Montana senator wants increase in Bighorn River flows

2007-09-08

Source: Billings Gazette

Montana Sen. Max Baucus is again pressuring the Bureau of Reclamation to increase flows in the Bighorn River, this time citing the need for more water to ensure successful brown trout spawning after unsuccessfully lobbying to increase flows for spring-spawning rainbow trout.

In a letter sent Thursday to Dan Jewell, the Bureau of Reclamation's area director, Baucus, D-Mont., asked that flows be increased to 2,500 cubic feet per second to send water into side channels used for spawning, noting that brown trout populations have decreased from 9,000 per mile in 1997 to around 2,000 today.

"As we approach fall, I strongly urge the Bureau of Reclamation to address the needs of the Bighorn River fishery and step up stream flows in support of the fall trout spawns," Baucus wrote. He said increasing Yellowtail Dam releases to 2,500 cfs will "ensure that the Bighorn River fishery is not deprived of an entire age-class of trout."

Water flows in the Bighorn have become a divisive issue between Montana and Wyoming. Wyoming wants more water held behind Yellowtail Dam to provide water for recreation on Bighorn Lake, arguing that for years BuRec has left recreation areas such as Horseshoe Bend high and dry. Montana fishing and recreation interests want sufficient water released to provide habitat for the river trout fishery below the dam.

"The Bureau of Reclamation has stayed on management plan since last October," said Bob Croft, chairman of the board of the Friends of Bighorn Lake, which organized to support keeping water in the lake. "And in a low-water year, Montana is getting more than it's entitled to."

Current flows into the Bighorn River are 1,750 cfs, an increase from 1,500 cfs that BuRec had allocated up until June. The lake level is 10 feet below full pool, with about 1,400 cfs flowing into the reservoir.

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