Fifteen Years of Stewardship
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Gallatin Watershed Council. The Board would like to thank all of the many caring and dedicated folks who have supported us over the years. A special thanks goes out to those that accepted the challenge fifteen years ago and decided to advocate for clean water in the Gallatin Valley and form a watershed group. This is my first year as Board Chair, although I’ve been involved with GWC for over ten years. As a hydrogeologist, I understand first-hand the importance of citizen science, education, and bringing people together when it comes to protecting our water resources.
You might have noticed something a little different about our name and logo. Through the process of rebranding to best communicate our work, we have dropped the “Greater” and are now the Gallatin Watershed Council or GWC. Over the last fifteen years our projects and priorities have changed and evolved, but our core values and mission remain the same. We continue to guide collaborative water stewardship in the Gallatin Valley for a healthy and productive landscape. Our new logo is an aerial drawing of a stretch of the Gallatin River between Four Corners and Belgrade. The image conveys the ways in which various river channels diverge and join together and is meant to represent the work of the Gallatin Watershed Council to bring together diverse perspectives and solutions for the health of our collective water resources in the Gallatin Valley.
Our History
In GWC’s early years, our programmatic successes included developing and coordinating Gallatin Stream Teams - a community volunteer stream monitoring program, installing rain gardens at local schools and City of Bozeman offices, and planning watershed tours and Annual Meetings. In 2014, GWC worked with community stakeholders to develop the Lower Gallatin Watershed Restoration Plan (WRP), which provides a framework for implementing water-quality improvements so that the addressed streams are no longer considered impaired by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. GWC began working on stream restoration projects identified in the Lower Gallatin WRP in 2015 and over the last five years, we’ve brought coordination and funding assistance to a number of local projects including the wetlands at the Story Mill Community Park and restoration projects along Dry Creek, Camp Creek and the East Gallatin River.
Our Refocused Mission
As water quantity and quality issues increase in the Lower Gallatin Watershed, GWC continues to bring together stakeholders with a focus on consensus-building to conserve and enhance our community’s water resources. This year, we have established three major projects in response to needs we’ve identified by listening to our community:
The Watershed Stewards Program was developed after hearing the desire from community members to more actively engage in watershed health. The program’s goal is to inspire individuals, schools, and businesses to participate in improving the Gallatin Watershed by engaging in watershed related trainings, workshops and on-the-ground volunteer opportunities organized by GWC and partners.
Gallatin Water Tomorrow is facilitating meetings between the major water user groups in the Lower Gallatin Watershed. Each group is taking steps to prepare for shortage, but there is a need for coordinating these efforts and identifying opportunities to collaborate. We have begun with one initial scoping session this year and are strategizing and seeking funding opportunities to make progress toward the development of prioritized water management solutions for the Valley.
Watershed Restoration Plan Update and Inventory - An inventory of completed stream restoration projects in the Lower Gallatin will help to identify progress towards goals listed in the Lower Gallatin Watershed Restoration Plan and better inform future restorations and land use planning.
We Need You
Working with GWC to identify and develop these projects has given me a sense that I can make a difference. I hope I have been able to convey to you GWC’s continued commitment to watershed health and a feeling that you too can make a difference. Help us expand our River Cleanup Day; help us facilitate land owners, consultants, and other non-profits restore more riparian acres and more miles of stream; help the Stream Teams program continue to build a viable, long term data set; help us develop a vibrant Watershed Stewards program where every car, kid’s backpack, and downtown business window has an “I am a Watershed Steward” sticker on it – a badge of honor earned, noticed, and rewarded.
Still not sure how you fit into the Gallatin Valley watershed network; then join us at our Annual Meeting on January 30th to learn more and find out how you can start working toward becoming a Watershed Steward. You can find more details at our new website: www.gallatinwatershedcouncil.org.
As was true when GWC was formed in 2004, conserving, restoring and enhancing Gallatin Valley water continues to take commitment, ideas, planning and funding. Please consider making a financial donation today to help us continue to steward the water resources in the Gallatin Valley for the next fifteen years and beyond!
Thanks very much!
Sincerely,
Tom Michalek
Board Chair