBreaksMonumenthasplanted645treessince2013topromotecottonwoodreestablishmentinareasoftheMonumentwheretheywilllikelynotreplenishnaturally.OftheeightplantinglocationsontheMonument,somesiteshaveahighersurvivalratethanothers.InMay2019theFriendsbeganconductingacottonwoodmortalityassessmentofalltreesplantedsince2013.Thisassessmentrecordedthequantitativeparametersoftreeheight,diameteratbaseheight(DBH),andcaliper,andqualitativeparametersofcrowndensity,treevigor,andpresenceofpestsandinvasiveplants.AssessingthehealthofplantedtreesattheselocationswillhelptheFriendsdeterminewheretoplanttreesinthefutureforthehighestlikelihoodofsurvival,andhelpprotectthewondersoftheMonumentforgenerationstocome.

MusselshellCooperativeWeedManagementArea

MitchellHoffman11BSWC/MRCDC,PCCD,MWC

WeedsandinvasiveplantspeciesareaverydifferentbeastineasternMontanathaninthewest.Inthewestmostlandispublic,anditbecomesapublicissuetotacklethesethreats.Thismeansthateveryonecaneasilyunderstandtheirstakeintheissueandeveryonefeelstheyhaveashareinthesolution.Intheeastmostlandisnotonlyprivate,butworkingagriculturalland.It’stooeasytogetinthemindsetthatifyou’vetakencareoftheweedsonyourlandorinyourcounty,thatyourjobisdone.Unfortunately,evenafterover100yearsofhomesteadingweedsstillhaven’tgottenthememoaboutpropertylines.Alltoooften,afterspendingmanylonghours,considerableamountsofmoney,weedseedsblowinfromtheneighbors’houseandyou’rebacktosquareone.ThiswastheprimarydriverinsettinguptheMusselshellCooperativeWeedManagementArea.TheCWMAhasthegoalofbringstakeholders,includingstateandfederalagencies,privatelandowners,andNGOstothetabletobettertackleweedsandotherinvasivespeciesthroughouttheregion.Byworkingtogether,wearebetterabletoleverageourfundstotacklelargescaleweedmanagementprojects.Wearealsoabletoshareinformationaboutspeciesdistribution,sitefollow-up,andwhatisworkingandwhat’snot.FormyposterIwouldliketohighlightthiscooperation,wherewe’vecomefrom,andwherewe’regoing.

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TheMontanaMesonet:NearReal-timeclimateDataforDecisionSupport

KevinDHyde11MontanaClimateOffice

TheMontanaMesonetisapartner-drivensystemofnetworkedclimateobservationstationsdevelopedthroughtheMontanaClimateOfficelocatedatTheUniversityofMontana.Thecloselyspacedstationsmonitorweather,soilmoisture,and(optionally)vegetationresponse.Nearreal-timedataaretransmittedbycellularsignalsforviewingon-linethroughtheMontanaClimateOffice(MCO).ThepurposeoftheMTMesonetistosupportadaptivemanagementoffarms,rangeland,waterresources,andnaturalecosystems;withtheaimofbuildingresilientandsustainableagricultural,economic,andecologicalsystems.

EachMTMesonetstationisconfiguredwithasurfaceweatherpackage,asoilmoisturearray,andasolar-powereddatalogger/transmitterunit.Atmosphericdatasupportcalculationofevapotranspirationandothermeteorologicalderivatives.Thesoilprobearraymonitorsfactorssupportingplantgrowth.Volumetricwatercontentmeasuressoilresponsetoprecipitationandvegetation,temperaturemonitorssubsurfaceresponsetosurfacetemperaturetrends,andelectricalconductivityissensitivetoagriculturalinputsandchangestobiogeochemicalprocesses.

Theverticalsoilsensorprofilemonitorstrendswithdepthandpotentialrecharge.Soildatasupportdecisionsaboutcroptiming,stockinglevels,availablewater,irrigationefficiency,anddroughtpotential.TheoptionalNDVIsensorpairmonitorsrelativevegetationgreenness,acommonlyusedindicatorofproductivity,wherelocalNVDIprovidesmeansforfuturecalibrationofbroad-scalesatelliteimagesofvegetationresponse,waterstress,anddroughtindicators.Initiatedin2016,thenetworknownumbersover68stationsstatewide.Partnersinclude:Privateranchesandfarms,County,State,Federal,andTribalagenciesandentities,unitsofTheMontanaUniversitySystem,andcommunityandnot-for-profitgroups.SupportfromtheNationalMesonetProgramenablestransferofdatafromtheMontanaMesonettosupportfederalneedsformeteorologicaldata.SupportfromtheNationalInteragencyDroughtInformationSystemempowerscollaborationwiththeGovernor’sDroughtandWaterSupplyCommitteetoactivelydevelop,newapplicationsformonitoringdrought.ThroughpartnershipwiththeMontanaDepartmentofAgriculture,theMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology,andtheMontanaStateLibrary,existinggroundwatermonitoringwells,previouslyrequiringsitevisitsfordirectdatadownload,arebeingcappedwithMesonetStations.ThedatatransferstructuresarecurrentlybeingbuilttomovewelldatathroughthedatacloudtotheMCOITinfrastructureandintotheMTGroundWaterInformationCenter(GWIC).Thereafter,asresourcespermit,datawillthenbeservedandarchivedbytheMTStateLibrary.

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ModelingHydrologicImpactsofWaterRightsQuantificationandSettlementontheFlatheadIndianIrrigationProject

JordanAJimmie1,BrianChaffin11UniversityofMontana,DepartmentofSocietyandConservation

TheConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes(CSKT)oftheFlatheadReservationareafederally-recognizedgroupoftribes(Kootenai,Salish,andPendd’Oreille)locatedinwesternMontana.OnthereservationliestheexpansiveFlatheadIndianIrrigationProject(FIIP),whichsuppliesirrigationwatertoapproximately127,000acresoftribalandnon-tribalagriculturalland.The1904FlatheadAllotmentActopened“surplus”landtonon-nativehomesteaderswithouttribalconsent,creatingthelandownershipfragmentationobservedonthereservationtoday.Thislegacy,combinedwithhistoricallyunquantifiedtribalreservedwaterrightsandtheantiquatedstateoftheFIIPinfrastructure,includingwaterlossesfromunlinedearthencanals,ageddams,andinefficientdiversionpoints,maketheFIIPextremelydifficulttomanage.In2015,theCSKT,StateofMontana(MT),andU.S.FederalGovernmentcompleteddecadesofnegotiationthatultimatelyquantifiedCSKTreservedwaterrightsinastate-tribalCompact—thesequantificationsarenowcodifiedinMTstatelawandwillbeenforceableasearlyas2025.ThepartiesalsonegotiatedtermsoftheCSKTwaterrightssettlement(Settlement)thatresolvesanyfuturetribalwaterclaims,allocatessubstantialfederalfundingaimedatrehabilitatingandmodernizingFIIPinfrastructure,andprovidesadequatewatertoprotectculturally-significant,endangeredbulltrout(Salvelinusconfluentus).TheSettlementawaitsU.S.CongressionalandCSKTmembershipapprovaltobecomelawandbeeligibleforfederalappropriation.ThegoalofthisresearchprojectistodeterminepotentialspatialvariabilityinflowregimescurrentlyandunderenforcedCompactallocationspriortoorintheabsenceofFIIPrehabilitation.WeapproachthesequestionsbyemployingtheArcGISversionoftheSoilandWaterAssessmentTool(SWAT)todemonstratehowtheCompactprovisionswillimpactbothtribalandnon-triballands,aswellactuallyandpotentialbulltrouthabitat.Quantifyingreservedwaterrightsoffederally-recognizedtribalnationsisvitalfortheenhancementoftribalsovereigntyoverwaterresources,economicdevelopment,naturalresourcemanagement,andculturalandtraditionalpractices.Aswithmanytribeslocatedinpriorappropriationstates,theCSKThavenothadlegally-enforceablewaterrightstoallocatetootherusessuchasenvironmentalflowsforendangeredspecieshabitatuntiltherecentCompact.ModelingcontemporaryFIIPflowconveyanceregimesiscriticalforbettermanagementofthewatershed,tribalandnon-tribalirrigatedagriculture,andendangeredfishspecieshabitatintheabsenceofanapprovedfederalsettlementandnecessaryFIIPimprovements.

