INTRODUCTION 



In 1976, the Montana Departiient of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MDFWP) 

 acquired the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area through the Nature Con- 

 servancy. The 55,000 acre tract had been owned by the Mount Haggin Live- 

 stock Company and was primarily used for the grazing of livestock. The 

 area, which lies about ten miles southeast of Anaconda, has historically 

 been an important hunting and fishing resource for local residents. Access 

 to the Mount Haggin Area is provided by Montana Highway 274 which roughly 

 bisects the property from north to south. 



The Mount Haggin area is situated on the eastern flanks of the Anaconda- 

 Pintlar range and is partitioned into east and west slope drainages by the 

 Continental Divide. The area is characterized by a variety of topographical 

 features and habitat types encompassing an elevational range of approximately 

 9,000 to 5,500 feet. Coniferous forests of lodgepole pine and douglas fir 

 dominate the upper slopes and ridges while whitebark pine, alpine fir, 

 spruce and aspen contribute to a lesser extent to the forest habitat. The 

 lower foothills are primarily grasslands dissected by numerous streams 

 and willow bottom riparian zones. 



Mount Haggin was acquired by the MDFWP for the management of dispersed 

 outdoor recreation. Anticipated activities include backpacking, hiking, 

 hunting, fishing, ski touring and snowmobil ing. The management of these 

 activities is to be consistent with the area's ability to support such use 

 and with a policy of returning the lands to a natural environment. A grazing 

 lease with the Mount Haggin Livestock Company and a timber sale contract with 

 the Louisiana Pacific Corporation were included under the purchase agreement. 

 These contracts are in effect at the present time. 



The Mount Haggin interim management plan of the MDFWP calls for a 

 resource inventory of the area. Inventories of archeological , (Smith, 1979) 

 historical, (Newell, 1980) and wildlife (Erickson, 1979 and Frisina, 1980) 

 resources have been completed. This report will address aspects of the 

 Mount Haggin fisheries resource including: 1) a waterquality inventory, 2) 

 a fish populations survey, and 3) a water use and flow reservation study. 

 This phase of the fisheries resource inventory is consistent with the Mount 

 Haggin interim management plan for the 1980 field season. 



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