Big Hole River
Encyclopedia
Jefferson River
The Jefferson River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the U.S. state of Montana. The Jefferson River and the Madison River form the official beginning of the Missouri at Missouri Headwaters State Park near Three Forks...
, approximately 153 miles (246 km) long, in southwestern Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It rises in Skinner lake in the Beaverhead National Forest in the Beaverhead Mountains of the Bitterroot Range
Bitterroot Range
The Bitterroot Range runs along the border of Montana and Idaho in the northwestern United States. The range spans an area of 62,736 square kilometers and is named after the bitterroot , a small pink flower that is the state flower of Montana.- History :In 1805, the Corps of Discovery,...
at the continental divide
Continental divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea...
along the Montana-Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
border in western Beaverhead County
Beaverhead County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Beaverhead National Forest * Big Hole National Battlefield* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge-History:...
. It flows northwest and north, past Wisdom
Wisdom, Montana
Wisdom is a census-designated place in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. The population was 114 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code of the area is 59761.-History:...
and between the Anaconda Range
Anaconda Range
The Anaconda Range, informally known as the "Pintlars", is a group of high mountains located in southwestern Montana, in the northwestern United States. The mountain range takes its name from the nearby town of Anaconda, founded by Marcus Daly in 1883...
to the northwest and the Pioneer Mountains to the east. It flows around the north end of the Pioneer Mountains, then southeast, past the town of Wise River, Montana, where it is joined by the Wise River
Wise River
The Wise River is a tributary of the Big Hole River, approximately 30 mi long, in southwestern Montana in the United States. It rises in the Beaverhead National Forest in the Pioneer Mountains in Beaverhead County. It flows NNW through the mountains and joins the Big Hole near the town of...
. Near Glen, Montana it turns northeast and joins the Beaverhead River
Beaverhead River
The Beaverhead River is an approximately -long tributary of the Jefferson River in southwest Montana . It drains an area of roughly . The river's original headwaters, formed by the confluence of the Red Rock River and Horse Prairie Creek, are now flooded under Clark Canyon Reservoir, which also...
near Twin Bridges
Twin Bridges, Montana
Twin Bridges is a town in Madison County, Montana, United States. It lies at the confluence of the Ruby, Beaverhead and Big Hole Rivers which form the Jefferson River. Twin Bridges is a well known fly fishing mecca for trout fisherman...
to form the Jefferson.
The river is an historically popular destination for fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
, especially for trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
. It is the last habitat in the contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
for native Fluvial
Fluvial
Fluvial is used in geography and Earth science to refer to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them...
Arctic Grayling
Arctic grayling
Arctic grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It comprises five subspecies native to the Nearctic and Palearctic ecozones. T. a. arcticus is widespread throughout the Arctic and Pacific drainages in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia, as well as the upper...
. Historic conflicts between ranchers in the valley who depend on the river for irrigation and recreationalists have been mitigated through the creation of the Big Hole River Watershed Committee (1995). Though their Drought Management Plan is a model effort of cooperation between ranchers and recreationalists in the valley to preserve the watershed for all concerned, the "trigger" levels in the plan are well below biologically-based ("lower wetted perimeter") levels needed to restore the now nearly extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
Big Hole River grayling. Despite the "best" efforts of the Big Hole Watershed Committee, the population of Big Hole River grayling continues to decline.
After years of debate by all interests in the Big Hole watershed, in April 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Fluvial Arctic Grayling from Endangered Species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
candidacy, which has resulted in a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity based in Tucson, Arizona, is a nonprofit membership organization with approximately 220,000 members and online activists, known for its work protecting endangered species through legal action and scientific petitions...
and other interested parties.
The US FWS decision was politically mandated as a top-down decision by Julie MacDonald, the former Department of Interior official who has since resigned in disgrace. Characterized as a "science vandal" and "the Interior Department's Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
," an Office of the Inspector General investigation found that "MacDonald has been heavily involved with editing, commenting on, and reshaping the Endangered Species Program's scientific reports." In the case of grayling, MacDonald ignored clear genetic differences between extremely rare fluvial (river) grayling and relatively common lacustrine (lake) grayling.
