1 . STREAM 

 Tenmile Creek 



2. DESCRIPTION 



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

 range at the Continental Divide. The stream flows in a southerly direction 

 for approximately 9.1 miles to its juncture with Sevenmile Creek to form 

 Deep Creek and has no major tributaries. The 9.6 square mile drainage 

 is characterized by high alpine meadows, timbered slopes and ridges, and 

 broad willow bottoms as the elevation decreases. The alpine portion of the 

 drainage contains numerous mountain lakes. Predominant vegetation types 

 are coniferous forest in the upper reaches and a willow-grass-sedge riparian 

 zone in the lower reaches. Numerous beaver ponds are found in the lower 

 riparian region. The average gradient of the 12.3 foot wide channel is 

 57.9 feet per 1,000 feet. The majority of the Tenmile Creek drainage lies 

 within the Deerlodge National Forest while the lower portions of the 

 drainage are controlled by MDFWP. 



Lands within the Tenmile Creek drainage are used for recreational 

 hunting, fishing, trapping, backpacking, camping and winter sports. The 

 lower riparian zone is considered to be important moose winter range. No 

 estimate of fishing pressure is available for Tenmile Creek; however, some 

 fishermen use was observed during the summer of 1980. Past commercial uses 

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

 water. Present commercial uses of the drainage include livestock grazing, 

 timber harvest and commercial guiding and outfitting. 



Chemical analyses were performed on water samples collected from 

 Tenmile Creek during the summer of 1980. The data revealed that the stream 

 has excellent water quality marked by very low specific conductance, alkalinity, 

 hardness, suspended sediment and concentrations of dissolved ions. The stream 

 is a weak calcium-sodium-bicarbonate water of nearly neutral pH. 



3. FISHERIES 



A 1,000 foot section of Tenmile Creek was electrof ished on August 12 and 

 August 21, 1980. Game fish captured in descending order of abundace were 

 brook trout, rainbow trout and burbot. Mottled sculpins were the only nongame 

 species present. Electrofishing survey data are summarized in Table 26. 



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