Chapter 6: Watershed Recreation

This section contributed by Mike Garcia, Northern Lights Trading Company.

Importance of Water-based Recreation in the Gallatin

The Gallatin and its waters have probably provided places for people to fish, swim, boat and simply spend time alone or with family and friends since the earliest people inhabited this land. Later, paying guests were lured to the banks of the Gallatin at turn-of-the-century dude ranches like the Karst Camp. Today recreation services contribute significantly to the Gallatin’s economy, employing over 500 persons at an annual payroll of 5 million dollars. Flyfishing guides, rafting outfitters, innkeepers and sporting goods dealers are just a few of those directly employed in providing recreational services in the Gallatin. Because the Gallatin’s riparian areas are so attractive to wildlife, they are also important areas for hunting and wildlife watching. Like the benefits provided by the Gallatin’s water for drinking and raising crops, the value of these services is incalculable.

Photo by Mike Garcia.

Recreation Demand and the Future of the Recreational Experience in the Gallatin

Demand for waters to provide recreation, as in most uses of the water resource, is rising (see charts). However, to paraphrase an old saying, "they're not making any new rivers." Conflicts among fishermen, boaters, developers and agriculturalists have always existed and will continue given this increasing demand. The dynamic among these groups as played out in the legislature and the courts has not only shaped the recreational experience on our streams but continues to be an important area for public involvement in charting the future health of our rivers. For example, in the 1960s and early 70s recreational traffic on our rivers was small, while at the same time our rivers were being quietly used to dispose of many pollutants. As recreational use grew, so did a heightened awareness by a greater number of people of the quality of our water resources. Development of a greater appreciation for these resources by recreational users led to efforts for greater conservation and cleaner water. Though the waters have become cleaner as a result, the sustainable qualities of the riparian environment have declined over that same time. Now, regulation of our rivers and streams to manage recreational use may be necessary so as not to “love them to death” or allow them to become little more than suburban parks. While previous efforts to conserve waterways focused on federal legal protection, state and local governments now need to take a more active role in defining the future management of their riparian resources. While there will always be water to recreate around, the quality of that experience will depend on how we manage our behavior and plan for future needs.

Photo by Mike Garcia.

Water-based Recreational Use in the Gallatin Watershed

Source: Gallatin National Forest, MFWP Reports.

Text description of Water-based Recreational Use in the Gallatin Watershed. Includes a larger image of the chart.

Recreating Responsibly

Responsible recreation around our waterways requires careful consideration of all your movements and monitoring your actions so as not to leave scars or pollute the water. The riparian is a unique environment that can be rejuvenated by yearly flooding, erasing evidence of casual human use. However, remember these are your waters. In the same way your house or car requires maintenance, waterways need to be maintained as well.

Riparian corridors are often confined spaces with high densities of human traffic, particularly in the Gallatin where there are few stretches of "wild" rivers. These simple courtesies will limit signs of abuse or thoughtlessness around river banks or the water’s edge:

• Garbage - Leave no garbage of any kind. If you bump into someone else’s garbage, pick it up.
• Human waste - In the event nature calls and no facilities are available, make sure you bury any human waste at least 6 inches below the soil, and make sure you hike at least 100 feet away from the river bank. Also, burn waste paper or carry it out in a closable plastic bag.
• Camping/picnicking - When choosing an area to spend some time in or around, purposely use a "high impact area," a spot that has been used or put aside for use. Leave unspoiled areas looking unspoiled. When it comes to fires, use an existing fire pan or fire ring, and leave a clean pit. Garbage collects around fire rings.

Montana's Stream Access Law

In general, the public is allowed recreational access to all river systems in Montana without regard to the ownership of the underlying land, up to the ordinary high-water mark (MCA 23-2-300 et seq.). This does not allow travel out of the water onto private land. While Montanans are entitled to use waters crossing private lands, it is in everyone’s interest to obtain landowner permission first as a courtesy before using private lands, particularly on smaller streams.

Information

Thompson, C. 1993. Floating and Recreating on Montana Rivers, Thomas Printing, Kalispell, MT

Resources

USFWS, Fish Technology Center, 4050 Bridger Canyon Road - hosts an annual Fishing Derby for young anglers
587-9265

Many sporting goods stores offer classes on kayaking and canoeing

Bozeman Recreation Department - has classes and excursions
587-4724

Permitting

Hunting and fishing require a license from MFWP; licenses are available at most sporting goods stores and at MFWP headquarters, 1400 S. 19th Avenue, Bozeman

Permits are not required to launch private watercraft in the Gallatin or East Gallatin Rivers. Boaters are not permitted to launch from private lands without permission.

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