EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 



The Pacific Northwest Rivers Study was initiated by a measure 

 in the Northwest Power Planning Council (the Council) Fish and 

 Wildlife Program and funded by the Bonneville Power Administration 

 (BPA). The study, begun in 1985, was designed to identify river 

 related natural resource values through a consistent and 

 verifiable data base. The data were to be used by the Council and 

 BPA for future hydroelectric development decisions including 

 establishing areas to be protected from hydrodevelopment to be 

 included in the Council's Protected Areas Program, site ranking 

 and energy supply curves. The Montana Rivers Study assessed 

 Montana's rivers and streams for their fish and wildlife values 

 and their recreational, natural and cultural features. The study 

 was coordinated by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and 

 Parks with participation from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of 

 Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the 

 Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. 



Standards and criteria were established to assess each 

 resource value independently using existing data in a comparative 

 assessment. A significance rating was given to each reach 

 assessed of Class I for Outstanding, Class II for Substantial, 

 Class III for Moderate and Class IV for Limited. Resources with 

 an unknown value were identified as a Class V. A review by 

 resource experts and participants followed the assessment. A set 

 of programs written in dBase III+ using IBM compatible personal 

 computers was developed to query the information. 



Nearly 20,000 stream miles were rated in the Montana Rivers 

 Study including over 18,000 miles for their fisheries values, 

 12,000 miles for their recreational features, 400 botanical 

 features, 900 geologic features and 400 wildlife assessment units 

 describing the state's wildlife. Features or stream reaches 

 receiving an Outstanding, or Class I, natural resource value 

 included 2,197 miles or 12 percent of the assessed fisheries 

 reaches, 48 or 12 percent of the wildlife assessment units, 2,160 

 miles or 18 percent of the reaches assessed for recreation, 73 or 

 18 percent of the botanical features, and 179 or 23 percent of the 

 geologic features. Lands excluded fron the assessment included 

 National Parks and wilderness areas because of their designation 

 prohibiting hydroelectric development. Indian tribes in Montana 

 did not participate in the study. 



Based on results from the Montana Rivers Study, the Montana 

 Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks established criteria and 

 recommended stream reaches in western Montana for their fish 

 and/or wildlife values to be included in the Council's Protected 

 Areas Program. Of the 6,800 miles of stream in western Montana, 

 we recommended a total of 2,048 stream miles be protected from 

 future hydroelectric development including 832 miles for their 

 fisheries values and 1,484 miles for their wildlife values. 



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