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PesticidesEnhanceBacterialGrowthandMayExacerbateReverseOsmosisBiofouling

AllisonKelly1,EmilyVincent11MontanaTechnologicalUniversity

Bacterialinteractionisimportantmainlyinregardstogroundwatercontaminationinagriculturalsettingsandforbacterialcloggingofreverseosmosisfiltrationsystems.WeinvestigatedbacterialgrowthandbiofilmformationofEscherichiacoli(E.coli)andSphingomonaswittichii(S.wittichii)Thesestrainsofbacteriawereusedeachfortheiruniquecontributionstothisproject,E.coliisconsideredamodelorganism,knownforitsfastgrowthrate,andS.wittichiiismoreabundantinMontanawater,soitismoreofarepresentationofthesystemsweareexploring.Bothstrainsofbacteriaweregrownintrypicsoybroth(TSB)andminimalmedia,M9.Thebacteriaweretreatedwithpesticides(chlorosulfuron,triasulfuron,andmethylsulfuron)andnitrate.AGrowthAssaywasperformedwithbothbacteriatreatedwithpesticidesinTSBandM9media.Atwo-folddilutionwasperformedforthepesticidesstartingat100mg/Landendingat0.187mg/L;thesamewasdonewiththenitrates,exceptwithastartingconcentrationof50mg/L.Growthcurveswereperformedbyrecordingtheabsorbanceofeachwellina96-wellplatereadereveryhourfora24-hourperiodforE.colianda72hourperiodforS.wittichii.AftertheMICassaywasperformed,abiofilmassaywasperformedalsousingthe96-wellplatereadertodeterminetheextentofbiofilmformationineachwell.TherewasnosignificanttrendobservedforbiofilmformationforS.wittichiiandE.coliwhentreatedwithpesticidesornitrates;however,thegrowthofE.coliincreasedwithincreasingpesticideconcentrationinminimalmedia,suggestingE.colicandigestandutilizepesticideswheninalimitedresourceenvironment.

SimulatingEnergyandWaterDynamicsforaTemperateUrbanMicroclimateUsingaFullyDistributedEco-HydrologicalModel

SarahKhalid1,MarcoPManeta1,ZackHolden2,ChrisSoulsby31UniversityofMontana,2USForestService,3NorthRiversInstitute,UniversityofAberdeen

ThewesternU.SandotherregionsoftheWorldareexperiencingdriersummersandlongerperiodsofconsecutivedayswithoutwettingrain.Lessfrequentsummerstormsreducethemoistureavailabletodissipateheat,increasingtheamountofenergyavailabletoheatthegroundandtheair.Thisreapportionoftheenergybalanceisespeciallyacuteinurbanenvironmentsbecauseoflowsurfacealbedoandrelativelylowthermalcapacityofasphaltandconcrete.ToinvestigatetheimpactofsummerstormsandurbanirrigationontheenergybalanceandthermalcomfortinurbanenvironmentsweuseafullydistributedecohydrologicalmodeltosimulatetheurbanmicroclimateofMissoula,MT,atypicaltemperate,mid-latitudetownintheinter-mountainwesternUS.Weconductsimulationsduringawetandadrysummerandevaluatethefluctuationsofsurfacetemperaturesattributedtosummersstorms.Thedrivinghypothesisisthatlessfrequentsummerstorms

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andlessurbanirrigationreducethedissipationofavailableenergyaslatentheat,effectivelyincreasingsurfacetemperaturesanddecreasingthermalcomfortinurbanenvironmentsmoresignificantlythantheexpectedregionalincreaseinairtemperatureassociatedwithclimatechange.Thegoalsofthisstudyare1)todeterminetowhatextenttiminganddurationofsummerprecipitationandurbanirrigationhelpsdissipateheat;2)toevaluateurbanthermalimpactsinducedbylongerdryperiodsduringsummers;and3)toquantifytherolethatdifferentlandcoversandwaterplaysonthereapportionoftheenergybalanceandonamelioratinglocalizedheatislands.Acomparisonofturbulentheatfluxpartitioningbetweenwetanddryyearsduringpreliminarymodelrunsshowconsiderabledifferencesbetweenthetwo,modulatedstronglybythepresenceofwater.Additionally,insitumeasurementsattwositesrepresentingthebuiltandthenon-builturbanenvironmentshowsubstantialvariationinnetradiationconsistentwithalbedoandshallowsoiltemperaturedifferences.

FloodplainEcologicalAssessmentAcrossTemporalandSpatialScales:DoesthePortfolioEffectApplytoRapidAssessmentTools?

WilliamJKleindl1,PaulStoy1


RipariansystemsoftheAmericanWestareashiftingmosaicdrivenbyfluvialandfiredisturbancesandrecovery.Thesedisturbanceandrecoverypatternsareinfluencedbylandscapepatchesshapedbysilviculture,agriculture,development,andpreservationmanagementdecisions.Togetherthesecreateasystemwithdynamicelementsthatoperateatawiderangeofspatiotemporalscales.Althoughtherearewell-establishedecologicalassessmentmodelsthatmeasuretheextentofanthropogenicimpactonecologicalconditionandservices,thesetoolsaregenerallytemporallystatic,site-specific,anddonotaccountfornaturaldisturbancedynamics.Herewedeveloped34-yearsofLandsatthematicmapswithintheFlatheadRiversysteminMT,USAandBC,CA(~59000ha).Weestablishedmultiplereachesbasedongeomorphiccharacteristics(n=43:290-7660ha)andthreesilviculture,preservationandagriculture/urbandominatedmanagementzones(n=3:14660-25575ha).Fromthese,wemappedstructuralattributesandcreatedqualitativemodelsthatmeasureriverineecologicalfunctionsandservices.Wefurtherexaminehowtheserelationshipschangeacrosstimeandspatialscalesfromreachtomanagementzonetowatershed.Fromthese,wepursuetworesearchapproaches:1)ThePortfolioTheoryaddresscontrolthatspatiotemporalpatterningofdisturbancehasonecologicalvariationatdifferentspatialscales.However,multimetricindices(MMI)commonlyusedinecologicalassessmentalreadyreducestheamplitudeofindividualsystemattributeseffectwithinanindexandourearlyresultssuggestthisaffectstheportfolio.Therefore,weask,arereach-basedMMIsscalablewithinaportfolio?2)PortfolioTheoryisbasedontheideathatemergentpropertiesofaggregatedsystemsarelessvolatilethantheircomponents.Itsapplicationiscompellinginsystemswherevolatilityisdrivenbynatural(e.g.fluvial)oranthropogenic(e.g.logging/recovery)processes.However,ithasbeenestablishedthatassystemshardenthroughanthropogenicinfluence

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(e.g.ag/urban),theybecomesimplifiedasourearlyresultsindicate.Hereweask,istheportfolioeffectanefficientmanagementtoolinhuman-dominatedsystems?

GroundwaterRechargeinFloodtoPivotIrrigationConversions

ShawnLKuzara11MontanaBureauofMinesandGeology

Thelong-termhydrologicramificationsofconvertingfromfloodtopivotirrigationarebecomingapparenttoMontana’swaterresourcemanagers.In2019,theMontanaWaterCenterhostedaseriesofdiscussionsaboutthescienceandpolicysurroundingirrigationmethods,andtheStateWaterPlanrecognizesthesignificanceofunderstandingthepossibleconsequencesofthisconversion.

TheeconomicandconservationbenefitsofpivotirrigationareconvincingmanyMontanairrigatorstoinstallsprinklerirrigationsystems.Suchsystemsallowformoreprecisemanagementofwaterandsoil,andtheyrequirelessoperatortime.Formalt-barleyandsugarbeetgrowersinsouthcentralMontanathereisspecificpressurefromretailerstodemonstratewaterconservation.However,ruralresidentsrelyonirrigation-rechargedshallowaquifersfordomesticwater.Reducedaquiferrechargeisaconsequenceofmoreefficientirrigationandmayreducegroundwatersuppliesand,insomelocations,baseflowtostreams.

TheMontanaBureauofMinesandGeology(MBMG),incooperationwithCarbon,BigHorn,andYellowstoneConservationDistricts,theUSDANaturalResourcesandConservationService,MontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation(DNRC),andprivatelandowners,aremonitoringirrigatedfieldsthatwerehistoricallyfloodirrigatedbutare-orwillbe-convertedtopivotirrigation.Weexpecttousethesedatatoassessthefieldcharacteristics(depthtothewatertable,landscapeposition,andgeology)thataffectgroundwateravailability.Thisinformationmaybeusefultoanticipateandpotentiallymitigateeffectsofpivotinstallationonshallowgroundwatersystems.

FutureworkincludesmonitoringthequalityandquantityofrechargefromfloodandpivotirrigatedfieldsalongtheClarksForkoftheYellowstoneRiver.Informationregardingwherefieldsmightbeconvertedtosprinklerirrigationwiththeleastimpacttogroundwatersupplieswillbeprovideddirectlytoirrigatorsthroughaneducationaloutreachprogram.ThisworktoimproveunderstandingofimportantfieldcharacteristicsforrechargeandprovideoutreachtoirrigatorsisfundedbytheDNRCRenewableResourcesGrantandLoanProgram.

