New events coming soon.

Bear Awareness Seminar

February 21, 2022 at 6:00pm in Drummond Community Hall

Granite Headwaters Watershed Group (GHWG) is bringing back our public meetings to discuss natural resource, community issues and provide updates on GHWG programs and projects.

GHWG is hosting a public meeting about Bear Awareness and Safety on Tuesday, February 21 at 6 PM at Drummond Community Hall. Bear activity in Granite County has increased in recent years, so Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) will present on ways to recreate, live and explore within bear country.

Granite County Local Work Group Meetings

Hosted by Granite Headwaters Watershed Group & NRCS

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is the USDA’s primary private lands conservation agency. For more information about NRCS, please click here.

NRCS and Granite Headwaters Watershed Group (GHWG) are hosting Local Working Group meetings where farmers, landowners, conservation partners and other members of the community will discuss the natural resource improvement opportunities for Granite County. Based on feedback from those meetings, NRCS updates the county’s Long Range Plan and develops new Targeted Implementation Plans to address those resource concerns. This is the new format of how NRCS supports community action to determine plans and projects in Montana.

Instead of funding conservation projects on a farm-by-farm approach, NRCS targets its investments in specific areas determined by the community, to achieve clearly defined natural resource goals as identified by local partners. This harnesses the power of multiple landowners in one area undertaking similar conservation projects, to achieve a regional or landscape-scale result. This approach requires the public to attend and voice their conservation priorities in Local Working Group meetings.

This is an opportunity for you to voice your views on Granite County’s conservation needs, to help guide NRCS and USDA’s work for the next 5-10 years. Now is the time to help shape the future and preserve and enhance the rural lifestyles of Granite County. Please come to our Local Work Group meetings to make sure your voice is heard and your conservation priorities noted.

Elementary School in Hall, MT
01.10.23 at 4:00-6:00 PM

Granite County Museum in Philipsburg, MT
01.12.23 at 3:00-5:00 PM

For more information, please refer to our website or contact Austin Allen with NRCS at austin.allen@usda.gov.

FALL WATERSHED TOUR

Hosted by Granite Headwaters Watershed Group

Saturday, October 01, 2022

Lunch will be provided at no cost if you RSVP before Sunday, September 25. Ted Antonioli will provide a lunchtime lecture on the history of mining in Granite County. Board bus at 9:00 am at the Sunshine Station near Philipsburg. Bus will return to this location by 2:30 pm.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Silver King Abandoned Mine Restoration Project- The Sluice Gulch Restoration project and associated Silver King Mine cleanup project was completed in 2021 after more than 5 years of project planning. BLM facilitated the removal of contaminated mine waste from the Silver King Mine on BLM land to an upland repository. After mine-waste was removed, the adjacent Sluice Gulch on the Marletto property was restored by BLM in partnership with TU. TU hired Rowe Excavation out of Dillon, MT to reconstruct approximately 1,000 feet of stream channel and streambanks. Approximately 1,400 willow cuttings and containerized native plants were added to the streambanks and surrounding floodplain area and a fence was built around the site to protect the newly planted vegetation. 

Flint Creek Erosion Control and Habitat Restoration Project- The Flint Creek Restoration Project was completed in 2021 to improve water quality, reduce bank erosion, and improve fish and wildlife habitat on Flint Creek near Hall. The project was funding by the DEQ 319 program, FWP Future Fisheries Improvement Program, Montana Natural Resource Damage Program, and private landowners in partnership with TU. The project was designed by River Design Group and constructed by Mungas Company, Burden Fencing, and Habitat Works. The work included 1,500’ of bank and channel work including approximately 4,000 willow cuttings and 10 large wood structures, 2,310 woody plants installed in 12 wildlife-fenced planting units, and an improved fencing system for grazing management.

Allendale and Private Users Diversion Upgrade and Fish Screen Project- The Allendale and Private Users Diversions and Fish Screens Project was completed in 2021 to improve fish passage and irrigation water delivery at two large irrigation diversion dams on Flint Creek between Maxville and Hall. The project was funded by the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program and managed by DNRC in partnership with irrigators, FWP, and TU. The projects, designed by Morrison and Maeirle and constructed by Mungas Company, improved irrigation diversion infrastructure for four ditches and canals while providing upstream fish passage and preventing fish from being entrained in the ditches.

 If you would like to RSVP or have any questions, please contact Karlie Reilly at karliereillyva@gmail.com.