PACIFIC iiORTir.'UST RIVERS STUDY 



Results of Assessinc, the Signif iccince of River Seyfricnts dno Systeins for 



Rdtufcil Features in iiontaiid 



LEAD AGEfiCY 



Montana Department of natural Resources and Conservation 



SENIOR RESOURCE EXPERT AMD STAFF 



Larry Thompson (present address: Montana Natural Fiesource Information System, 

 1515 East Sixth, Helena, MT 59620) (405)444-3115 



Tor.i Ring (406)444-6765, Montana Department of Natural Resources and 

 Conservation, 1520 East 6th, Helena, I-iT 59520 



Nancy Johnson (406)444-5797, iiontana Department of Natural Resources and 

 Conservation, 1520 East 6th, Helena, MT 59620 



COOPERATING RESOURCE EXPERTS 



Janet Johnson, USPS, P. 0. Box 7569, Missoula MT 59801 (406)329-3516 

 Bert Williams, DLM, P.O. Box 55800, killings, MT 59807 (406)657-6561 



INTRODUCTION 



The Pacific Northwest Rivers Study was initiated in 1984 to assess the 

 significance of river segments and systems for a variety of fish, wildlife, natural, 

 cultural, and recreational resource values. The Montana Department of Natural 

 Resources and Conservation was designated to take the lead in assessing the value of 

 rivers for natural features in the state of i-iontana. l.ork on ootanical featurtjo was 

 conouctea by the Nature Conservancy under contract to DfJRC; other work was done by 

 DNRC staff. 



This report summarizes the methods used in and the results of the natural 

 features assessment. It identifies the value classes to which natural features were 

 assigned, the criteria used to determine the value of natural features, the 

 standards used to apply these criteria, and the process by which decisions were 

 made. 



The approach followed in this assessment relied heavily on the cor.ipi I ation of 

 existing data. Very few new data were generated, although much unpublished 

 information was brought together for the first time, t-io fiela investigations were 

 conducted. The products of the stuoy are a set of 1:100,000 maps of iiontana on 

 which known natural features are plotted, together with accompanying docuraentation 

 and suygested value class ratings for each feature and for selected river reaches 

 The documentation and value class ratings are contained in a computerized ceta base. 



