Introduction 



research design and findings. A formal Memo- 

 randum of Understanding was signed by all the 

 cooperating members in August of 1988. (See 

 Appendix A.) 



Purpose and Specific Objectives 



Purpose: 



To improve the management of Flat- 

 head area forested watersheds through 

 the development and application of 

 state-of-the-art information to prevent 

 or mitigate the potential adverse ef- 

 fects of specific forest practices on 

 water quality and fisheries. 



Specific Objectives: 



• To document, evaluate, and moni- 

 tor whether forest practices affect 

 water quality and fisheries within 

 the Rathead Basin; and, 



• If detrimental impacts exist, to 

 establish a process to utilize this 

 information todevelop criteria and 

 administrative procedures for pro- 

 tecting water quality and fisher- 

 ies. 



Nature of Project Results 



The initial product of the research, monitor- 

 ing, and analysis was a series of reports and 

 scientific publications that define how certain 

 forest practices affect water quality and fisher- 

 ies. The second and most important product of 

 the Cooperative Program will be the use of the 

 research results in the management of Montana 

 forests. 



This cooperative program included a vari- 

 ety of modules. Some studies were conducted 



to obtain a better understanding of the overall 

 interactions among forest practices, water qual- 

 ity, and fisheries. Other studies were direct 

 approaches to evaluate and provide new infor- 

 mation on management practices. A variety of 

 research methods were used, including histori- 

 cal analysis of existing data, collection of new 

 field data, field audits of management practices 

 by teams of experts, formal summaries of ex- 

 pert opinion, field assessment of environmental 

 conditions, experimental work, and evaluation 

 of models. Workshops were held during the 

 program in an attempt to communicate and 

 explore all possible opportunities to link studies 

 together where possible and appropriate. 



The studies were conducted in cooperation 

 with the land managers and resource manage- 

 ment agencies. However, every attempt was 

 made to have the researchers maintain inde- 

 pendence of analysis and interpretation of re- 

 sults. The organization of reports illustrates this 

 process. The complete individual module re- 

 ports stand alone as scientific documentation of 

 findings of the individual studies. This report 

 provides a summary of module results with the 

 addition of specific conclusions. 



The administrative structure of the Coop- 

 erative Program itself was conducive to trans- 

 lating the results of the research into on-the- 

 ground management. The participants included 

 the major land managers and natural resource 

 agencies in the upper Flathead Basin. These 

 participants worked cooperatively throughout 

 the study. The public has also been informed 

 and involved in the Cooperative Program 

 through the Flathead Basin Commission. The 

 consequence of this structure was a shared 

 "ownership" of the research results by all par- 

 ties, and thus a substantial momentum toward 

 understanding and improving forest manage- 

 ment practices based on the research results. 



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Flathead Basin Cooperative Program Final Report 