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TheBitterRootWaterForum:BuildingCommunityaroundaRiver

EmilieLahneman11BSWC/BitterRootWaterForum

In1993,agroupofBitterrootresidentscametogethertolearnmoreaboutwaterresourcesintheBitterrootValley.Theyunderstoodthatwaterwasthelifebloodoftheircommunity,andtheywantedtoformagroupthatwouldpromotetheprotectionandrestorationofourwaterresources,andhelpinformcitizensofthemanyfacetsthatsupportahealthy,functioningwatershed.Sharinginformationabouttheimportanceofahealthywatershedthrougheducational“forums”washowtheBitterRootWaterForumgotitsstart.Now,BRWFworkstoensurecleanwaterforthisandfuturegenerationsthroughatwofoldapproachofconservationeducationandonthegroundrestoration.BRWF’sconservationeducationprogramsprovidequalityinformationonissuesofwatershedhealthtobothyouthandadults.YoutheducationprogramsledbytheBigSkyWatershedCorps(BSWC)memberprovideeasyandreliableaccesstoconservationeducationbothinschoolsandinthefieldthroughpartnershipswiththeUSForestService,DepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FishWildlifeandParks,SoilandWaterConservationDistrictsofMontana,FutureFarmersofAmerica,TroutUnlimited,andmore.Adulteducationprogramsconnectcommunitymemberswithopportunitiestolearnmoreaboutwatershedissuesandincludeirrigationtours,continuingeducationcoursesforRealtors,fieldtoursofsuccessfulconservationprojects,consultationsforlandownersinterestedinrestorationprojects,andpublicinformationalforumsonwatershedissuesofimportance.BRWF’srestorationprojectsaimtoimprovestreamhealthandrebuildhealthyriparianareas.Projectsareaccomplishedbyworkingwithstreamsidelandownersandengaginganactiveteamofvolunteers.NotableprojectsincludesedimentreductiononThreemileandRyeCreeksthroughroadimprovementmeasures,andsedimentandtemperatureandreductionprojectsontheEastForkoftheBitterrootRiver,MillerCreek,andCameronCreekthroughstreamsiderevegetationandfencing.Throughathrivingvolunteerbase,theWaterForumisabletomonitorandmaintainallexistingrestorationprojects,resultinginahighsurvivalrateforriparianplantings,andastrongsenseofcommunityaroundtheseprojects.Communityinvolvementinasharedresource,theBitterrootRiver,isthedrivingforcebehindthesegoals.TheWaterForum’smissionof“Bringingthecommunitytogethertoprotect,enhance,andrestorethewatershedweALLrelyon”wouldnotbepossiblewithouttheconstanttimeandsupportthecommunitygivestoourcause.Withthissupport,theWaterForumhasgrownfromasmallgroupofconcernedgrandmotherstothreefulltimestaff,aBigSkyWatershedCorpsmember,andalargevolunteerbasededicatedtoourRiver’scommunity.Withmorerestorationprojects,educationprograms,andcommunityeventsplannedforthecomingyear,theWaterForumandsurroundingcommunityareveryexcitedtoseewhatthefutureholdsfortheBitterrootRiver.

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CalibrationofHydrologicComponentoftheHydro-EconomicsofAgricultureModel

ZacharyHLauffenbuger1,MarcoManeta1,ColinBrust11UniversityofMontana

Climatechangecontinuestoleadtosignificantchangesinhydrologicsystems,suchasearlierspringpeakdischargeandlonger,hotterdryperiods.Itisimperativetoadapttothosechangestooffsetanynegativeeffects,whichincludelackofriverwateravailableforagriculturalusesandheatstresstocrops.Agriculturehasalonghistoryofadaptingtoclimatevariability,butongoingandsubstantialchangesinclimatearepresentingnewchallengesforfarmers.Inanefforttoaidpolicymakersandnaturalresourcemanagersanintegratedhydro-economicmodelwasdevelopedwhichsimulateshydrologicconditionsacrossMontana,coupledwithaneconomicmodeloffarmers’decisionmaking.Theobjectiveoftheworkpackagepresentedhereisthecalibrationofthehydrologiccomponentofthemodel.AnaccuratecalibrationofthehydrologicconditionsacrossMontanawillallowfortheanalysisofclimatechangescenariosimpactondischargetimingandmagnitude,andtheeffectsofshiftinghydrographsonwaterresourceuseandeconomiceffectsthatresult.ThehydrologicmodelisamodifiedHBVrainfall-runoffmodelcoupledwiththeMuskingum-Cungemethodforriverrouting.Intotalthereare13parameterswhichgovernsnowpack,discharge,streamrouting,andgroundwaterandsoilmoisturequantities.Themodeldomainwasdividedinto330subbasinsonawatershedspatialscale.Becausemostsubbasinsareungaged,subbasinsweregroupedinto5clustersbasedon17subbasincharacteristicsusingK-Means.Thehypothesisbeingthatsubbasinswithsimilarphysiographiccharacteristics,e.g.meanelevation,meanpercentclay,etc.,willhavesimilardischargeresponse,soilandgroundwaterresidencetimes,andoverallparameterization.The13parameterswerecalibratedforselectsubbasinsfromeachclusterthatcontainaUSGSgagingstationusingbrute-forceMonteCarlo(MC)simulationrunsandthebestparametersetforeachclusterwasthenappliedtoallsubbasinsforeachcluster.BruteforceMCwasthechosenmethodbecauseitpermitstrivialmassiveparallelizationforsamplingawiderangeofparametersetstodetermineparametersensitivity,correlation,andscenarioanalysis.Dischargeresultsshowgoodmodelfitforcalibratedsubbasins,Kling-GutpaEfficiencyscoresbetween0.42-0.66,andNash-SutcliffeEfficiencyscoresbetween0.45-0.60.Ungaged,unimpairedsubbasinsproducemixedmodelfitsacrossclusters,whichindicatesthatthisK-Meansclusteringmethodforparameterizationofungagedbasinsneedsrefinement.Experimentationonwhichsuiteofsubbasincharacteristicsandthenumberofclustersiscurrentlybeingconducted.

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ResearchandconservationseedincreaseatTheBridgerPlantMaterialsCenter

ZachLenning11BSWC-TheBridgerPlantMaterialsCenter

MytermwiththeBigSkyWatershedCorpsservingattheBridgerPlantMaterialsCenterhasbeenverybusyandproductivesofar.Alargepartofmyworkherehasincludedresearchonestablishmentofconservationspeciesandtheuseofnewspeciesaspollinatorhabitatandcovercropping.ThefirststudythatIhavebeenworkingonisinvestigatingtheeffectsofplantingdepthonsmallseededconservationspeciesandhowsoiltypeswillaffecttheemergencerateofthesespecies.ThesecondstudyisanevaluationoftheforbLaceyPhaceliaandlegumeAustrianWinterPeaforuseinMontanaandWyomingascovercrops.Thisstudyalsolooksattheinteractionsoftheseplantsatvariableplantingdepths.IhavealsobeenparticipatingintheNativePollinatorMonitoringprojectthatisleadbyCaseyDelphiaPhDatMSU.TheprojectinvolvedplacingbeetrapsaroundplantsthatwereinbloomandcollectingthespecimenstobesenttoBozemanforidentification.InpartnershipwiththeNationalParkServicewealsoproduceseedforuseinhighwayconstructionprojectsinYNP,GTNPandGNP.Theprocessinvolvescollectionofseedfromwildsourcesintheparktomaintainthegeneticintegrityoffloraintheparks,andIwasluckyenoughtospendtimeinYellowstoneandGlaciercollectingseedforuseinfutureprojects.ThemajorityofotherworkperformedattheBPMChasrevolvedaroundproductionofconservationseedandhasincludedplanting,cultivating,fertilizingandsprayingpesticides,harvestingandseedcleaning.

Investigationofspatialandtemporaldistributionsofmetalsinastormwaterretentionpondafterstormevents

CalebLockyer1,LipingJiang1,JoeGriffen11MontanaTech

InButte,Montanaretentionpondswereconstructedtomitigatesedimenttransportduringstormeventsduetotheenvironmentallytoxicparticulatesthataccumulatedfromhistoricminingactivities.In1983SilverBowCreekwasdesignatedasuperfundsiteasaresultofflowfromtheminingareacontributingcontaminantstothewatershed.AsgroundwaterandstormwatershedwaterofftheButtehill,theconstituentflowisburdenedwithelevatedconcentrationsofmetals.TheseflowscanhavelevelsofzincandcopperthatregularlyexceedacutewaterqualitystandardsinMontana.ThelargestdrainagebasininthehistoricButtecitycentercoversapproximately674acres.Anend-of-the-pipe,retentionpondwasconstructedin1997tocaptureflowfromdrainagebasin.Theretentionpond,namedCB8,wasdesignedforthe10-year,24hrstormeventwithanoriginalconstructionvolumeof23acre-feet.Thepondincreasesindepthfromtheinlettooutletstructure,approximately.5meterto1.5meterswhenfull.Throughoutthesummerandfallof2019,monitoringoftheretentionpondwasconductedtoinvestigatethehydrologicperformancesoftheretentionpondinaccordancewithstormevents.Multiparameterdata

