CM 

 CM 



< MONTANA 



< 



I- 



General description: The wetlands of Montana include bottoms along the rivers 

 traversing the Great Plains and marshes around lakes within and close to the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



Sources of data: Information was provided by two university biologists. 



Recommendations: The Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge appears to 

 encompass the most extensive undisturbed wetland in the state. It is highly sig- 

 nificant for waterfowl and is recommended as a landmark. The Pablo, Ninepipe, 

 and Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuges have also been reported as out- 

 standing wetlands. There may be some manipulation of water levels on these 

 refuges. The pot-hole country north of the Ninepipe Reservoir, though ap- 

 parently not within the refuge, would appear to be worthy of investigation as a 

 landmark. The Freezeout Lake Game Management Area is now artificially 

 flooded during the summer. It is therefore given a lower priority rating. Flathead 

 Lake is the largest natural fresh-water lake west of the Mississippi and its waters 

 are still of exceptional quality. It should be given consideration as a landmark, 

 but more appropriately under another theme designation. 



Wetlands reported from Montana Habitat type 



MT 1 . Benton Lake National Wildlife 



Refuge F-3-M, F-2-M 



MT 2. Flathead Lake 



MT 3. Freezeout Lake Game Management 



Area F-3-M, F-4-M, F-5-M 



MT 4. * Ninepipe and Pablo National 



Wildlife Refuges F-3-M, F-4-M, F-5-M 



Pablo National Wildlife Refuge 

 (sec Ninepipe Nat. Wildlife Ref. ) 

 MT 5. *Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife 



Refuge F-3-M, F-4-M, F-5-M 



