The gallatin watershed council, an established watershed group, headquartered in bozeman, montana, serves as a forum for the communication and coordination of activities to address watershed issues in…

The gallatin watershed council, an established watershed group, headquartered in bozeman, montana, serves as a forum for the communication and coordination of activities to address watershed issues in the gallatin river watershed in southwest montana. The gallatin river watershed, which supports irrigation for prime farmland, municipal water use, and recreational tourism, is challenged by a rapid rate of population growth and development contributing to water quality degradation, water supply and availability issues, and declining ecological resilience. Bozeman-s rapid urbanization has contributed to non-point sources water quality concerns, with impermeable surfaces mobilizing pollutants into streams after storm events. The council will increase community awareness of watershed concerns, advance prioritized actions through the development and coordination of task forces, and complete the design and engineering of on-the-ground restoration projects in the lower part of the gallatin river watershed.