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sondes(HydrolabHL4&YSIEXO2)weredeployedthroughoutthestudyperiodofJulythroughSeptember,2019.Locationsforthedeploymentofthesesondeswhereselectednearthecentroid,inlet,andoutletofthepond.Datacollectedfromthesondesdisplayeddielcyclesinfluencingtemperature,pH,anddissolvedoxygen.Toinvestigatecolumnstabilityorstratificationinthepond,acrosssectionaltransectwasestablishedtorecordturbidity,specificconductance,pH,temperature,anddissolvedoxygen.Resultsfrommonitoringsitesalongthetransectexhibitedstratificationintheponddespiterelativelyshallowdepths.Theseresultsindicatedthatsurfaceanddepthsamplesofmetalsconcentrationscouldbeinfluencedbythesetrends.Tocorrelateverticalstratificationanddielcyclesinwaterchemistrywiththedistributionofmetalsconcentrations,sampleswerecollectedat6sitesalongthelongitudinaltransect.Depthsampleswerecollectednearthecentroidandattheoutletofthepond.Sampleswerecollectedbeforestormeventsduringaperiodofdryweather,andagain0-24hr,and48-96hrafterstormevents.AnalytesfromthesesamplesincludedTSS,DOC,Cu,Zn,Pb,As,Fe,andCd.AnalysisofthepondsamplesweredesignedtobeusedintheBioticLigandModel(BLM)forcoppertoxicityandthehardness-basedcriteriaformetalsusedbyMontanaDEQandtheEPA.Associatingdielcyclesoffieldparameters,columnstratificationpatterns,andconcentrationsofheavymetalswillprovidevaluableinformationtogagethebioavailabilityofcopperandhowitisdistributedthroughoutthepondafterastormevent.Datacollectedfromthisstudywillbeusedtoanalyzethetemporalhydrologicefficienciesofthepondafterastormevent,andtoproposedesignstrategiesforfuturestormwatertreatmentatthissite.

MacroinvertebrateandWaterQualityEducationProgramintheRubyValley

ClaudiaMacfarlane11RubyValleyConservationDistrict

In2018,theRubyValleyConservationDistrict(RVCD)wonaWaterQualityEducationMiniGrantfromtheSoilandWaterConservationDistrictsofMontana(SWCDM)toprovidenonpointsourceandwaterqualityeducationprogramstoruralschoolsintheRubyValley.ThisprogramaddressedthefollowingnonpointsourceandwaterqualityissuesintheLowerRubyWatershed:sedimentationandriparianhealth.TheMacroinvertebrateandWaterQualityEducationProgramconsistsofclassroomsessionseducatingstudentsontopicsincluding:watershedandriparianhealth,sourcesofpollution,waterqualityparametersandmacroinvertebratesasbioindicators.Afterclassroomeducation,classesparticipateinfieldsamplingofbenthicmacroinvertebratesandinsituwaterqualityparametersincludingTemperature,DO,pH,andturbidity.RVCDbelieveseducatingstudentsaboutthebenefitsofhealthywatershedswillhelptogrowthenextgenerationofstewards.Over72studentsfromKindergartenthrough10thgradehavehadtheopportunitytosampleeithertheRubyRiverorClearCreekforatotalof15.5hoursofeducationforstudentsintheRubyValleyasofAugust2019.

PartneringwithTwinBridgesHighSchoolandtheRubyHabitatFoundation,inthespringof2019studentsparticipatedinwaterqualitymonitoringandmacroinvertebratesampling

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onClearCreekassociatedwithprerestorationstreamconditions,withthehopestocontinuetheprogramtodocumentpostrestorationchanges.ClearCreekisasidebraidoftheRubyRiverandislistedasimpairedforsedimentinthe2006TMDLandWaterQualityRestorationPlanfortheRubyRiver.A2012RiparianAssessmentofClearCreekfoundthat53%ofreacheswereSustainableatRiskand47%werepoororNotSustainable.TheRubyRiverislistedasimpairedforsedimentandtemperatureinthe2006TMDLandWaterQualityRestorationPlanfortheRubyRiver.Witheducationbeingtheprimarygoaloftheprogram,duringfieldactivitiesstudentsgainedtheabilitytoanalyzetherelationshipbetweenaquaticmacroinvertebratepopulationsandwaterqualityandtheabilitytodescribetheconnectionbetweenland-usepracticesandwaterquality.RVCDadministersBigSkyWatershedCorp’sWatershedAwarenessSurveytoclassesaftercompletionoftheentireprogram.TheWatershedAwarenessSurveymeasuresaparticipant’schangeinbehaviororintentiontochangeabehaviorwithregardtoconservation-basedpractices.Individualbeneficiarieswillreportchangeinbehaviororintentiontochangeabehaviorwithregardtoconservation-basedpracticesratedasa4or5ona5-pointscale.Programswheresurveyswerenotadministered,duetotimeorageconstraints,wereevaluatedthroughadiscussionwiththeteacherandstudents.Currently60%(9/15)ofbeneficiariesreportedachangefrom4to5,withteachersandstudentsverballyconfirmingtheirincreasedunderstandingofwatershedsandwaterquality.Samplingandeducationwillcontinuethroughoutthefall,andwillbecomearegularprogramofRVCD.

In-situgroundwatermonitoringusingmicro-fabricatedsensors:Advantagesandchallenges

MatthewMcglennen1,MarkusDieser1,MatthewFields2,ChristineForman3,StephanWarnat11MontanaStateUniversity,CenterforBiofilmEngineering,MechanicalEngineering,2MontanaStateUniversity,CenterforBiofilmEngineering,Microbiology&Immunology,3MontanaStateUniversity,CenterforBiofilmEngineering,ChemicalandBiologicalEngineering

Therecentincreaseofartificiallyrechargingnaturalaquifersviamanagedaquiferrecharge(MAR)tomeettheglobaldemandforfreshwaterconcerns.Rechargingtheaquiferwithdifferentsourcedwaterinfluencesmicrobialabundance,whichcansignificantlychangegroundwaterqualityandconsequently,humanhealth.OthergroundwaterparameterssuchaspH,electricalconductivity,andtemperatureareanticipatedtovarywiththeincreaseinmicrobeconcentration.However,acorrelationbetweenmicrobialdensityandhydro-chemicalparametersisnotestablished.Thelackoflong-termin-situmeasurementsinaquifershindersmodelingthiscorrelationandimprovedMARtechnologies.Thecurrentstateoftheartistopumpgroundwaterformeasurementstothesurfaceor-atbest-collectdownhole,waterorcoresamplesandtransportthemtothelaboratoryforanalysis.Thisdecreasesthetemporalandspatialdataresolutionnecessarytopredictdynamicchangesinsubsurfacesedimentsystems.Whatislackingaredeployablesensorplatformsthatoperatereliablyinthegroundwaterenvironmentforanextendedtime(6to12month),andstudies

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onthecorrelationbetweenmicrobialactivityandthegivenhydro-geochemicalparameters.Micro-fabricatedsensors,orMicro-ElectrochemicalSystems(MEMS),havethepotentialtoovercomethechallengeindeployingin-situgroundwatersensors.Thesemicroscopicdevicesrelyonwell-establishedsemiconductorfabricationprocesses,andhavetheabilitytomeasurepH,temperature,conductivity,andmicrobialdensity.Theirsmallphysicaldimensionsalsoenablein-situintegrationofredundantmulti-sensorplatformsinonegroundwaterwell,whichcounteractspossiblesensordegradationandenableslong-termsystemdeployment.Wewillshowinthisposterourcurrentprogressinthesystemdevelopment,andfirstresultsonthemeasurementofmicrobialconcentrationsinwatersamplesusingmicro-fabricatedsensors.

