During the spring of 1998 the Ponderosa Pine in several of the 

 valley bottom areas of the Wolf Creek drainage, including parts of 

 this proposed area, experienced a significant amount of needle 

 disease. The causal agent was Elvtroderma deformans or Elytroderma 

 needlecast . Infections from this fungus fluctuate from year to 

 year, depending on the weather conditions when the spores are being 

 released. The fungus infects and kills needles, and also invades 

 twigs, causing localized brooming. Direct tree killing seldom 

 occurs, but prolonged infections make trees more susceptible to bark 

 beetles. Conditions should improve some time in the future. 



Hvdroloay, Fisheries & Soils 



Gladstone Creek is a 3,679 acre third order watershed with 89% 

 forest cover. It is a Class I stream under the Montana SMZ law and 

 rules, with both perennial and intermittently flowing stream 

 segments. French Creek is a 1590 acre second order watershed with 

 91% forest cover. It is a perennial Class I stream. 



This portion of the Upper-Missouri River Basin, including all of the 

 Wolf Creek drainage, is classified B-1 in the Montana Water Quality 

 Standards. Waters classified B-1 are suitable for drinking, 

 culinary and food processing purposes after conventional treatment; 

 bathing, swimming and recreation; growth and propagation of 

 salmonoid fisheries and associated aquatic wildlife, waterfowl and 

 furbearers; and agricultural and industrial water supply. State 

 water quality regulations prohibit any increase in sediment above 

 "naturally occurring" concentration in waters Classified B-1. 



"Naturally occurring" means conditions or materials present from 

 runoff or percolation over which man has no control or from 

 developed land where all reasonable land, soil and water 

 conservation practices have been applied. Reasonable land, soil and 

 water conservation practices include methods, measures or practices 

 that protect present, and reasonably anticipated beneficial uses. 

 The State of Montana has adopted Forestry Best Management Practices 

 (BMP's) through its non-point source management plan as the 

 principal means of meeting Water Quality Standards. 



Existing beneficial uses in the immediate vicinity of the proposed 

 sale area include water rights for ground water sources including: 

 stock and domestic uses. Surface water sources include stock, 

 domestic, fish and wildlife, lawn and garden and irrigation uses. 

 There are no sensitive beneficial uses in the sale area, however; 

 downstream sensitive beneficial uses include surface domestic uses 

 and cold water fisheries. 



The streams in the Gladstone and French Creek drainages are not 

 listed in the 303(d) listing. 



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