The river is a Class I water from the Fishtrap fishing access site downstream from Wisdom
Wisdom, Montana
Wisdom is a census-designated place in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. The population was 114 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code of the area is 59761.-History:...
to its confluence with the Jefferson river for the purposes of public access for recreational purposes.
History
At the time Lewis & Clark "discovered" the Big Hole River watershed, it was a buffer zone between several rival Native American tribes including the Nez Percé, ShoshoneShoshone
The Shoshone or Shoshoni are a Native American tribe in the United States with three large divisions: the Northern, the Western and the Eastern....
, Coast Salish
Coast Salish
Coast Salish languages are a subgroup of the Salishan language family. These languages are spoken by First Nations or Native American peoples inhabiting the territory that is now the southwest coast of British Columbia around the Strait of Georgia and Washington state around Puget Sound...
, and Blackfeet
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
. Lewis & Clark considered navigating up the Big Hole River, but chose the slower-flowing Beaverhead River instead. Trappers from both the Hudson's Bay Company, the North West Company and the American Fur Company exploited the region from about 1810 to the 1840s. Miners and homesteaders settled the area between 1864 and the early 1900s.
In 1877 the U.S. troops under John Gibbon
John Gibbon
John Gibbon was a career United States Army officer who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
fought the Nez Percé Indians along the Big Hole River, during the Nez Perce War
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict between the Nez Perce and the United States government fought in 1877 as part of the American Indian Wars. After a series of battles in which both the U.S. Army and native people sustained significant casualties, the Nez Perce surrendered and were relocated...
in the Battle of the Big Hole
Battle of the Big Hole
The Battle of the Big Hole was a costly battle in the Montana Territory between the Nez Percé and United States army during the Nez Perce War of 1877.-Background:...
. The site of the battle along the North fork of the Big Hole is preserved as the Big Hole National Battlefield
Big Hole National Battlefield
Big Hole National Battlefield is a memorial located in Montana, United States. The Nez Percé, under Chief Joseph Big Hole National Battlefield is a memorial located in Montana, United States. The Nez Percé, under Chief Joseph Big Hole National Battlefield is a memorial located in Montana, United...
.
The establishment of Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
as a mining center and the coming of the Northern Railroad in 1871 assured Big Hole ranchers and farmers of a steady market for their beef, horses, mules, hay and dairy products. As a great improvement for preserving the wild hay for winter feeding of cattle, Herbert S. Armitage and Dade J. Stephens patented the "Sunny Slope Slide Stacker" in 1909. This device, commonly known as a "beaverslide" remained popular until the 1990s, when it was largely displaced by mechanized equipment for producing large round bales.
In the early 1960s, the US Bureau of Reclamation proposed building the Reichle Dam near the town of Glen
Glen, Montana
Glen is an unincorporated community in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. Although Glen is unincorporated, it has a post office with a ZIP code of 59732. Glen lies on U.S. Route 91 south of Melrose and north of Dillon.-References:...
along the Big Hole River. Conservationist George F. Grant
George F. Grant
George F. Grant was an angler, author and conservationist from Butte, Montana. He was active for many years on the Big Hole River.-Biography:...
, Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of freshwater streams, rivers, and associated upland habitats for trout, salmon, other aquatic species, and people. Often contracted as "TU," the organization began in 1959 in Michigan...
and local ranchers combined forces to oppose the dam, successfully defeating the proposal in 1967.
Today, fewer than 2500 people inhabit the 2,800 square mile (7,250 km2) Big Hole River watershed.
