120 



Lower Missouri River Basin 



Minor timber resources, are found in the Lower Missouri River basin. 

 However, there are no valid inventory figures available regarding volume 

 or acreage of this resource (YTAPO, 1976). Commercial saw timber is 

 found in the headwater areas of the Musselshell and Judith River basins. 

 Occassional post and pole type operations occur on both public and private 

 lands throughout the area. 



There are also broadleaf forests which occur in the area. Cottonwood 

 forests are found along several streambanks, on islands in the river, 

 and on other riparian tracts. No figures are currently available which 

 describe the acreage estimates for this timber resource. Commercial 

 development of cottonwood forests was attempted along the Yellowstone 

 River in the early 1970' s "It was the opinion of the agency personnel 

 at three federal offices that if a large, modernly equipped company 

 (Georgia-Pacific) couldn't develop a commercial operation to utilize this 

 resource, probably no other company would in the future." (YTAPO, 1976). 



10. Judith River Drainage 



The Judith River drainage (central Montana) is defined by the Judith 

 Mountains to the east, the Big Snowy Mountains and Little Belt Mountains 

 to the south, and minor drainage divides to the west. The DNR&C drainage 

 basin number is 41 S. The upper reaches are classified as B-D streams and 

 the lower reaches are B-D2 (DHES). 



The headwater areas contain commercial timber. Although most forestland is 

 under USPS ownership, there are also private, state, and BLM forestland 

 ownerships. There are current harvesting activities in the area, expected 

 to expand as a new mill moves to the area (Judith Gap, Montana). Related 

 water quality impacts are listed in Table VI -CIO and located on Plate I, 



