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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Lewistown Field Office
 
Release Date: 05/26/10
Contacts: Craig Flentie 406-538-1943    

Team to Conduct Riparian Assessment on the Upper Missouri

An interdisciplinary team (ID) with members from the Bureau of Land Management, the National Riparian Service Team and a private contractor will be conducting a Proper Functioning Condition (PFC) assessment of the public lands along Upper Missouri River this coming July.

The field assessment will be conducted between July 6 and 16, and will involve intensive work along the entire 149 miles of the Upper Missouri River, which runs thought the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. 

Riparian areas are those green areas associated with lakes, reservoirs and streams. These areas are characterized by water tables at or near the soil surface and by vegetation requiring high water tables. Riparian areas are utilized by many species of wildlife and livestock and are highly sought out by recreationists. 
 
The end result of the PFC assessment will be a condition rating based upon riparian site potential and, where applicable, a determination of apparent trends (positive or negative) of the public land portions of the Upper Missouri River. 

Public involvement is an important part of this process and the ID team has designed the following opportunities for interested members of the public to participate:

  • Monday, June 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the BLM Lewistown District Office, 920 NE Main Street, Lewistown -- a community meeting to provide an overview of the assessment process;
  • Tuesday, June 15, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the Winifred Town Hall, Main Street, Winifred -- a full day workshop (½ classroom and ½ field) to review the PFC checklist and options for applying the assessment findings;
  • Wednesday, June 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Agriculture Center, 1205 20th Street, Fort Benton – a community meeting to provide an overview of the assessment process; and
  • Thursday, June 17, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Agriculture Center, Fort Benton -- a full day workshop (½ classroom and ½ field) to review the PFC checklist and options for applying the assessment findings. 
The ID team will also make arrangements for members of the public to accompany the team during the assessment work in July.
 
If you have questions about these opportunities, please contact Chad Krause at 406-538-1908 or Craig Flentie at 406-538-1943.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
--BLM--

Lewistown Field Office   920 NE Main Street      Lewistown, MT 59457  

Last updated: 06-28-2012