Our Story
The Gallatin River is central to the community of Big Sky, and critical to the ecosystem, wildlife, livelihoods, and the culture of the landscapes through which it flows; south from Yellowstone National Park, and north to its confluence with the Missouri River.
This waterway is the fabric that connects us; it weaves together a community, enables plant, animal and aquatic life to thrive, and demands that we hold steadfast to our responsibility to protect and preserve it, now and for the future.
The Gallatin has always been a hub for recreation, and was given a global spotlight with its debut in the 1992 cinematographic award-winning A River Runs Through It. While that may be what helped this river rise to stardom, there is so much more to it that requires our diligence, backed by science, and supported by a community of people who love the river, and who are willing to invest in the work to protect it.
While beautifully written and spectacularly shot for the time, the story A River Runs Through It doesn’t accurately depict the growing environmental threats to the Gallatin. The iconic scenes of fly-fishing along some of the most coveted sections of the Gallatin may have captured the attention of a global audience, but what the screen didn’t convey was concerns of a deteriorating ecosystem, or degraded water quality exacerbated by a booming population growth, and challenges presented by limited wastewater management. These, and others, are the threats that exist today, and which are the basis for all of the work of the Gallatin River Task Force.
The history of our work goes back as far as 2000, when volunteers began sampling the river at various sites along its upper stretches, with the goal of growing a bank of data that could tell a bigger picture of impact, and health. These humble beginnings were directed by Montana State University’s Water Center, and have grown into the current status of the Task Force as the only nonprofit focused solely on protecting the upper Gallatin River watershed as climate change, development, record visitation and other factors continue to have a significant impact on the river’s health.
Today, the Task Force has a robust data set with which to make impactful decisions. We continue to adhere to rigorous scientific inquiry through our monitoring program, and are charting a course for the sustainable future of Big Sky’s water resources through river restoration, water conservation, and advocacy work. We rely on community partners and reliable funding sources to address our work on a daily, and annual basis.
As a headwaters community, it is our obligation to ensure clean, cold water flows through the Gallatin, and its tributaries – from its headwaters to the south, to where it meets the Missouri 120 miles downriver. We do it for our downstream neighbors, for the wildlife that call this river corridor home, for the recreators, and for the growing community to which we all belong.
Most of all, we do it for future generations who deserve the same river that has been enjoyed and revered for hundreds of years, and through generations.
Working to maintain a healthy Gallatin River is our gift, and a small price to pay for a special place that has given us so much. We invite you to join us.
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2000
Established under Montana State University (MSU) as the Blue Water Task Force to monitor water quality.
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2005
Blue Water Task Force becomes 501(c)3 nonprofit organization independent from MSU.
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2010
Total Maximum Daily Loads (ie. pollution reductions for nutrient, sediment and pathogens) established for the South Fork, Middle Fork, and the West Fork of the Gallatin River.
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2011
Snowmaking Pilot Study started as a pioneering proof-of-concept showing that reclaimed wastewater could safely produce artificial snow—yielding ecological benefits including extended snowpack, enhanced streamflow, and reduced nutrients—without significant negative impacts on water quality, wildlife, vegetation, or recreational uses.
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2012
Upper Gallatin River Watershed Restoration Plan initiated to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat of the Upper Gallatin River.
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2016
Blue Water Task Force rebrands to Gallatin River Task Force.
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2016
Big Sky Sustainable Water Solutions Forum (Water Forum) a diverse, community-based stakeholder group, convened to build a unified vision for Big Sky to be a model mountain community by protecting and improving water resources, sustaining ecological health, and supporting a vibrant local economy.
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2018
Big Sky Water Conservation program started in 2016 providing resources and incentives for efficient water use, reducing waste, and ensuring a sustainable water supply.
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2018
Completion of the first large scale restoration project on the West Fork along the Big Sky Golf Course.
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2018
Completion of the first restoration project in partnership with the Custer Gallatin National Forest at Moose Creek on the Gallatin River.
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2018
First widespread nuisance algae bloom occurs on the Upper Gallatin River, signaling a troubling decline in water quality and a warning sign of imbalance.
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2020
Completion of the first restoration project on the Middle Fork below Lake Levinsky using nature-inspired techniques like artificial beaver dams to restore stream health and improve water storage.
