and species rating. Those famiMar with the Musselshell 

 categorize the river into three fisheries: the 75 miles from its 

 headwaters to Barber contains a cold-water fishery including 

 westslope cutthroat trout, whitefish and introduced brook, rainbow 

 and brown trout. While riparian cover and undercut banks provide 

 good habitat, 11 major diversions substantially reduce stream 

 flows during the summer months. Recent data indicate that brown 

 trout populations and biomass were severely affected by the 

 drought of 1985, particularly younger trout. The 125-mile mid 

 section from Barber to Musselshell is considered a transitional 

 zone from a cold-water to a warm-water fishery. Through numerous 

 plants of smallmouth bass, a self-sustaining population has been 

 established although population numbers are low and fluctuate 

 widely from year to year. The lower warm water zone, stretching 90 

 miles to the mouth, provides a sport fishery as well as spawning 

 habitat for sauger and channel catfish migrating from Fort Peck 

 Reservoir. 



Nearly 13 percent of the 239 Class I miles in the central 

 Missouri are located in the heart of Montana -- Big Spring Creek, 

 a gemstone in the Judith River Basin. Of the 34 spring creeks 

 assessed in the Montana Rivers Study, Big Spring Creek is the 

 longest, the most heavily fished, and was one of the three 

 considered a Class I spring creek in the state. Based on recent 

 fish population estimates. Big Spring Creek continues to provide 

 a premier trout stream to a region where cold-water fisheries are 

 rare . 



Wildlife 



With the exception of the Audubon's bighorn sheep, the 

 American bison, the plains grizzly bear and the wolf, much of what 

 Lewis and Clark saw in 1805 can still be seen along the central 

 Missouri River today. Majestic cliffs and desolate badlands, 

 thriving herds of deer, elk and antelope, abundant birds of prey 

 tall stands of cottonwoods interspersed with dense willows, and 

 lush green meadows are a few of the natural resources that still 

 thrive today. 



The central Missouri assessment area, including the Smith and 

 the Judith rivers, consists of 27 river units; 11 of these (41 

 percent) achieved Class I or II final resource values (Table 49). 

 Due to their pristine character, high diversity, and abundant 

 wetlands and cottonwood gallery forests, all four sections of the 

 Missouri main stem from the Smith River confluence to Fort Peck 

 Reservoir earned Class I habitat ratings. In addition, all but 

 one of these main stem reaches achieved Class I species value 

 because they contain historic peregrine eyries, and provide 

 important habitats for wintering bald eagles, migrating waterfowl, 

 nesting herons, and raptors such as ospreys and golden eagles. 

 In addition to these spectacular main stem sections, the diverse, 

 forested, and meandering lower portion of Belt Creek also achieved 



125 



