There are no major water-ways within the study area. Snyder 

 Creek, Hen Creek, Cherry Creek and Eap;le Creek drain the west 

 side of the study area as they flow into Rosebud Creek. Sweeney 

 Creek and Beaver Creek rise in the northern portion of the study 

 area and flow north to the Yellowstone River. Nine small drain- 

 ages provide for run-off from the eastern portions of the area to 

 the Tongue River. 



The study area straddles the Rosebud Creek-Tongue River 

 divide. Ponderosa pine subtypes dominate the area (Figure 2). 

 Sagebrush-grassland subtypes occur along the edges of the study 

 area near the two major flood plains outside the study area. 

 Very small patches of riparian vegetation are found in the most 

 mesic coulee bottoms and creek bottoms. It is by far the smallest 

 of the vegetation types found on the study area. Cattle ranching 

 is the only agricultural business conducted within the study area. 



Greenleaf-Miller 



The Greenleaf-Miller study area (Figure 3) is located west of 

 the Tongue River approximately 6 miles south of Colstrip, Montana. 

 All of its 58,000 plus acres are within Rosebud County. The 

 southern boundary of the study area is the Northern Cheyenne Indian 

 reservation. 



Rosebud Creek flows through the northwest corner of the study area. 

 Greenleaf Creek and Miller Creek are the major drainages in the 

 study area. They rise on the reservation and flow northward into 

 Rosebud Creek. Lay Creek, Bean Creek and Downey Coulee are also 

 important drainages in the area. 



The southern and eastern portions of the study area have significant 

 stands of ponderosa pine (Figure H) . Although ponderosa pine is the 

 largest vegetation type, most of the study area is covered by 

 sagebrush-grassland vegetation subtypes. Most of the riparian 

 vegetation is located in the Rosebud Creek flood plain. Isolated 

 stands of deciduous trees and shrubs are found in the smaller 

 drainages, especially Greenleaf Creek. Agricultural fields are 

 practically all located on the lowland benches and flood plains. 

 Alfalfa and small grains comprise the bulk of the crops produced. 

 Livestock operations are the principal economic endeavor within 

 the study area. Sandstone bluffs are very common in the central 

 and southwestern portions of the study area. 



Foster Creek 



The Foster Creek study area (Figure 5) is located west of Pumpkin 

 Creek and Highway 312, about 15 miles northeast of Ashland. It 

 is adjacent to and north of the Custer National Forest and comprises 

 approximately 62,720 acres in Custer and Powder River counties. 



All drainages on the study area are intermittent and were devoid 

 of flowing water during the study period. Foster Creek is the 

 principal drainage of the central and northern portions. Drainages 



