One thing the Gallatin River Task Force is striving to achieve is the balanced relationship between recreation and the Gallatin – and there are countless ways to enjoy all our favorite activities while keeping the health & safety of the resource in mind.

Something happens to me every time I enter the Gallatin Canyon. On one hand, I am uplifted by the natural beauty of the river, the geologic formations above its banks and the ample wildlife along its shores. But on the other, I am saddened by the constant rush of...

By David Tucker, Communications Manager In the last issue of EBS, this column started with dire numbers concerning our local snowpack and the equivalent amount of water held therein. Since then, it’s been dumping and we’ve moved into an above average winter—thanks,...

By David Tucker, communications manager So far, the banner snow year promised by a La Niña weather pattern hasn’t quite materialized. While the recent storm cycle has greatly improved conditions, this summer’s water supply has still been on my mind lately. Considering...

On December 29th, to little fanfare and taking no credit, the Gallatin River scored a major victory when commissioners from Gallatin County voted unanimously to approve a petition for the formation of a new Gallatin Canyon water and sewer district. Now, you might be...

The eagle is exactly where an eagle ought to be, perched high in a dying streamside pine along the Gallatin River. It’s likely perusing the breakfast menu—brown trout, whitefish, rainbow. The scene is simultaneously iconic and common place, inspiring enough for me to...

In the late afternoon on November 30, 2020, Senator Jon Tester officially introduced the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act, a Wild and Scenic Rivers bill that would protect 336 river miles in the Treasure State. For us here at the Task Force, it was an exciting moment to...

On Oct. 20, the Gallatin River Task Force hosted a workshop focused on using water rights as a legal tool to ensure there is enough water to support a healthy ecosystem and fishery. Kerri Strasheim from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation provided the...

“It’s the nutrients, stupid.” That’s a paraphrase of the now-classic campaign line by James Carville, but when it comes to improving water quality in the Big Sky area, the solution is almost that simple. If we want cleaner water, we must reduce the concentration of...

Anyone who has spent time on the Gallatin River would agree it is among the finest waterbodies in the western United States. For whitewater enthusiasts, there’s the Mad Mile, anchored by the iconic House Rock. For anglers, there’s Baetis Alley, a dry-fly fisherman’s...