Livestockwaterqualityvariesacross10years(2009-2018)inEasternMontana

JenniferMMuscha1,MarkKPetersen1,KurtReinart11USDA-ARSFortKeoghLivestockandRangeResearchLaboratory

Concentrateddissolvedmineralsinnaturallyoccurringwateraccessibletolivestockgrazingsemi-aridlandscapescannegativelyinfluenceanimalproductivityandwell-being.Twelveindicatorsofwaterquality(Ca,Cl,F,Fe,Mg,Mn,Na,Nitrate-N,pH,SO4,totaldissolvedsolids(TDS)andtemperature)weresampledfromfoursources(pumpedgroundwater,catchmentreservoir,springsandsurfaceflowingwater)andinthreegeographicallocations(North,Southeast,andSouthwestofYellowstoneRiver)accessedbylivestockover10yearsfrom2009through2018atthe22,257haUSDA-ARSFortKeoghLivestockandRangeResearchLaboratorynearMilesCity,Montanatoestimatevariation.Upto45watersampleswerecollectedforanalysistwiceyearlyinthegreatestprecipitationmonths(MayorJune)andinalowerprecipitationmonth(September).Precipitationamountsineachyearwere257,439,492,156,435,338,216,369,161,467mmfrom2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,and2018,respectively,comparedwiththe30-yearaverageof316mm.Datawereanalyzedasacompletelyrandomized10×3×4×2factorialarrangementoftreatmentswithyear×location×source×seasonastheexperimentalunitusingtheMIXEDprocedureofSAS(SASInstitute,Cary,NC).SignificancewasdeterminedatP≤0.05.Ayearbysourceinteraction(P<0.05)wasfoundforCa,Fe,Mg,Na,Mg,SO4,TDS,andtemperature.HighestlevelsofNa,SO4,andTDSwerefoundinflowingsurfacewaterin2011.Calevelswerehighestinspringwaterin2011,2014,2017and2018andinflowingsurfacewaterin2012.FeandMglevelswerehighestin2012inflowingsurfacewater.Ayearbyseasoninteraction(P<0.05)wasfoundforCa,Fe,Na,SO4,TDS,andtemperature.HighestlevelsofNa,SO4,andTDSwerefoundin2011inSeptember.CaandFelevelswerehighestin2012inMay.Asourcebylocationinteraction(P<0.05)wasfoundforCa,Cl,F,Fe,Mg,nitrate-N,pH,Na,SO4,andTDS.IncreasedlevelsofFe,Na,SO4,andTDSwerefoundinflowingsurfacewaterintheSoutheastlocation.SpringwaterintheSoutheastlocationcontainedthehighestlevelsofCaandMg.Ayearbylocationinteraction(P<0.05)wasfoundforCa,Mg,Na,SO4,TDS,andtemperature.Asourcebyseasoninteraction(P<0.05)wassignificantforCa,Fe,pH,andtemperature.AseasonbylocationinteractionwassignificantforCa,Na,andTDS.SO4levelsaregenerally

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higherinthedryseason.Higherandthenlowerprecipitationin2011followedbybelowaverageprecipitationin2012andbelowaverageprecipitationin2015wasassociatedwithelevatedmineralconcentrations.AverageconcentrationsofCa,Cl,Mg,nitrate-N,pHandTDSlevelsacrosssourcesdidnotexceedtheuppermaximumintakelevelforbeefcattle.Incontrast,concentrationsofF,Fe,Mn,Na,andSO4exceededupperlevelsforbeefcattle,implicatingthesemineralsmaynegativelyimpactrangebeefcattleperformance.

HowCanaWaterFundWorkinMontana?

JuliaNave1,SierraHarris2,KarenFilipovich1

1BSWC/TheNatureConservancy,2TheNatureConservancy

Waterfundsareaframeworkthatbringtogetherwaterusers,providers,andcommunitiestocollectivelyplanforandinvestinasecurewaterfuture.Stakeholdersconvenetoidentifyconservationandrestorationactivitiesintheirwatershedthatwillprotecttheirwatersupply,waterquality,andrecreationalopportunities.Thegroupthensecuresnewsourcesoflong-termsustainablefundingtopayfortheactivitiesidentified.Fundedactivitiescouldincludethosethatincreasenaturalwaterstorage,advancewaterconservation,restoredegradedriparianareas,orimproveirrigationandfarmingpractices.

Traditionally,waterfundswereestablishedtoenabledownstreamwaterusers–likebusinesses,cities,andutilities–toinvestinupstreamlandmanagementtoimprovewaterqualityandquantity.However,waterfundscanbetailoredtoaddressuniquechallenges,priorities,andgeographicareas.SinceTheNatureConservancydevelopedthefirstwaterfundinQuito,Ecuadorin2000,theyhaveadaptedthemodeltocreateover40waterfundsaroundtheworld.TwoNorthAmericanwaterfunds,theRioGrandeWaterFundandtheMinnesotaHeadwatersFund,serveasprimeexamplesofthewaysthewaterfundframeworkiscustomizedtoaddressdiversewatersecuritychallenges.

TheNatureConservancyinMontanahasbeenexploringhowthewaterfundmodelmaybeappliedtoaddresswatersecuritywithinourstategivenachangingclimateandgrowingpopulation.ApilotprojectintheUpperGallatinisintheearlydevelopmentstagesinpartnershipwiththeGallatinRiverTaskForce.AwaterfundwouldsupportlocallyledeffortstoaddresswaterscarcitychallengesintheBigSkyarea.ThisapproachshowsgreatpromiseintheBigSkyareaduetothewillingnessofpartners,commitmentofpreviouslyengagedstakeholders,andtheurgencytoaddresswatersecuritychallengesinthisheadwaterscommunity.WaterfundsmayeventuallyprovidesolutionsacrossabroaderMontanalandscapeandevaluatingthepotentialtoscaleorreplicateoursuccessesinBigSkywillbeanimportantpartoftheprocess.

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Hydro-socialandsocio-hydrologicalmodeling:Challengeswithdata,scale,andperspective

HollyKNesbitt11UniversityofMontana

Thefieldsofhydro-sociologyandsocio-hydrologyhaveemergedinrecognitionoftheneedtotreathuman-watersystemsasintegratedandcomplex,yetresearchersinthesefieldscontinuetofacesubstantialchallengesintegratinghydrologicalandhumandimensionsinboththeoryandpractice,andspecificallyincoupledmodelingefforts.Tounderstandthecurrentstateofhydro-social/socio-hydrologicalmodelingresearch,challenges,andfutureopportunities,weperformedaliteraturereview.Asagroupofsocialscientistsandhydrologists,weusedakeywordsearchinGoogleScholar,followedbyasnowballmethodtoreview71papers.Resultsindicatedseveralkeychallengestomeaningful,integratedsocial-hydrologicmodeling,including:vastlydifferentdatatypes;informationlossthroughaggregation;spatialandtemporalmisalignmentbetweensocialandhydrologicsystems;difficultyincorporatingfeedbacksbetweensocialandhydrologicaldatatypesinacoupledsystem;andaproliferationofeitherhydrologic-orsocial-centricmodelsthatlacktheoreticalunderpinningsofsocialandhydrologicdisciplinesrespectively.Thisreviewisintendedtostrengthenandinformmodelingeffortsfrombothbiophysicalandsocialperspectivesandtosupportinterdisciplinaryteamsaswetrytoanswerincreasinglycomplexquestionsaboutwaterandsocietyinthefaceofglobalchange.

LakeCountyJuniorConservationistEducationProgram

LaurenNOdom11BSWC/LakeCountyConservationDistrict

In2018,LakeCountyConservationDistrict(LCCD)wasawardedfundingfromtheLowerFlatheadValleyCommunityFoundation(LFVCF).ThisawardwasusedtofundthepilotyearoftheLakeCountyJuniorConservationistProgram.ThisprogramfocusedonthefollowingareasofconservationandsustainableagricultureinLakeCounty:Introductiontoconservation,soilconservation,wildlifeconservation,waterconservation,andplantagriculture.Additionally,thisprogramwasdesignedtoexpandonLakeCountyConservationDistrict’sAnnual4thGradeAgricultureDaysevent.ThiseventoccursinMayandactedastheanimalagricultureportionoftheJuniorConservationistProgram,aswellasthefinallessonoftheJuniorConservationistcurriculum.AftercompletingthecurriculumstudentswereabletoparticipateinaRecapRelayandGraduation,inwhichtheyweregiventhetitle“JuniorConservationist.”TheLakeCountyJuniorConservationistProgramisa7-monthprogramprovidingone-hourlessonsdeliveredtofourseparateclassesoffourthgraders.Thisprogramprovidesatotalof13hoursofsupplementalconservationeducationforeverystudentparticipatinginalllessonsand4thGradeAgricultureDays.Over80studentsparticipatedintheJuniorConservationistProgramand65studentsgraduatedas“JuniorConservationists.”LakeCountyConservationDistrict

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partneredwithRonanMiddleSchoolforthepilotyearoftheprogram.TheWildlifeConservationlessonwasdeliveredinpartnershipwiththeConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes.Thesepartnersbothacknowledgedthelowavailabilityofconservationeducationincurrentinschoolcurriculumasakeyissuethatneededtobeaddressedandwherebotheagertopartnertoamendthisissue.Educationwastheprimarygoaloftheprogram,especiallyfocusingonintroducingconservationrelatedvocabularyandintroducingstewardshipprinciples.LCCDadministersaConservationEducationAssessmentSurveytoeveryclassonthefirstlessonandthenagainafterthegraduationfromtheprogram.TheConservationEducationAssessmentSurveymeasuresthestudent’sabilitytorecallvocabularyfromthroughouttheprogram,expandonwhytheythinkthatconservationisimportantandwhattheywanttoconserve,andself-assesstheirperceivedchangeinknowledgelevel.Studentsranktheirownknowledgelevelona5-pointscale.Attheendoftheprogram40%ofbeneficiariesreportedtheirknowledgelevelwasata4(Iknowalotaboutconservationcoveredintheselessons)ora5(Iknoweverythingaboutconservationcoveredintheselessons)43%ofstudentsreportedtheirknowledgelevelwasata3(Iknowsomeoftheconservationcoveredintheselessons.Additionally,despitestudentsnotbeingwarnedthattheywouldberesurveyed,60%ofstudentsincreasedtheirscorefromtest1totest2andtheamountof100%Scoreswentfrom3to13.Lastly,theoverallgradeaverageofallclassesonthesurveysincreased14%.TheprogramwasconsideredsuccessfulandLCCDhopestoeitherexpandthisprogramtootherschoolsutilizingtheirBSWCMemberorcreatealessonkitthatcanbesenttoteachersthroughoutthedistrict.