Angling The Big Hole
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
, their populations are almost non-existent. Instead, the river holds healthy wild populations of Brook
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, Rainbow
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
and Brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
which were first introduced into the Big Hole in late 1880s as hatchery operations began in Butte and Bozeman, MT. Native Mountain Whitefish
Mountain whitefish
The mountain whitefish is one of the most widely distributed salmonid fish of western North America. It is found from the Mackenzie River drainage in Northwest Territory, Canada south through western Canada and the northwestern USA in the Pacific, Hudson Bay and upper Missouri River basins to the...
are also prevalent in the river. In the 1980s, the state of Montana began stopping general stocking of all Montana rivers. The last hatchery fish were stocked in the Big Hole in 1990. Dozens of guides, outfitters and fishing lodges offer guided fishing on the Big Hole and its tributaries.
| Section | Description | Prevalent Species |
|---|---|---|
| Skinner Lake (Headwaters), Wisdom, MT to Fish Trap (River Mile River mile In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer... 81) |
This is the slow moving, high meadow stretch of the Big Hole. It ends at the last public access site on the river: Fish Trap. | The meadow stretch is home to a few remaining native Fluvial Arctic Grayling and a good population of exotic Brook trout. Rainbows and browns are few in this section. |
| Fish Trap to Melrose | This section is characterized by bouldered pocket water as it flows through a narrow canyon. This is excellent stone fly water. This section has 5 public access sites: Sportsman Park (Mile 78), Dewey (Mile 57), Greenwood Bottoms (Mile 57), Powerhouse (Mile 52) and Maidenrock (Mile 48). | Rainbows dominate brown trout in this stretch 2:1 with approximately 3000 fish per mile. |
| Melrose to Twin Bridges, MT | This section is characterized by cottonwood bottoms with braided channels and long, slow pools. This is also excellent stone fly water. There are public access sites at Salmon Fly (Mile 38), Brownes Bridge (Mile 32), Kalsta Bridge (Mile 30), Glen (Mile 25), Notch Bottom (Mile 18), Pennington Bridge (Mile 9), High Road (Mile 2). | Browns dominate rainbow trout in this stretch 2:1 with approximately 3000 fish per mile. |
Advocates
- The Big Hole River Foundation—To understand, preserve, and enhance the free flowing character of the Big Hole River and to protect its watershed, culture, community and excellent wild trout fishery.
- The Big Hole River Watershed Committee—The Big Hole Watershed Committee (BHWC) was formed in 1995 by several Big Hole ranchers and conservationists who feared an ESA listing for fluvial Arctic grayling. The Watershed Committee has reached out to local and selected interested entities and developed a viable community-based consensus group that has won the trust and respect to forge solutions to difficult problems that will impact the river today and tomorrow. Sadly, the committee has precluded activist voices such as the Center for Biological Diversity and the Montana Wildlife Federation.
- The Center for Biological Diversity – Combining conservation biology with litigation, policy advocacy, and an innovative strategic vision, the Center for Biological Diversity is working to secure a future for animals and plants hovering on the brink of extinction, for the wilderness they need to survive, and by extension for the spiritual welfare of generations to come.
- Western Watersheds Project – The mission of Western Watersheds Project is to protect and restore western watersheds and wildlife through education, public policy initiatives and litigation
- Trout Unlimited – Trout Unlimited's mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.
- Montana River Action - The clean flowing waters of Montana belong to the people and are held in trust by the State for a pollution-free healthful environment guaranteed by our Montana Constitution. Montana River Action's mission is to protect and restore rivers, streams and other water bodies.
See also
- Battle of Big Hole
- Pat MundayPat MundayPat Munday is an environmentalist, writer, and college professor living in Butte, Montana. Notable achievements include an international award for scholarship in the history of chemistry, and contributions through environmental activism.-Biography:...
- George F. GrantGeorge F. GrantGeorge F. Grant was an angler, author and conservationist from Butte, Montana. He was active for many years on the Big Hole River.-Biography:...
- List of rivers of Montana
- Montana Stream Access LawMontana Stream Access LawThe Montana Stream Access Law says that anglers, floaters and other recreationists in Montana have full use of most natural waterways between the high water marks for fishing and floating, along with swimming and other river or stream-related activities...