The upper Gallatin River is famous for its easy access. From the Yellowstone National Park boundary to the mouth of Gallatin Canyon, anglers, rafters, and kayakers enjoy almost 40 miles of public waterway and riverbank—but this convenience is not without consequence....
Since 2000, the Gallatin River Task Force has monitored water quality in the upper Gallatin watershed. Staffers and volunteers have routinely sampled several locations throughout the watershed to determine how land-use practices impact our streams, creeks, and rivers....
Recently, I stopped along the Gallatin to enjoy a peaceful moment at the river’s edge. Pulling into the access site adjacent to the Hwy. 191 stoplight, I expected an idyllic scene of slow-moving, crystal clear water. What I got was the opposite. Originating from...
Big Sky has a poop problem. Rapid growth and decentralized infrastructure have led to three streams flowing through our community below state standards for water quality. Higher-than-ideal levels of certain nutrients qualify the streams as impaired, and these...
As if we needed another reason to stop eating bacon cheeseburgers, it turns out that greasy foods are clogging more than just our arteries. According to the Big Sky Water and Sewer District, fats, oils and greases, or FOGs, are also clogging Big Sky’s sewer system,...
On January 7th, the Resort Tax board approved Big Sky Sewer and Water District’s 1% for Infrastructure application. Now, residents will vote in May to approve the additional tax, with revenues helping pay for a portion of a new, upgraded wastewater treatment plant and...
In a salt-based system, healthy calcium and magnesium are replaced by equal parts of sodium, and the significant volume of water used in this process is flushed down the drain.
Groundwater study to impact water management. BY Kristin Gardner, Executive Director Groundwater quality and quantity is threatened by the proliferation of septic systems and individual wells in the Upper Gallatin Canyon. This could lead to the degradation of...
We need you to call the Montana delegation to voice your support for clean, free-flowing rivers. The draft Montana Headwaters Security Act would designate new Wild and Scenic rivers to ensure the highest form of protection for Montana’s most crucial rivers on public lands. Currently, less than half of one percent of the rivers in Montana are permanently protected as Wild and Scenic. However, the Montana Headwaters Security Act proposes to designate 37 new Wild and Scenic Rivers and streams in the state.
A majority of residential and commercial developments in Big Sky operate on septic systems, posing a significant threat to Gallatin River health. Credit: Chris Kamman A healthy Gallatin River begins in your home. On its way to the Gallatin River, water from rain and...