CARBON COUNTY — Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is working to acquire two senior water rights along the West Fork of Rock Creek near Red Lodge to address critically low water levels that are threatening the fish population.
The creek, which flows around the Red Lodge community, may appear full to casual observers, but wildlife officials say the flow is dangerously low for fish survival.
Watch FWP discuss the need for these water rights for Rock Creek:
"To have these water levels, it can have an impact on the fishery over there," Chrissy Webb with Fish, Wildlife and Parks said. "Over the past few years, we've been seeing really low water levels for these trout, which is obviously a huge issue. Fish, of course, need water."
The proposed solution involves purchasing two senior water rights that were previously used for irrigation and transferring them to remain in the stream for fishery protection.
"This would be water that was once diverted for irrigation. Those water rights would transfer to remain in the stream for the protection of this fishery," Webb said.
Acquiring water rights is a complex process, but Webb emphasized the urgency of the situation. Without intervention, the fish population could decline quickly.
"We need water levels to be at a certain level for fish to survive. And we need water temperatures to be low enough for these trout to survive. And then, like I said, some places in Rock Creek have even experienced total dewatering of the stream bed," Webb said.
FWP plans to purchase the water rights for $330,000. The process involves the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
"They're working with the owner of those water rights to transfer their purpose from irrigation to being in stream flows," Webb said.
The DNRC will ultimately decide whether FWP has the authority to purchase the water rights. The access to water would come from Giant Springs in Great Falls.
Michael Downey with the DNRC said mid to low elevation areas are particularly lacking adequate stream levels, but is confident they will rise as the year continues.
"If you look at where snowpack is right now, even those places that are below normal, certainly that Rock Creek drainage is probably the one in the area that looks worse than most," Downey said.
On Feb. 12, the DNRC will decide if the FWP has the authority to purchase those water rights.
