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5. Rock Creek Drainage 



Rock Creek is tributary to the Clark Fork River in western Montana. It's 

 area is defined by drainage divides in the John Long Mountains to 

 the east, the Sapphire Mountains to the west, the Anaconda Range to the 

 south, with the mouth near Clinton, Montana. Its drainage basin 

 identification number is 76E (DNR&C), and the waters are classed as B-Dj 

 streams (DHES). Rock Creek is also a designated Blue Ribbon trout 

 stream (DF&G). 



The headwaters of Rock Creek are in the USFS's Philipsburg Ranger District 

 of the Deer Lodge National Forest. Approximately eight years ago, the 

 USFS placed a moratorium on timber sales within this District. As a 

 result, the private (and other non-USFS) timber lands in the upper reaches 

 of Rock Creek have been extensively logged. However, due to land owner- 

 ship patterns, the merchantable timber acreage on non-USFS lands is 

 limited. Impacts to water quality (if any) from these harvests have 

 not been quantified, although the USFS has cited some inadequate harvesting 

 methods (poor skidding, poor slash disposal, poor road construction) used 

 on private lands (USFS - Philipsburg, pers. comm.). In some areas of 

 gently sloping terrain and in dry drainages, these practices would 

 have a minimal effect upon stream water quality. However, these same 

 poor harvesting practices when occurring in close proximity to perennial 

 streams, could severely impact water quality. Such sensitive areas 

 include Upper Willow Creek (T7,8, 9N, R15W) and Rock Creek (T7N, R16W). 



The middle section of the Rock Creek drainage contains yery little non- 

 USFS land ownership. Some clearing has occurred in the past, associated 

 with patented mining claims along Rock Creek proper. 



