STUDY NUMBER ; 2.3 ( COMPLETED ) 



ORGANIZATION : Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks 

 ( MDFWP ) 



TITLE OF STUDY ; Evaluation of Management of Water Releases for 

 Fisheries from Painted Rocks Reservoir, Bitterroot River, Montana 

 (BPA Project 83-463) 



CONTACT ( S ) ; Pat Graham - Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife 



and Parks, Helena - 444-5686 



Dennis Workman, Montana Department of Fish, Wild- 

 life and Parks, Missoula - 721-5808 



OBJECTIVE ; Evaluate the effects of dewatering on trout popula- 

 tions. Develop a water management plan to optimize the use of 

 limited water through timed discharges from Painted Rocks Res- 

 ervoir. 



DURATION ; 1983 - 1987 



CURRENT STATUS : Spring and autumn fish population estimates 

 have been conducted on three sections of the river. The physical 

 characteristics of several study sections have been measured. 

 Water temperatures have been continuously recorded at four sta- 

 tions. Stream discharges have been measured on the river and 

 at major irrigation diversions. Test releases of water from 

 Painted Rocks Reservoir have been completed. 



PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS 



Reports available from the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks 

 in Missoula include: 



"Draft Water Management Plan for the Proposed Purchase of 

 Supplemental Water from Painted Rocks Reservoir, Bitterroot 

 River, Montana" (June, 1984) 



"Evaluation of Management of Water Releases for Fish- 

 eries from Painted Rocks Reservoir" Annual Report 

 (November, 1984); Quarterly Report (April, 1985); 

 Quarterly Report (July, 1985) 



