40 



VI. WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS RELATIVE TO SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES IN MONTANA 

 Presented in this section is a comprehensive inventory and evaluation of 

 specific water quality problems related to si Ivi cultural practices in 

 Montana's Statewide 208 Study Area. Approximately 170 known, suspected, 

 or anticipated "problem" areas were identified. This survey was com- 

 pleted with cooperation and assistance from state and federal agencies, 

 private corporations, citizen groups, and individuals associated with 

 timberlands and their management. Personal field contacts with district 

 offices of government agencies and the local private sector provided 

 substantial information regarding water quality impacts. Other information 

 sources which were utilized included: specific publications regarding 

 water quality and its management (DHES, DF&G, others); statistics com- 

 piled by the Conservation Districts (DNR&C) regarding erosion problems 

 on commercial forestlands; and a DF&G inventory of impacts to fisheries 

 habitat from logging practices. 



In most cases, reported problems were difficult to document. This is 

 due to the nature of non-point pollution and the lack of adequate stream 

 monitoring systems. Therefore, information from several sources was 

 gathered to most accurately assess problem areas. The text and tables ot 

 this section emphasize problem identification, reported types and causes 

 of problems, and suggested measures for mitigation or prevention of 

 problems. Plate I shows the geographic locations of the identified 

 problem areas. 



In some cases, silvicultural practices are one of several land management 

 activities contributing to non-point pollution of a watershed; isolating 

 the impacts of these activities may be difficult. Coordinated planning of 



