Lewistown Field Office
| Contacts: | Craig Flentie 406-538-1943 | |||
BLM Lifts Seasonal Motorized Restrictions on Upper Missouri River
The Bureau of Land Management’s Lewistown Field Office (BLM) would like to remind recreationists that the seasonal motorized watercraft travel restrictions on the wild and scenic segments of the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River will run through Wednesday, September 15 this year.\
On September 16, recreationists can again use motorized watercraft on any segment of the river.
However, personal watercraft and floatplanes are allowed only on the river miles 0 – 3 downstream from Fort Benton, yearlong.
“The seasonal restrictions work well and have been a part of managing and recreating on the Upper Missouri since the first management plan was written for the Wild and Scenic Missouri River (30 some years ago). These regulations balance the interests of motorized and non-motorized recreationists,” offered Jon Edwards, a BLM law enforcement ranger stationed in Lewistown.
“We would also like to remind overnight boaters/floaters they are required to have and use a portable toilet on their river trip. We implemented this decision in 2004, based upon concern about human waste disposal along the Upper Missouri,” Edwards added.
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.
Lewistown Field Office 920 NE Main Lewistown, MT 59457