south across a moderately sloped hillside toward Bear Creek. As the ditch approaches a deep 

 draw containing Bear Creek, it descends straight down a moderately steep slope. This segment 

 of ditch has undergone severe and extensive erosion that has resulted in the formation of a deep 

 down cut gully. Downstream of the steep head cut section the ditch flows directly into the Bear 

 Creek stream channel. The combined flows of the irrigation ditch and Bear Creek are then 

 partially diverted into a continuation of the ditch system. At certain times of the year (for 

 example during haying season) the ditch is dammed off and all of the ditch discharge originating 

 from Beaver Creek is diverted down the Bear Creek stream channel. 



Bear Creek is a second order perennial tributary to Upper Willow Creek with a watershed area of 

 approximately 1.015 acres. The headwater's portion of the watershed is located within the 

 Deerlodge National Forest while most of the lower watershed is under State ownership. Flows 

 from Bear Creek are also heavily diverted for use in flood irrigation. 



Huepeck Gulch is a first order intermittent drainage with a watershed area of approximately 397 

 acres. The main drainage feature on trust land (as delineated on USGS quad) consists of several 

 reaches of discontinuous and poorly defined channel scoured out of a broad grass filled swale. 



Arbuckle Gulch is a first order intermittent tributary to Upper Willow Creek with a watershed 

 area of approximately 595 acres. Ownership is mixed between USFS, State and private land. At 

 one time, flows from Arbuckle Gulch were diverted into an irrigation ditch that runs adjacent to 

 and below the main county road. A cement tile pipe has been placed across the ditch and 

 currently allows discharge from Arbuckle to pass over the ditch and out onto a pasture located 

 down slope. It is unknown if seasonal flow from runoff is continuous to Upper Willow Creek. 



Slusser Gulch is a first order intermittent stream with a watershed area of approximately 383 

 acres. Land ownership in the watershed is mostly USFS and private. The DNRC administers 

 only about 38 acres of trust land within the watershed. 



The Unnamed Tributary flowing through Section 17 is a first order ephemeral stream with a total 

 watershed area of approximately 324 acres. A portion of the main drainage feature does contain 

 a discemable stream channel. Other segments, including State owned Section 17, contain a 

 barely discemable stream channel. However, the lower reaches of this drainage feature are 

 discontinuous with the stream channel disappearing in a pasture approximately 200-250 feet up 

 slope of Upper Willow Creek. 



The Unnamed Tributary draining Section 21 is also a first order ephemeral draw that has a poorly 

 defined and discontinuous channel. The drainage area of the draw is approximately 278 acres. 

 The draw bottom does not contain a discemable stream channel with well-defined banks or a 

 scoured substrate. 



Regulatory Framework 



The Upper Willow Creek drainage, including Beaver Creek, Bear Creek, Huepeck Gulch, 

 Arbuckle Gulch, Slusser Gulch and the Unnamed Tributaries in Section 17 and Section 21 are all 



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