'.r. 19P.5, the Fish .mrl Wildlife Service (FWS) recoonized :he need to evaluate 

 the f'jture of land acquisUion in Flathead and Lake Counties, Montana (figure 

 IK The need resulted from two issues: (1) the BPA was nearing aooroval and 

 i-iolementation of a wildlife mi ti qation/enhancement olan for construction of 

 nungry Horse Dam, and (2) limited funding for FWS wetland acauisition 

 necessitated a decision to evaluate and prioritize tracts for acquisition. 



"^his report orovides background on FVIS land acquisition in northwest Montana. 

 .' t presents a list of tracts for acquisition by the FWS or other entities to 

 T^aintain waterfowl production in the drea . The report also recommends two 

 structural developments as BPA mitigation projects. 



lUMMARY CF ACQUISITION TO DATE 



Fish and Wildlife Service 



-i-psentlv the Service owns the following lands m Flathead ana Lake Counties 

 see maps, Figures 2 and 3). 



National Bison 

 Swan River NWR 

 Smith Lake WPA 

 Batavia WPA 

 Flathead WPA 

 Sansmark WPA 

 Montgomery WPA 

 Herak WPA 

 Creston NFH 

 TOTAL 



Range 



Acres 



22,824* 

 1,569 

 1,040 (+1,400 ac. meandered' 



510 



2,370 



400 



80 



80 



74 



28,947 



The National Bison Ranqe manaqer also has management jurisdiction on Pablo 

 'IWR (2,542 acres) and Ninepipe NWR (2,022 acres) under agreement with Bureau 

 of Indian Affairs. 



Delineation of wetlands for acquisition in the Small Wetland Acquisition 

 program began in 1966. The FWS met with Montana personnel to discuss a 16 

 county acquisition program. In 1968, the FWS identified acreage goals for nine 

 counties including Lake (1,000 acres in fee) and Flathead (1,000 acres in fee). 

 At that time the State had approved a program in only two counties; Sheridan 

 anc Roosevelt. By 1969, about 40,000 acres had been delineated for acguisition 

 ip Montana including 4,300 acres in Flathead County and 1,500 acres in Lake 

 County. 



