BOZEMAN — A lot of people have noticed that Bridger Creek is a bit muddier than normal. And the 1-million-dollar question is, why? Is it because of the recent landslide in the Bridger mountains? Or is this an annual thing? Let's find out...
“What happens on the landscape, ultimately, that story is told in our rivers and streams” says Lilly McLane.
Lilly grew up living the farm life in Maryland. Which sparked her passion for water restoration. She headed west, got an education at Montana State University, and now Lilly is the watershed restoration director for the Gallatin Watershed Council. A local nonprofit that supports the sustainability and health of the water systems in our area.
WATCH: Bridger landslide impacts waterways from Montana to the Mississippi
I told Lilly we’ve been getting lots of calls about Bridger Creek being extremely murky. I asked, “Is that because of the landslide?”. “Totally.” says Lilly, “That is definitely because of the landslide”.
A landslide that swept through the Bridger Range last Tuesday is the reason Bridger Creek is a muddy, tea color. Now? Over a week later. And Lilly says, it’s not just Bridger Creek being affected.
“What ever happens up here in this tributary? Will flow downstream and will impact everything downstream here in the East Gallatin River.” Lilly showed me on a map of our watershed.
As some folks may know, here in Gallatin County? We’re a part of what's called a headwaters watershed.
So, I thought it was fascinating when Lilly showed me, “Everything that we do in our watershed? Impacts everybody else. And believe it or not some of that sediment might find it’s way into the Mississippi and out into the Gulf”.
As cool as it may be for part of the Bridgers to make their way to the coast, I asked if all that sediment was bad for water systems?
“Sediment transport is totally normal, and it’s supposed to happen” Lilly told me it brings nutrients and organic matter downstream to revitalize those ecosystems.
When it becomes a problem?
“When we have a big event like this and a lot of sediment? That can have a negative effect on the fishery” says Lilly.
I was curious if the fish have been struggling since last week's landslide. So, I headed over to fish wildlife and parks to find out.
“We haven’t gotten any reports, nore have we observed any dead fish as a result of this. But we’ll continue to watch and monitor that” says Morgan Jacobsen with Fish Wildlife & Parks.
Jacobsen tells me, the biggest risk at hand is to the macroinvertebrates. Which is what the fish eat. But...fish adapt. Jacobsen compared to the 2022 flooding of the Yellowstone River.
“The fish are still in the system. They handled that event pretty well. What this illustrates is that, fish are pretty resilient” says Jacobsen.
Although effects from this landslide should eventually settle, Lilly wants to remind people that, you might’ve been able to see this water pollution? But...
“Most of the time? That pollution is invisible. People don’t notice it, they don’t see it.” says Lilly. “But that’s sort of a constant that we really need to keep our eye on, and be really proactive about”. To help keep our water systems healthy.
EDITOR'S NOTE: AI was used to provide sub-headline ideas. The story was written by the reporter.
