Watershed Wednesday: Happy 406 Day!

Happy 406 day and #WatershedWednesday!  April 6th is a day that celebrates the 406 area code, the mountains, rivers, agricultural land, and all the things that make the Treasure State a gem– including the Lower Gallatin Watershed! What do you love the most about the 406?

Here are some fun facts about the Lower Gallatin Watershed:

• The Gallatin Watershed begins in Yellowstone National Park and covers nearly 1.2 million acres in southwest Montana.

• Native Americans—including Blackfeet, Crow, Bannock, Nez Perce, and Shoshone—have traveled and hunted in the Gallatin Valley for thousands of years. The area where Bozeman now sits was known as “The Valley of the Flowers.”

• In 1806, the Corps of Discovery, led by Lewis and Clark, marveled at the Gallatin River. Lewis named the river after US Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin.

• Internationally known, the Gallatin River is a Blue Ribbon trout stream and has some of the best whitewater in southwest Montana.

• The Gallatin and East Gallatin Rivers also irrigate some of the most productive farm fields in the state.

• Learn more about the Lower Gallatin Watershed through this Story Map!

Care for your 406 by stewarding the Lower Gallatin Watershed’s rivers and streams! Get involved in volunteer opportunities such as the Gallatin Stream Teams, IAWP Busy Beavers, joining a River Cleanup, and more. Learn more under the “Get Involved” tab on the Gallatin Watershed Council website.