Delegation Unites to Protect Montana’s Trout

Montana Representative Dennis Rehberg and Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester united to oppose a plan that would reduce flows and damage trout populations on the Bighorn River.

Sen. Max Baucus spearheaded a letter signed by Tester and Rehberg (and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer) to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) Commissioner Robert Johnson.  This is the first time the Montana delegation coordinated their opposition to a flow schedule announced April 9th by BOR officials that they say could eliminate an entire age class of fish in the river below Yellowtail Dam.

The delegation is taking issue with the BOR for reversing a decision announced during a public meeting in Billings on March 21st that would have bumped flows in the river to 2,000 cubic feet per second in May, during the critical rainbow trout spawn.  On April 9th, BOR officials reversed the March decision, stating a plan to maintain flow levels of 1,500 cfs until June.

Senators Baucus, Tester and Rep. Rehberg assert this new flow plan will destroy wild trout in one of the nation's premier trout streams.  In addition to hurting fish numbers, the Montana leaders said the decision could hurt the local economy as well, as the Bighorn River is popular with anglers around Montana and the country. 

Please contact Senator Baucus to thank him for his leadership on this issue!  Contact Rep. Rehberg and Sen. Tester to thank them for working together to protect Montana’s wild trout.