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2020
Upper Gallatin Nutrient Assessment and Reduction Plan developed to identify the top sources of nutrient pollution and recommend targeted projects to mitigate impacts on water quality including: Big Sky Water and Sewer District wastewater treatment plant upgrade, creation of the Canyon Water & Sewer District, Firelight Meadows wastewater treatment plant upgrade, and the West Fork Wetland Enhancement project.
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2020
Voters approve use of Resort Tax 1% for infrastructure funds to build a new wastewater treatment facility to greatly reduce nutrient pollution and produce clean, recycled water for irrigation and snowmaking.
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2020
Gallatin County approves the formation of the Gallatin Canyon Water and Sewer District, the first step toward developing centralized, high quality wastewater treatment for properties located closest to the river.
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2020
Wild and Scenic bill for the Gallatin introduced in Congress by Senator Tester to preserve the Gallatin’s free-flowing condition and safeguard water quality.
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2021
Completion of the Upper Deer Creek restoration project on the Gallatin River.
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2022
Gallatin River Restoration Strategy developed in partnership with the Custer Gallatin National Forest to chart the course for ongoing restoration work along 39 miles of the mainstem Gallatin River and 124 acres of public lands.
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2023
Upper Gallatin listed as impaired by Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) due to excessive algae blooms after petition led by the Task Force and partners – an important step that unlocks resources and solutions to help restore the river’s health
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2023
Extensive collaborative monitoring effort by DEQ and the Task Force begins to address algae blooms.
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2023
Yellowstone Club becomes the first ski resort in Montana, joining seven ski resorts nationwide, to use clean, recycled water for snowmaking reflecting a growing commitment within the ski industry to respond to water scarcity challenges.
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2024
Completion of the Purple Pipe expansion project increasing the use of recycled water for irrigation, helping save up to 2.6 million gallons of drinking water annually.
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2025
Firelight Meadows Water and Sewer District is approved by the homeowners association.
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2025
Completion of the Greek Creek restoration project on the Gallatin River.
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2025
Completion of the West Fork Wetland Enhancement project filtering 80% of the nitrogen pollution in a groundwater spring before it enters the West Fork.
Over the past century, the Gallatin has become a famous hub for recreation. Even if you’ve never fished Baetis Alley or rafted the Mad Mile, you’ve probably seen the river’s highlights.
Over the past century, the Gallatin has become a famous hub for recreation. Even if you’ve never fished Baetis Alley or rafted the Mad Mile, you’ve probably seen the river’s highlights.
Since playing the role of the Blackfoot in Robert Redford’s adaptation of A River Runs Through It, the Gallatin has become a world-class brand. In the iconic final scene, which won the 1992 Academy Award for best cinematography, Storm Castle Peak towers overhead as the river meanders lazily in the setting sunlight.
While beautifully written and then spectacularly shot, the story A River Runs Through It doesn’t tell concerns the growing environmental threats to the Gallatin. It wasn’t long after the film’s release that local citizens started to take note of deteriorating water quality and voicing concerns about water supply, wastewater management, and protecting the Gallatin for future generations.
That’s where the Task Force comes in.
In 2000, to ensure that the Gallatin’s water was not decreasing in quality, volunteers began sampling the river at various sites along its upper stretches. Directed by Montana State University’s Water Center, the Task Force’s humble beginnings belie its present-day stature as the only nonprofit focused solely on protecting the upper watershed as climate change, development, record visitation, and other factors continue to threaten the river’s health.
After over 20 years, the success of the Gallatin River Task Force cannot be denied, and the next 20 years promise better outcomes still. By adhering to rigorous scientific inquiry, we now have a robust data set with which to make impactful decisions about water management, and we are charting a course for the sustainable future of Big Sky’s water resources.
As a headwaters community, it is our obligation to ensure clean, cold water flows through the Gallatin, from the Yellowstone National Park boundary to the confluence with Spanish Creek. We do it for our friends and neighbors downstream, but we also do it for the wildlife that call this river corridor home. We do it for the growing community to which we all belong, and we do it for our robust recreation-based economy that attracts visitors from across the globe. Most of all, we do it for future generations of river lovers and wild trout, fly-fishing families and raucous whitewater rafters.
Working to maintain a healthy Gallatin River is our gift, a small price to pay for a special place that has given us so much.