Introduction 



o, 



'ver the past few decades, the make-up 

 of the economy of the Flathead Basin has stead- 

 ily changed. Once almost dominated by timber 

 processing and agriculture, the area has experi- 

 enced steady growth in recreation and tourism, 

 retirement population, and more diversified 

 manufacturing. People have been attracted by 

 the Basin's considerable amenity values, un- 

 crowded landscapes, a relatively mild temper- 

 ate climate, and a clean environment. As popu- 

 lations have grown, the concern to keep Flat- 

 head Basin waters pristine has also increased, 

 and forest management activities have come 

 under more intensive public scrutiny. Many 

 people have challenged logging and road con- 

 struction activities as a perceived threat to water 

 quality and fishery habitat. 



The concern over what may happen to state 

 forested watersheds has been expressed through 

 the passage of House Joint Resolution 49 by the 

 Montana Legislature in 1987, appeals of na- 

 tional forest plans, and increased public scru- 

 tiny of timber management programs of State- 

 owned and privately-owned lands. Timber man- 

 agers and purchasers are in turn affected by the 

 uncertainty, as planned operations are delayed 

 and adverse economic impacts result. 



In response to these concerns the principal 

 forest land managers in the Flathead River 

 Basin (Flathead National Forest, Plum Creek 

 Timber Company, L.P., and Montana Depart- 

 ment of State Lands) proposed a cooperative 

 effort to learn how forest practices arc affecting 

 water quality and fisheries within the Basin. 



Cooperative Study Program 



The Flathead Basin Forest Practices/Water 

 Quality and Fisheries Cooperative Program rep- 

 resents a concerted and coordinated effort by 

 state, federal, and private interests to work 

 together to learn how forest practices are affect- 

 ing water quality and fisheries, and to develop 

 methods to utilize the findings in the manage- 

 ment of Flathead Basin forests. 



The Cooperative Program was administered 

 by a Coordinating Team representing the Mon- 

 tana Department of State Lands Forestry Divi- 

 sion, the Flathead National Forest, Plum Creek 

 Timber Company, L.P., the Montana Depart- 

 ment of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Montana 

 Department of Health and Environmental Sci- 

 ences' Water Quality Bureau, the University of 

 Montana, and the Flathead Basin Commission. 

 A representative of the Environmental Quality 

 Council served as a liaison to the Cooperative. 



The Flathead Basin Commission was the 

 nominal sponsor of the effort, providing logis- 

 tical and staff support and serving as an "um- 

 brella" organization under which the Coopera- 

 tive Program operated. Each specific research 

 project was under the direction of a scientific 

 study leader, while resource specialists from 

 various organizations provided technical assis- 

 tance as needed. Citizen participation in the 

 Cooperative Program was coordinated through 

 the Flathead Basin Commission, with both for- 

 mal and informal opportunities for the inter- 

 ested public to review and comment on the 



Flathead Basin Cooperative Program Final Report 



Page 3 



