Recreation. Aesthetics, and Tourism 



The Clark Fork and its tributaries are important 

 fishing and recreation areas. Montana statutes recognize 

 this resource as worthy of protection. The fish species that 

 would be protected by instream flow reservations contribute 

 to the well-being of the people of Montana and visitors who 

 enjoy the fishing opportunities Montana has to offer. In 

 addition to sustaining existing recreation, adequate instream 

 flows would preserve the opportunity to enhance fish 

 populations as water quality improves. This, in turn, would 

 result in more recreational opportunities in the future. 



If the instream flow reservations requested by DFWP in 

 the upper Clark Fork Basin are not granted, the deterioration 

 of aquatic habitat and recreational interests is inevitable. 

 The rate of deterioration would depend upon the degree to 

 which further dewatering would be allowed to occur. Such 

 deterioration is already evident in the Bitterroot River 

 drainage and in portions of the upper Clark Fork Basin. 



The DFWP reservations are for the amounts of water 

 necessary to sustain the organisms without significant long- 

 term reduction in quantity and quality. Increased water 

 withdrawals over existing levels would, in the long run, 

 reduce the availability of habitat and, consequently, the 

 number of organisms that can occupy that habitat. There is a 

 limit to the amount of water that can be removed from any 

 stream channel without severely changing the quantity and 

 quality of the aquatic species present or limiting the 

 biological potential of the stream. In portions of the Clark 

 Fork Basin, that limit has already been exceeded. 



Tourism for recreational purposes is rapidly becoming 

 Montana's second-most important industry. The high quality 

 and abundance of Montana's natural resources provide unique 

 opportunities for fishing, hunting, boating, river running, 

 and simply relaxing in an aesthetic environment. The City of 

 Missoula, for example, seeks to maintain adequate flows in 

 the Clark Fork through its riverside park and greenway and 

 to develop a kayak racecourse in this same river reach. The 

 tourism, recreation, and aesthetic values are directly 

 related to the adequacy of instream flows. Reservations of 

 instream flow are the only current means to preserve these 

 amenities. 



Riparian Areas 



The riparian ecosystems of the Clark Fork and its 

 tributaries are transitional zones between the aquatic and 

 terrestrial habitats. This streamside zone of vegetation is 



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