Montana DEQ Must Improve Permit Terms for Industrial Factory Farms To Protect Clean Water

Waterkeeper and National Organizations File Comments to Improve Statewide CAFO Permitting    Yesterday, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and several national organizations submitted technical comments to the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) on the proposed renewal of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation…

Another Blow to the Big Hole River; Widespread Neon-Green Algal Bloom Emerges

This week, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper documented and notified the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) of a miles-long neon-green noxious algal bloom emerging on the Big Hole River downstream of Divide. The new algal bloom adds to the suite of…

Supreme Court Guts Clean Water Act Protections

The U.S. Supreme Court dramatically curtailed Clean Water Act protections with its ruling in Sackett v. EPA, favoring polluters over the health of wetlands and headwater creeks across Montana and the nation.  Let’s back up. What was the Sackett v….

Proposed Sandhill Major Subdivision Violates Law and Threatens Clean Water Resources

Gallatin County Commission Should Deny Application On Tuesday, April 25th, the Gallatin County Planning Board rubber-stamped a preliminary plat application for the Sandhill Major Subdivision, a new 34-lot subdivision south of Bozeman city limits reliant on exempt wells and septic…

State of Montana Officially Declares Gallatin River ‘Impaired’

Nutrient pollution levels too high to support aquatic life, recreation Today, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) formally declared the middle segment of the Gallatin River ‘impaired’ by algal blooms under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA)….

Dirty Water Bills Progress Through the Legislature

Bills Create More Problems Than Solutions; Ignore Water Quantity and Quality Issues Plaguing State’s Water Resources Recent reporting by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle highlights several concerning water bills that have made it through 2023 Montana Legislative Session transmittal, yet fail…

Gallatin County District Court Rules in Favor of Environmental Groups

Subdivision Water Pollution Permit Declared Unlawful After DEQ Failed to Consider Cumulative Impacts On November 16, the Montana Eighteenth Judicial District Court in Gallatin County released a ruling in favor of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper and the Montana Environmental Information Center…

Coalition Calls on Governor Gianforte to Form Cold Water Fisheries Task Force

Today, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper submitted a formal letter signed by a broad coalition of Montana fly fishing, outfitters, and lodges, international fly fishing businesses Orvis and Patagonia, and conservation groups requesting Governor Gianforte immediately create a Cold Water Fisheries Task…

Missouri River Headwaters Sub-Basin Report – Summer 2021

Executive Summary: Waterways across Southwest Montana are facing troubling conditions and unprecedented challenges. From an early June heat wave and drought conditions, to historically low fish counts, to our State repealing numeric nutrient standards and allowing reckless pollution into our…

UMW Waterway Watch Bulletin: June 2021

A Word From Your Waterway Watchdogs Watch Bulletin: June 2021 Welcome to the Upper Missouri Waterkeeper’s Waterway Watch Bulletin! This summer we’ll be patrolling the waterways of the Upper Missouri River Basin – from the Missouri, to Ten Mile Creek,…