DATA AVAILABILITY AND USES 



Although the data collected by the Montana Rivers Study are 

 summarized in this report, there are over 4,000 stream reaches 

 listed in the Montana Rivers Study Data Management System. A hard 

 copy or floppy discs of the individual stream data by reach and a 

 software system to query the data are available on 5-1/4 inch 

 floppies and contain approximately 7 megabytes of information 

 (Appendix C). The software programs were written in dBase III+ 

 language and are designed to be used on IBM compatible personal 

 computers using the MSDOS operation system. The data can be 

 queried by a variety of geographic descriptors, by final value 

 class or by river name. A more detailed description of the data 

 management system can be found in The M ontana Rivers Study Data 

 Management S yste m , U ser's Man ual, M arch 1987 . This publication 

 and the data are available at the Montana State Library Natural 

 Resource Information System in Helena through Jim Stimson, Data 

 Manager (444-4356); or the Montana Department Fish, Wildlife and 

 Parks Fisheries Division headquarters in Helena (444-3187); or the 

 Special Projects Bureau of MDFWP Region 1 office in Kalispell 

 (752-5501) . 



Data Uses 



The data within the Montana Rivers Study data management 

 system provide a comparative assessment of Montana's rivers and 

 streams natural resources which can be used to conduct preliminary 

 stream reviews. These data are not intended, however, to be used 

 for siting facilities. The data bases utility will increase as 

 data is expanded, updated, and revised. Although originally 

 intended for addressing energy related issues, the use of the 

 data has greatly expanded to other resource uses and development 

 questions. These uses have included: 



- US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management review of 

 streams for inclusion in Wild and Scenic Rivers review 



- State and Federal Agencies 



* Initial scoping and resource planning activities 



* Input to regulatory and administrative processes 



* Preliminary assessments for stream-related site development 



* Documentation of unique and valuable natural features 



- Fish, Wildlife and Parks state waterways program, river 

 management plans 



- Private groups interested in potential land acquisitions 



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