The distribution within the species category was more normal 

 when compared to the habitat category. Most river units fell into 

 Class II (34 percent) or Class III (30 percent) species value, 

 with only 18 percent in both Class I and Class IV. Only the top 

 10 percent of those river units within each species subcategory 

 could achieve Class I species value. Thus, to earn a Class I 

 species value, the unit must support critical habitat for a 

 diversity of threatened or endangered species, species of special 

 concern, or game and furbearing species in order to accumulate 

 sufficient points. Notable river units which earned more than 115 

 game points of a possible 153 include the upper Red Rock River, 

 the southern tributaries to the Big Hole, and the western 

 tributaries to the Madison. These river units plus Dupuyer Creek 

 along the Rocky Mountain Front and the East and West Forks of 

 Rosebud Creek in the Beartooth Mountains all supported critical 

 habitat and/or high densities for at least six big game species -- 

 elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, black bear, moose, and bighorn 

 sheep -- as well as moderate populations of other game and 

 furbearing wildlife. 



The three top river units containing significant habitats for 

 species of special concern included the lower portion of the Big 

 Hole and Jefferson Rivers and the upper Madison River basin. 

 Streams with the most threatened and endangered species points 

 include the upper Red Rock, Madison, and Stillwater rivers in 

 western Montana. 



RECREATION 



A total of 778 river reaches in over 12,000 miles of rivers 

 were identified, mapped, and entered into the master data base. 

 Nine percent were rated as having Outstanding value for 

 recreation, 18 percent as Substantial, 43 percent as Moderate, and 

 21 percent as Limited. The MDFWP and USES rated 9,000 miles and 

 the BLM assessed nearly 5,000 miles (Table 6). Only three reaches 

 in the state received a Class I rating from all three agencies; 

 lower Rock Creek in the Clark Fork, the Beaverhead and the Smith 

 River. The value of the remaining nine percent was unknown. 

 Almost three-quarters of the segments were rated as not boated due 

 to small size, low flows, or other reasons. Of the boated 

 stretches, less than five percent were rated as containing major 

 rapids, pointing to the scarcity of the Whitewater resource. 

 Thirty-five percent of the Class I river segments were in MDFWP 

 Region 3, southwestern Montana (Table 7). 



This was the first comprehensive study of the recreational 

 values of rivers in Montana. The scope of this study was limited 

 because time and budget constraints did not permit the complete 

 field inventory commonly used to conduct inventories of 

 recreational resources. While suitable for use as a planning 

 document in the initial stages of hydropower planning, this 

 inventory is not suitable for actually siting facilities. 



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