ExaminingtheAbundanceandCompositionofSubmicronParticlesinaMine-wasteContaminatedIntermountainWestRiver

KaitlinPerkins1,ManuelMontano2,BenColman11UniversityofMontana,2WesternWashingtonUniversity

Metalsandmetalloidshavehistoricallybeenthoughttoenteraquaticfoodwebsinthe“dissolved”fraction,operationallydefinedasanythingpassingthroughafilterofagivensize(e.g.,700nm).Thisdefinitionofdissolvedmaybeinaccuratebecauseitlumpssmall,submicronparticles(colloids)withtrulydissolvedsolutes(<1nm).Forelementslikeiron,theironitselfmaynotbetoxic,butcolloidalironmayservesorbtoxicmetal(loid)sandserveasvectorsformetal(loid)accumulationinorganisms.Thegoalofthisstudywastoexaminetheelementalcompositionofsubmicronparticlesalong200kmofthemine-wastecontaminatedClarkForkRiver.Wecollectedwatersamplesduringbaseflowandcharacterizedtheelementalcompositionofindividualparticlesunder1000nm.Wefoundthatthereweremoreparticlesconsistingofsinglemetal(loid)sthanparticlesconsistingofmultiplemetal(loid)satallsites.Therewasagreateroverallmassconcentrationofparticlesatupstreamsitesthandownstream,whichislikelydrivenbydilutionfromtributarieswithlowerparticleconcentrations.Ironandmanganesewerethemostabundantmetalsinbothsingleandmultiplemetal(loid)particles,andhadsizesinthelowerendofthecolloidalsizerange.Lead,zinc,cadmium,andcopperweresometimes

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foundassociatedwithironparticles,suggestingthatironmayindeedbeservingasavector.Thesedatabegintoilluminatethepotentialimportanceofcolloidsinboththetransportofcontaminantsandindrivingmetal(loid)exposuretoorganisms.

AquaticInvasiveSpeciesEducationandMonitoringintheFlatheadValley

NataliePoremba11BSWC/CrownManagersPartnership

Aquaticinvasivespecies(AIS)causedamagetotheenvironment,economy,andhumanhealth.ThebestapproachtotacklingAISistoensurethattheydonotspreadatall.Thiscanbeachievedbyindividualrecreatorsfollowingclean,drain,dryprotocolandstoppingatinspectionstations-goalswhichcanbefosteredthroughoutreachandeducation.InpartnershipwithFlatheadLakeBiologicalStation(FLBS),ConfederatedSalishandKootenaiTribes(CSKT),andtheFlatheadLakers,IdevelopededucationalAISmapsanddeliveredAIScurriculumto7thgradersthroughouttheFlatheadValley.Thematerialwasintendedtoempoweryoungresidentsandrecreatorstotakeownershipandresponsibilityforthecareoftheirlocalwaterbodies.ThenextbesttacticinmanagingAISismonitoringlakes,rivers,andstreamstoensurethatifAISdoenterthesystem,theyaredetectedearlyon.Thisallowsmanagersthechancetoeradicatepopulationsbeforetheybecomefirmlyestablishedorspreadfurther.ThroughoutthesummerwithscientistsandmanagersfromFLBSandCSKT,Isampled30sitesonFlatheadLaketomonitorforinvasivezebraandquaggamussels.Weconducted100mtowsusingfinemeshnets,andcollectedsamplesfrombothshorelineandboat.Thesamplesweresenttotwodifferentlabs-ageneticslabwhichlookedforenvironmentalDNAandamicroscopylabwhichlookedforthemicroscopic,larvalformofthemussels,veligers.BigSkyWatershedCorpsaffordedmetheopportunitytocombatAISontwofronts:educationandmonitoring.

FromHeadwaterstoFlat-water,Montana’sBirdsCallWater-basedhabitatsHome

CarolineProvost11BSWC/MontanaAudubon

WhethersurveyingalongMontana’smajorrivers,liketheMadisonandMissouriRiverImportantBirdAreas,oropen-waterhabitatslikeNinepipeNationalWildlifeRefuge,orthearidprairiepotholeregionsurroundingGlasgow,Montana’swater-basedhabitatsprovetobeamagnetforbreedingbirds.Withover50%ofourbreedingbirdsreliantonwater-basedhabitatsinsomeway,MontanaAudubonfocusesalargeportionofourannualinventoryandmonitoringeffortsinthesehabitats.DuringjustthispastsurveyseasonwehaveworkedwiththeMontanaUniversityBirdEcologylabtoconductpoint-countsonbreedingbirdsalongtheMadisonandMissouriRivers,workedtoconductcolonialwaterbirdsurveysforspeciesofconcernatfourwesternMontanasites,andworkedtoinventorythebreedinghabitatoftheBlackSwift,aheadwater’sspeciesrelianton

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perennialwaterfalls.Thesesurveyshelpedusmeasureboththediversityandabundanceofspecies,manyofwhicharestatespeciesofconcern,atkeysitesthroughoutthestate.Akeypurposeinoureffortsaretohelpthestate,throughtheworkoftheMontanaNaturalHeritageProgram,assesstheconservationstatusofourmanyavianSpeciesofConcernandSpeciesofGreatestInventoryNeed.

Fortunately,forMontanaAudubon,andthespecieswearelookingtosurvey,thereisalotofworkwecanachieveinjustonesummerofsurveyeffort.Thisworkissummarizedhere,andhighlightseffortstosurveysitesalongtheMadisonandMissouriRiverImportantBirdAreasforallbirdspeciesusingpointcounts,andsurveyfornoxiousweedsusingacentralandsub-plotmeasuringstrategy,effortstosurveycolonialwaterbirdsforlong-termtrendanalysisatNinepipeNationalWildlifeRefuge,Brown’sLake,HelenaValleyRegulatingReservoir,andLakeHelena,andeffortstolocatethelittle-knownandelusiveBlackSwift.Thesesurveystakeusfromthebottom-landcotton-woodgalleryforestsofourwiderivers,tothechurningwatersofourglacier-fedmountainsinnorthwesternMontana,andrevealafewsecretsalongtheway.

RestorationFocusedonCommunityEducationalOpportunities.

AnthonyTSammartano11MontanaAudubonCenter

WhenthelandtheMontanaAudubonCenteroperatesonwasfirstpurchased,thegoalwasforthedevelopmentofapublicuseareawherethoseinterestedinnaturalsciencescouldvisit,learnandexperienceapartofthenaturalworldwithlocalexperts.After20yearsofimmensevolunteerrestorationeffortand10yearsofprogramming,theMontanaAudubonCenterhasachievedthisgoalandhasbecomeoneofthebestplacesinBillingstobeoutsideandlearnaboutallaspectsofnature.RestorationeffortscontinuetothisdayasthelandscapematuresalongsideagrowingcommunitylandscapeintheYellowstoneCounty/GreaterBillings.ThisgrowthhasbeenbringingnewindividualsouttotheMontanaAudubonCenterandthesurroundingpropertyasfolksdiscovernewandfunthingstodowiththeirfamiliesaroundBillings.MygoalwhileservingwiththeMontanaAudubonCenterhasbeentorecruitsomeofthesenewfacesalongwithcurrentBillings’residentsintoparticipatinginanynumberoftheactivitiesthattheMontanaAudubonCenteroffers,withmyareaoffocusbeingrestoration.Thelandscapeistreatedasanecotonegarden,withvariousplantcommunitiesnotendemictotheYellowstoneRiverfloodplainscatteredacrosstheproperty,andthisgardenneedsconsistenttending.NumerousvisitorsexperiencingwhattheMontanaAudubonCenteroffersaskiftherearewaystheycanvolunteertohelpandtheVolunteerCoordinatorandmyselfdoourbesttofindopportunitiestomeettheirservicedesiresandalsotohelptoteachorprovidelearningopportunitiesinareastheseindividualsdesire.Byinvestinginourlocalcommunity,wearefosteringagrowingcommunityofpassionatefolkswholovewhattheMontanaAudubonCenterprovidesandarewillingtovolunteermoreoftheirtimetohelpkeepthisplacebeautifulandassistthestaffasourpopularityforcesusgrow.

