addition, information about human-caused bare soil, eroding banks, lateral cutting and 

 other physical factors were recorded. These completed Lotic inventories will be 

 available through the MT Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. This information was 

 used to generate health scores for riparian vegetation, soils and hydrology, from which a 

 total score was derived to indicate the level of functionality for each polygon. Protocol 

 for the health assessment scoring system is available from the RWRP. A summary of 

 these scores and major problems is provided in Tables 5 through 7. 



Within the framework of this project, performing lotic health evaluations served 

 several purposes: 



( 1 ) provides "baseline" vegetation and soils/hydrology information necessary 

 for gauging the success of the restoration at some time in the future. 



(2) provides information which may assist land managers with grazing 

 strategies, weed control and prioritizing areas of greatest concern. 



(3) Helps identify nature of problems in specific areas and potential for 

 recovery. 



However, it is not within the scope of this study to make management 

 recommendations but only to identify problems and document conditions. Grazing 

 strategies and restoration goals are currently in the development stage, and funding and 

 implementation for some (such as offsite watering) have already begun. The results of 

 this study are intended to assist the MDFWP, NRCS and land-owners to identify and 

 assess priority areas for restoration along Lost Creek. Therefore, discussion of riparian 

 conditions will concentrate on how existing riparian conditions relate to water quality 

 and the potential for monitoring changes in the watershed. 



Results and Discussion 



Flow, Temperature, Turbidity, TSS, and pH 



Mean summer discharge from May through August of 1999 is presented in Figure 

 1 , and mean, minimum and maximum values are also summarized in Table 2. Highest 

 peak discharge (75.2 cfs) occurred at Station 1 above any diversions of water. A 

 minimum flow of 2.5 cfs was recorded at Station 7 just below Dutchman dike. Based on 

 summer means there appeared to be a decrease in discharge moving downstream. The 

 exception to this trend is station 8, with discharge decreasing again at station 9. 

 Unfortunately, very little historic discharge data is available for Lost Creek. Summer 

 discharge data from 1989-1990 (see appendix) indicates that discharge at the mouth of 

 Lost Creek in 1999 was within the range of normal flow . A review of historic discharge 

 data from nearby Warm Springs Creek (1984-1999) suggests that the 1999 water year 

 was average in terms of summer mean discharge (May-Aug) and mean high flow (May - 

 June). 



Measuring stream discharge was complicated by diversions and inputs to Lost 

 Creek too numerous to gauge in this study. For instance, Gardiner Ditch carries water 

 from Warm Springs Creek and represents a significant input to Lost Creek, yet discharge 



