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Upper Gallatin Drought/Water Supply Focus Group

Join us for a focus group meeting to learn about vulnerability assessments and prioritize risks to the watershed's water supply. Develop strategies to improve resiliency and reduce drought risk. April 27, 10:30-12PM at the Big Sky Water & Sewer District Conference Room.

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Upper Gallatin Drought/Water Supply Focus Group

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  1. Upper Gallatin Drought/Water Supply Focus Group Meeting Topic: Vulnerability Assessment April 27 10:30-12PM Big Sky Water & Sewer District Conference Room

  2. What is a Vulnerability Assessment? A tool we can use to organize our thoughts to: 1. Identify impacts 2. Prioritize our watershed’s risk to drought/water supply issues Answers these questions: Where are we most vulnerable? What will happen if we run out of water? Goal: Use assessment information to develop strategies that improve resiliency and reduce drought risk (long and short term)

  3. Vulnerability Assessment Examples Example: Zunni Nation Water Use & Drought Risk Matrix Table

  4. SNAPP Framework Way to conceptualize drought in an ecological sense, connects ecological impacts to human communities How we interact with our environment • Resource use and management Physical attributes, climate info Water demand, land use, local policies

  5. SNAPP Fr amewo r k

  6. SNAPP Fr amewo r k

  7. SNAPP Framework

  8. SNAPP Framework EXPOSURE Upper Gallatin Landscape Characteristics • Topography: 6237 - 11000+ ft • Geography: Alpine valleys draining into Gallatin Canyon • Annual Precipitation: 19” in lower elevations to 61” in higher • Soils: Higher permeability in higher elevations, Lower elevation soils = low to moderate permeability and susceptibility to erosion • Geology: • Gallatin range: Volcanic rocks • Meadow: Alluvial & glacial deposits • Lone Mountain: Igneous intrusion of dacite porphyry (erosion resistant) • Surface Water: Peak flows can occur early May to late July, average annual peak = 3000 cfs, average annual lows occur in February at 300 cfs • Groundwater: Shallow alluvial (most used for PWS) and bedrock aquifers

  9. SNAPP Framework SENSITIVITY/ADAPTIVE CAPACITY Upper Gallatin Ecological Characteristics • Vegetation: Coniferous forest, grasslands, shrublands, willow and aspen groves in riparian areas • Wildlife: Black and grizzly bear, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, mule and white-tailed deer, moose, bald eagles, peregrine falcon, osprey, magpie, fox, gray wolf, mountain lion, wolverine, pika • Aquatic life • Native: Westslope cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish, longnose dace, longnose sucker, mountain sucker, white sucker, mottled sculpin • Introduced: Brook, brown, golden, rainbow trout • Invasive: Didymo (rock snot)

  10. SNAPP Framework EXPOSURE Montana’s Anthropogenic Climate Change Montana Water Trends & Projections Between 1950-2015: • Snowpack has declined, especially since 1980s • Earlier spring runoff • Streamflow is influenced by warming & climate variability (ex. El Nino) Future • Snowpack will continue to decline, with earlier snowmelt • Streamflow may increase, especially in spring/early summer • Late-summer water availability will decrease • Droughts will be exacerbated by warming • Demands for groundwater will increase

  11. SNAPP Framework EXPOSURE Upper Gallatin Land Use Westfork Watershed Land Ownership

  12. SNAPP Framework EXPOSURE Water Use • Water & Sewer District • Provides service to 4385 SFE in Meadow & Mtn Village • Average use: 200 gpd/SFE, 400-500 in summer • Need to increase to 9000 SFE in ~2044 (build out) • Water Rights: 3495 gpm, 3267.35 AF in Meadow & Mtn • Source: Groundwater, most dense service provided by Meadow Village aquifer via 12 PWS wells • Private/Smaller Systems: YC, Spanish Peaks, Moonlight, Ramshorn, Firelights • Source: Groundwater • 840 Private wells in Big Sky/Gallatin Canyon Demographics • Population 2500-3000 year round residents, as many as 15000-17000 visitors on peak winter/summer days • Growth rate: 2.4% • Build out estimated by 2044 • About 3561 jobs, tourism and recreation based economy • most jobs in lodging, services, and retail/commercial • Biggest employers: Big Sky Resort, YC -bulk of employees commute from Bozeman area

  13. SNAPP Framework SENSITIVITY/ADAPTIVE CAPACITY Upper Gallatin Natural Resources Management View BSSWSF ecological health of the river page for full list • Forests • Custer-Gallatin Forest Plan, Gallatin Community Wildfire Protection Plan • River • Gallatin River Task Force mission & projects serve to protect the Upper Gallatin Watershed • Restoration & conservation projects • Long term monitoring, continuous monitoring sites • AIS Clean Drain Dry Educational Campaign • Wild & Scenic Initiative on Gallatin, Taylor Fork, & Porcupine • Groundwater • MBMG Groundwater Study • Riparian Areas • Westfork streambank restoration projects • Wetlands • Future mapping projects • Open Space • BSCO trails • Conservation easements

  14. SNAPP Fr amewo r k

  15. Impacts Review: Ecological 2000-2017 Drought Impact Reports by County Common Drought Impacts • Reduced snowpack levels • Low streamflows • Stress on fisheries and wildlife • Loss of viable habitat • Increased wildfire duration, area burned, and intensity • Increased invasive species • Fishing restrictions • Poor water quality • Public health risks from air quality • Reduced quality of recreational opportunities Most mentioned impact from Information Sharing meeting: Wildfire 1988 Yellowstone Fires Late 90s & Early 2000s Also: Fishing bans, evacuation notices (livestock and residents), restrictions on highway turnout use

  16. Impacts: Ecosystem Services Impact of Climate Change on MT Outdoor Economy (2015) Big Sky’s economy is based on tourism and recreation Virtually all businesses are impacted by our natural resources • Snowpack and streamflows 2016 Yellowstone visitors contributed $680.4 million to the Park’s gateway communities in MT and WY (April 2017 Bozeman Daily Chronicle Article)

  17. Drought Awareness Survey: 50 responses from local community “Drought can impact not only obvious recreational opportunities such as fishing, rafting, and golf, but also less obvious ones such as mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding. It can be a huge impact on overall forest health. I am very concerned.” “I am concerned that the area will not be prepared, especially if we have unusually long drought periods.” “It’s water that makes our world go around up here, it affects everything!”

  18. Additional Vulnerability Information Gallatin County Emergency Management Plan Drought risk: Overall Moderate risk • Moderate probability of major disaster • Moderate probability of property impact • Low probability of population impact • High probability of economic impact • Moderate future development impact Madison County Emergency Management Plan Drought Risk: Overall Moderate-High Risk • Up to D4 Magnitude • Economic impacts • Weeks-months • County-wide • Highest risk areas: Rural, ag areas • Potential size: Valley to county-wide • Speed of onset: Weeks to months • Duration: Months to years • Priority: Moderate

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