The roughly 84 million doggie denizens living in the US produce an estimated 11.6 million tons of poop every year. That’s enough doo to fill nearly 300,000 eighteen-wheelers parked bumper-to-bumper from New York City to Los Angeles, according to DoodyCalls, a franchise that specializes in pet waste removal. All that crap poses a threat when dog owners don’t pick up after their pets, leaving poop to be carried by runoff to rivers and streams.
Meet Didymosphenia geminata (didymo). Didymo has been spotted growing in the Gallatin River and its tributaries. Didymo, or rock snot, is a single-celled alga that is native to Montana but has recently made headlines for causing river-choking mats.
Nitrogen levels measured in the West Fork of the Gallatin River during summer 2018 were some of the highest ever recorded, which may have contributed to increased algae in the Gallatin River, according to the Gallatin River Task Force.
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act turned 50 this month! The act created the first national system to permanently protect free-flowing rivers. To celebrate, here are ten things you may (or may not know) about Wild and Scenic Rivers.
The 2018 algae bloom was the talk of the town this summer. While we wait for our results and analysis, we wanted to answer some of the questions that we’ve heard around town. We developed a webpage with answers to 21 common questions about algae and water quality.
The Gallatin River Task Force will host the seventh annual Upper Gallatin River Cleanup on August 30th at 2 PM. Volunteers will pick up trash from the banks of the Gallatin River between the Yellowstone National Park boundary and the mouth of Gallatin Canyon, as well as cleaning up streams in the Big Sky area. Last year, over one hundred volunteers removed 1,000 pounds of trash from the watershed.
The Gallatin River Task Force will be performing a river use study during the summer of 2018 that will allow for recreation users to provide feedback about how they view the Gallatin and where enhancements could be made on the river to improve access and river health through online and in-person surveys. The study is the result of a partnership between the Gallatin River Task Force, Montana State University, and the Custer Gallatin National Forest.
The Gallatin River Task Force and YES for Responsible Mining will host a training for volunteers who are interested in gathering signatures to support the petition for I-186 on Thursday, May 31st from 4 to 5 PM at the Big Sky Water and Sewer District conference room. The training will consist of two parts and is mandatory for anyone interested in gathering signatures for I-186. Volunteers must be 18 years or older, a Montana resident, and registered to vote in Montana. For more information or to express interest, contact kristin@gallatinrivertaskforce.org, call (406) 993 – 2519, or visit yeson186.org.
True to our mission, the Gallatin River Task Force made great progress in 2017 on the promise to be diligent when it comes to the health of the Upper Gallatin River and its tributaries.
Do you rely on a domestic well for your drinking water supply? If so, have you ever tested your water quality? As a well owner, it is up to you to test your drinking water to ensure it is safe for you and your family. It is estimated that only 10% or less of households in Gallatin County that drink water from individual domestic wells have ever tested their water quality. Unlike public water systems, no one regularly tests your well water for you and it is your responsibility, just like getting an oil change in your car, or rotating your tires.
