1 . STREAM 

 Seymour Creek 



2. DESCRIPTION 



Seymour Creek originates on the east slope of the Anaconda-Pintlar 

 Range at the Continental Divide. The extreme upper reaches of the stream 

 lie within the Anaconda-Pintlar Wilderness area. The stream flows in a 

 southerly direction for approximately 16.8 miles to its confluence with 

 the Big Hole River. The majority of the 31.7 square mile drainage lies 

 within the Beaverhead and Deer Lodge National Forests while smaller portions 

 of the lower drainage are under the control of the MDFWP and private 

 landowners. The upper drainage is characterized by alpine meadows and 

 steep heavily timbered canyons and ridges. The stream meanders through 

 broad willow bottoms and grass and sedge meadows in the lower drainage. 

 Upper and lower Seymour Lakes as well as numerous unnamed lakes lie within 

 the drainage. Riparian vegetation is primarily composed of willow, alder, 

 grasses and sedges. Numerous beaver ponds characterize the lower drainage. 

 The only major tributary of Seymour Creek is Chub Creek. The average 

 gradient of the 22 foot wide channel is 36.7 feet per 1,000 feet. 



Lands within the Seymour Creek drainage are used for recreation in 

 the form of hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, backpacking and winter 

 sports. The lower drainage is considered to be high quality winter range 

 for moose (Frisina, personal communication). No estimate of fishing pressure 

 is available for Seymour Creek; however, numerous fishermen were observed 

 during the summer of 1980. Fishing pressure on Seymour Lake in 1975-76 was 

 estimated at 469 fishermen days (MDFWP, 1976). Past and present commercial 

 uses of the drainage include livestock grazing, timber harvest and diversion 

 of water for irrigation. 



Chemical analyses were performed on water samples collected from Sey- 

 mour Creek during the summer of 1980. The data revealed that Seymour Creek 

 has excellent water quality marked by '^ery low specific conductance, 

 alkalinity, hardness, suspended sediment and concentrations of dissolved ions. 

 The stream is a weak calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate water of nearly neutral pH. 

 Seymour Creek streambanks and riparian areas are relatively stable and in good 

 condition. Potential environmental impacts are sedimentation from existing 

 clear cut areas and roads and damage to riparian areas and banks 

 from cattle. 



3. FISHERIES 



A 1,000 foot section of Seymour Creek was electrofished on August 11 and 

 August 25, 1980. The only game fish captured were brook trout while the 

 mottled sculpin was the only nongame species collected. Electrof ishing data 

 are summarized in Table 18. 



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