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InventoryingHeadcutsonMesicSitesAdjacenttoSageGrouseLeksontheMatadorRanch

RyanSchaner11BigSkyWatershedCorps/TheNatureConservancy

Sagegrouse(Centrocercusurophasianus)areanendangeredNorthAmericanbirdrequiringlargeintactgrasslandswithvaryingsagebrushcover.Mesicsitesareareaswithadequateyear-roundsoilmoistureretention.Mesicareasareprimeareasforinsecthabitatandinsectproduction.Sage-grousebroodsdependupontheoverallhealthandproductionofmesicsitesforfoodandcover.TheNatureConservancy’s(TNC)MatadorRanchhastwoactivesage-grouselekswithinits60,000acres.Alekisanareawheresagegrousecongregateinthespringtomate.Aspartofanefforttomanageforsagegrouseandimprove,theirhabitatTNChasinitiatedaninventoryofmesicsitesinimportantsagegrousehabitat.A2-mileradiusfromthecenterofthelekwassurveyedforheadcutsorgullies.Aheadcutisatypeoferosionthathasachanneldepthofminimumonefootandtheheadofthegulliesisundercuttingupslope.Allheadcutssurveyedwithinthetwo-milebufferweremeasuredincubicfeetandaGPSpointwastakenforfuturereferencing.Otherlandscapefeaturesdocumentedduringsurveyingweresheeterosionareas,mass-wastingsitesandwetlanddepressions.Sheeterosionisthegradualremovalofsoilinthinareasbyoverlandfloworsplasherosion.Rockyglacialtillwasthemostcommonareadocumentedassheeterosion.Masswastingsitesareareasofdownwardmovementofsoilandrockinducedbygravity.Themostcommonmasswastingsurveyedwerehillslumps.Wetlanddepressionsareinlandaquaticecosystemwithclosedornearclosedelevationcontoursandacentralareaofgreatestdepth.Thesefeaturesareimportanttoillustratebecausethereappearedtobeacorrelationbetweennumberofheadcutsandoverallareaofsheeterosionorwetlanddepressions.ThepreviouslydescribedlandscapefeaturesandheadcutsweremappedviaArcGIStoillustrateindetailthelandscape.LekSG11-52surveyingwascompletedwithatotalof351headcutsand27mass-wastingsitesacross2,552acresofland.SheeterosionwasaprominentlandscapefeaturewithinSG11-52’sbuffer.Oneheadcutwaspresentper7.27acresofsurveyedland.LekSG11-53iscurrentlybeingsurveyedandcomparingnumberswillbereadysoon.AhistoricmesicresourceslayerprovidedbytheSageGrouseInitiative(SGI)wasaddedforfinalillustrating.ThepurposeofcreatingadetailedillustrationisofTNCtobeginlong-termremediationworkontheheadcutssurveyed.Aheadcutclassrankingsystemwasusedduringsurveyingtoassistinprioritizingfutureremediationwork.MesicresourceswerealsoseparatelymonitoredontheMatadorRanch.AphotoriparianmonitoringprojectwasconductedontheMatadorRanch.Photosweretakenatspecificlocationsbearingaspecifiedazimuthdegree.Photosfrom2001werecomparedtophotosfrom2019andanyvisualchangeswererecorded.

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ClearwaterResourceCouncil:ProtectingtheNaturalResourcesandRuralLifestyleoftheClearwaterWatershed

McKenzieCSchessl11BSWC/ClearwaterResourceCouncil

ThewaterqualityoftheClearwaterRiverBasinhasbeenaconcernforseveraldecades.IntheClearwater,thelakesandriversarethecenterofthecommunity.Theyprovidewaterforthecommunitymembers,scenicvistasanddiversewildlife;theyarethecenterofthelocaleconomyandawayoflife.Theconditionofthesurroundingwatershedisdirectlyinfluencedbytheactivitieswithinit,buttherehasbeenverylittleresearchabouttheconditionofthewatershedsinceearlierworkinthe1970sand80s.In2009acriticalanalysiswasconducted,inventoryingthelakes,streams,andcurrentknowledgeaboutthebasininordertocreateawatershedplan.TheAdopt-a-Lakeprogramwasinitiatedin2009;thepurposeoftheprogramistocollectsecchidepthandtemperaturemeasurementswhichareindicativeoftheamountofalgaeproductioninthelakesandoverallwaterquality.Forstreamhealth,CRC,withthehelpoftrained“citizen-scientist”volunteers,monitorsthenitrogen,phosphorusandturbiditylevelsof27streamsinandaroundtheClearwaterbasin.In2011,theSeeley-SwanHighSchooljoinedwithCRCtoinitiatethe“StudentsinActionMorrellCreekWaterMonitoringProject”and“RiparianClassroom”toengagestudentsinrealworldsciencerelevanttotheircommunity.Theobjectivesincludedevelopmentofhigh-qualityinformationonstreamflowsandnutrientsthatdirectlyinfluenceourlakes.ThebiggestthreattoMontanawatersaretheDreissenidmussels.Topreventaninfestation,earlydetectioniskey.CRCmonitorsthesixmajorlakesfortheDreissenidmusselsandaquaticinvasiveplantsfourtimeseachsummer.Afteranalysis,individuallakesshowyear-to-yearvariabilityindepthandtemperaturemeans,buttherehavebeennoconsistentdeclinesorimprovementsinconditionsthroughtheperiodofmonitoring.WefoundmultiplestreamsthatdidnotexceedregulatorystandardsbutshouldbeofconcernbecauseofelevatedconcentrationsofTotalP,TotalN,orboth.Moreworkisneededtoresolvetheunknownsourcesofnutrientsandthatcouldmeanrefocusingworkonandaroundthelakesandlargertributariesimmediatelyupstream.NopositivesampleshavebeendetectedwithintheClearwaterBasinforDreissenidmussels.CRC’seffortsmonitoringtheClearwaterValleylakesandstreamshaveshownthatstudentsandvolunteerscancollecthighqualityinformationatlimitedcostwiththeadditionalbenefitofengagingandeducatingthecommunityinnaturalresourceissues.

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PrecipitationIsotopeRatiosandTree-ringbasedSnowpackRelationshipstoinformPaleoclimateReconstructionsfromLakeSedimentδ18O

SpruceWSchoenemann1,JustinMartin2,GregoryTPederson2,DavidMcwethy31UniversityofMontanaWestern,2U.S.GeologicalSurvey,NorthernRockyMountainScienceCenter,3DepartmentofEarthSciences,MontanaStateUniversity

RockyMountainsnowpackovertherecent30-40yearshasshownanunprecedenteddecline,yetextendedobservationsofsnowpackarefew.Todate,tree-ringbasedreconstructionsofApril1SnowWaterEquivalent(SWE)intheNorthernRockyMountainshaveextendedthetemporalhistoryofsnowpackchangesto~1200A.D.Incombinationwithcarbonateisotopelakesediments,thereispotentialforextendingwinterseasonhydroclimaterelationshipsthroughtheHoloceneepoch,providingalong-termrecordofsnowpackandclimatevariabilitythatintegratesinternaldynamicstoorbital-scaleforcings.HerewepresentapreliminaryreconstructionofNorthernRockiessnowpackdynamicsspanning~2200yearsbasedonδ18OmeasurementsofsedimentcarbonatescollectedfromFoyLakeinnorthwestMontana.Weexplorethecalibrationoflakesedimentδ18Otoannuallyresolvedsnowpackandtemperaturereconstructionsfromtreeringsandassesspotentialsourcesoferror,aswellastechniquestoquantifysucherrorinthisnovelclimatereconstructionapproach.Toinvestigatepossibleclimaticdriversofthereconstructeddecadalδ18O/snowpackvariability,weemployHYSPLITairparcelback-trajectoriestoidentifymoderndominantseasonalmoisturesourceregionsandENSO-relatedshiftsinthestormtracks,alongwithcomparisontootherproxyreconstructions.Giventheavailabilityofsuitablelakesedimentrecords,suchreconstructionscouldprovideauniqueinsightonthemid-Holocene(~8−5ka)climaticoptimumwhentemperatureswereanalogoustothepresent-day,andmayhelpanticipatesnowderivedwateravailabilityinawarmerfuture.

CultivatingLastingConservationChangethroughSharedValuesandCollaboration

LizShull11BSWC/WildlifeConservationSociety

ThroughoutmyAmeriCorpstermwiththeWildlifeConservationSociety’sCommunityPartnershipsteam,Ihavelearnedtheimportanceoftherolesthatpartnershipsandcollaborativeeffortsplayincreatingthelastingconservationofwater,land,andwildlife.SomeoftheprojectsthatIhavespentthepasttenmonthsworkingonareourSummerWildlifeSpeakerSeriesandourBearSmartBigSkyInitiative.TheSummerWildlifeSpeakerSeriesisan8-partserieswitheventstheoccurallacrossSouthwestMontana.EacheventfocusesspecificallyonaparticularwildlifespeciesthatcallsMontanahome.Someofourspecieshighlightedthissummerweremountainlion,bighornsheep,wolverine,owls,pronghornandmore.Eacheventcreatesaconnectionbetweencommunitiesandwildlifethrougheducation,conversationandcallstoaction.

