• The water rights of the downstream power companies may 

 significantly affect upstream uses. It will be difficult 

 to develop upstream and offstream storage if they have 

 the water rights to all this water. 



• There is concern about ground water quality and irrigation 

 wells and the ability to continue to use this source of 

 water. 



• Low pH and high metals concentrations in Butte and 

 Anaconda area soils resulting from past fallout from 

 the smelters is a problem for farmers and ranchers in 

 developing irrigation systems. 



• The covering up of some sites that is being done by EPA is 

 putting cleaner water into the stream and the polluted 

 soils are not draining into the river as much. 



• Some discussion of the benefits and costs of cleanup in 

 the headwaters should be included if public support is 

 to be obtained. 



• The idea of using municipal wastewater for irrigation is 

 good if metals are not excessive. Communities like 

 Deer Lodge and Drummond should be considering this sort 

 of operation. 



• Data from the numerous studies should be given to the 

 State Libraries, the State Water Plan, and the 

 computerized data base. There is a need to build on 

 studies. 



Jerry Gless, Citizen 



• The 30-day public comment period for this report is too 

 short. 



Response: The public comment period could not be extended 

 due to the publication deadline for this report. 



• The major problem in the drainage is that 100 years 

 of rent on the environment just came due. There is a 

 staggering volume of toxic material that is extremely 

 complex. 



• The Clark Fork Basin Project in the Governor's Office 

 has been useful and essential as a clearing house for 



all the agencies. However, the recommendations may not go 

 very far without force of law. 



A-2 