AnotherprojectthatIhavebeeninvolvedwithisthegrowthofourBearSmartBigSkywork.ThemountaincommunityofBigSky,Montanahasgrown21percentoverthepast

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fiveyears.Rapiddevelopmentandtourismcanbegreatforacommunityeconomically,butusuallycomesatacosttonaturalresources.AdramaticincreaseinthepopulationofBigSkycanbelargelyattributedtoboththerecreationalandgeographicalvaluesmakeMadisonandGallatincountiesadesirableplacetoliveinandvisit.Onanygivenday,residentsandvisitorsalikecanhike,mountainbike,ski,fish,golf,andrest,allintheconvenienceoftheirownbackyard.JustasBigSkyisgrowing,bearsarealsobeginningtoexpandoutsideoftheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystem(GYE)boundariesmovingintoinhabitedlocations.From1990-1994,therewerearecorded26femalegrizzlybearswithcubsintheGYE.Between2010-2014,thatnumbernearlydoubledto57sowswithcubs.Notsurprisingly,wehaveseenasignificantincreaseinhuman-bearconflictresultinginrelocationorthelethalremovalofbears,withintheBigSkyarea.Between1994-2002,11bearswererelocatedand4werelethallyremovedduetoconflictsinBigSky.Thesenumbersdetrimentallyincreasedto68bearsrelocatedand20lethallyremovedbetween2003-2018.

BearSmartBigSkywasinitiatedin2013toreducetrendsinbearrelocationandremovalduetohumanconflictincommunitiesthatsharethelandwithbearsandotherwildlife.Througheducation,outreach,andstrategicpartnerships,BearSmartBigSkyworksto1)reducetheavailabilityofanthropogenicattractantssuchasgarbageandbbq,2)increasecommunityawarenessabouthowtoliveandrecreatesafelyinbearcountryand3)establishregulationsandincentivestoreducebearattractantsontheland.ThroughthededicatedandcollaborativeworkofourBearSmartBigSkyCouncil,BigSkyhasbeguntoseeareductioninthenumberofbearsrelocatedandlethallyremovedamidstarapidlygrowinghumanpopulation.

WastewaterAnalysisIdentifiedDrug-UseTrendsforaMontanaCommunityonIndependenceDay2019

RebeccaTseng1,LaurenJWarner1,DeborahKeil1,CullenCunningham1,T.Jones-Lepp2,NicholasRBishop2,MirandaMargetts2,OttoStein1,EllenLauchnor11MontanaStateUniversity,2IndependentContractor-MontanaStateUniversity

Waterepidemiologystudiesofpharmaceuticalandillicitdrugscanprovideamoreaccuraterepresentationofdrugusagewithinacommunity.Bystudyingboththeinfluentandeffluentflowsofawastewatertreatmentplant,wecanmonitorcollectivecommunitydruguseandenvironmentalimpactofdrugsthatescapewastewatertreatment,respectively.OurgroupposedthequestiontoseewhetherIndependenceDay,July4th2019,wouldcoincidewithincreaseddrugusageinaMontanacommunity,population40,000.Wegathereda24-hourcompositesampleofinfluentwastewateronJuly3,4,5and6,2019.Approximately1LinfluentsampleswerefilteredusingaMillipore0.22micronporefiltertoremoveanysolidswithinthewastewatermatrix.ThisfilteredwastewaterwasacidifiedtoapHof2.Thesampleproceededthroughsolidphaseextractionandliquidchromatographytandemmassspectrometryforidentificationandquantificationofmorethan50drugsandmetabolites.Thedrugsthatshowedanincreasedconcentrationinthe

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communitywastewaterinfluentduringthisperiodincluded,andweren’tlimitedto,ketamine,cocaine,MDMA,ritalin,andmethamphetamine.

UtilizingArcGISOnlinetoCreateInteractiveToolsandStoriesfortheCharlesM.RusselCommunityWorkingGroup

MarkWerley11BigSkyWatershedCorps

ConstructiononFortPeckDamstartedin1933,atthetimeitwasthelargestearthendamintheworldanditcreatedFortPeckLake,thefifthlargestman-madelakeintheUSwithmorecoastlinethanallofCalifornia.AconsiderableamountofwaterisheldinthereservoirandinthewaterpoorlandofnortheastMontanawhereyoufindwateryoufindanareateemingwithwildlife.ThisinspiredthecreationoftheCharlesM.RusselNationalWildlifeRefuge,anareaextendingoutandsurroundingtheentiretyofthelakeintothesixcountiestouchingtherefuge.ThosearePhillips,Valley,McCone,Garfield,Petroleum,andFerguswheretheprimarydriveroftheeconomyisfarmingandranching.Thelonghistoryofproducersintheregionmeansthereisalonghistoryofworkinglandsconservation.Ranchingongrasslandsrequiresahealthyprairiesystemandlikelyisamajorfactorastowhytherefugehassuchfantasticherdsofelk,deer,andantelopeaswellastheraregrasslandbirdspeciesthataredeclininginotherpartsofthecountry.Severalforcesinrecenthistoryhavemeantthedeclineofranchingandthepopulationsandeconomiesoftheregion.Whilethepriceoflandincreasesandthesalepriceofcattledecrease,moreandmorelandisnecessarytosupportherdsthatcankeeparanchsustainable.Asfolksgrowoldertheyoftenrunintoissuestryingtotransitiontheirlandstotheirfamiliesandlandendsupbeingboughtupbyabsenteeownerswhomightnotfollowlocalconservationpracticeswhichinturncanaffectthesurroundingcommunities.Duetothelargelandscapeandhistorymuchofthelandintheregionisheldbythefederalgovernment,eitherthroughtheBureauofLandManagementortheUSFishandWildlifeService,aswellasseveralhundredacresownedbyNon-GovernmentalOrganizations.Landownersrelyongrazingleasesonthesefederallandstoprovideaffordablewaystograzetheircattle.Theuniquenatureoftheregionmeansthatthereareanumberofinterestingpartnersparticipatinginanyventure.ThefocusofoneofmyprojectshasbeenthecoordinationoftheCharlesM.RusselCommunityWorkingGroup;alooseorganizationranbytheMissouriRiverConservationDistrictsCouncilthatendeavorstoboostcommunicationandpartnershipsinordertosupporttheeconomicdevelopmentandsocialcontinuationoftheregion.TothatendtheCMRCWGhasbeenworkingontellingthestoryoftheregion,anecessarytooltoboostthemessagethatpeoplearehere,theydogoodworkfortheeconomyandland,andtheywanttostayandthrive.Myspecificoutcomehasbeenaninteractivemapthatcanbeutilizedinthisprocesstoquicklygetasnapshotoftheregionandunderstandthetrendsandissuespresentthere.Theseincludeeconomicprofiles,populationtrends,landownership,andthemostimportantthingtoproducers:precipitation.

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QuantifyingaParafluvialSoilResponsetoBeaverMimicryRestoration

BrianaKWhitehead11MontanaStateUniversity-LandResources&EnvironmentalScienceDept

BeaverMimicryRestorationisarelativelynewaquaticecologicalrestorationpracticethathasshowntobebeneficialtoanarrayofdegradedstreamfunctionsandsequentialservices.Thepracticeisdesignedtorejoinhydrologicallydisconnectedstreamsbacktotheirrespectivefloodplainsviatheinstallationofsmall-scale,naturalmaterialderived,human-madestructuresthatspanthestreamwidth.Thesestructurescapturesediment,elevatestreamstage,createthermalrefugia,andhelpinthereestablishmentofriparianandhydrophyticvegetation.Themajorityofpublishedworkonthisstreamrestorationtechniqueasfocusedonthehydrologicalorbotanicalresults,whilelittleisknownabouttheresponseinripariansoilsorratherparafluvialsoilspostBeaverMimicryRestoration.ThisworkisafirstattemptatmeasuringtheeffectsofBeaverDamMimicryonparafluvialsoilspostBeaverMimicryRestoration.ThreenovelapproacheswereusedinconjunctiontoquantifytheeffectsofBeaverMimicrywithinadjacentsoils,1.AnarrayofIndicatorsofReductioninSoils(IRIS),2.Anarrayofsoilsensorprobes,and3.On-siteplantcameras.ThesemethodsweredeployedatatreatmentandcontrollocationduringthegrowingseasonJune-Septemberin2018and2019.PreliminaryresultsshowthatsoilsadjacenttoMimicryStructuresexperienceanextendedmoistureregime,elevatedanoxicconditions,adampenedsoiltemperaturerange,andsupportvegetationgreennessduringthedrymonthscomparedtothecontrollocation.Althoughthisworkislimitedinscope,theseobservationswillfurtherourunderstandofhowthisrestorationpracticeinfluencesfloodplainconnectivity,plantreestablishmentandsubsurfaceconditions.

Proceedings - Montana AWRA€¦ · 9:00David Ketchum. High Resolution Irrigated Lands Mapping in the Western United States. 8:40Christine Sundnas. Gallatin County Interactive Water

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