Upper Missouri Waterkeeper

05/20/2026

See you this Friday in Craig at Craig TapHouse Takeover: Protecting Montana's Rivers & Fisheries at Craig Taphouse with Headhunters Flyshop , Montana Fishing Outfitters, Yellow Lab Outfitting, LLC, and Wolf Creek Angler!

Thank you all for your support, and to all who can join us to have fun and support work for cold, clean water as the recreation season kicks off!

05/07/2026

It's go time! Greater Helena Gives, a 24-hr giving celebration for local nonprofit organizations, is now live!

Upper Missouri Waterkeeper takes on the tough fights threatening Montana’s special waterways, but we can’t do it without you. Your support before the deadline at 8pm on May 7 allows us to continue this important work.

https://www.greaterhelenagives.org/organizations/uppermissouriwaterkeeper

Thank you for supporting clean water in Montana!

05/01/2026

This Give Big Gallatin Valley, please consider a donation to Upper Missouri Waterkeeper.

Your support will help us:
- Protect the Gallatin River from irresponsible development
- Continue the most robust water quality monitoring program in Southwest MT
- Defend our water resources from data centers
- and much more!

Whether you can give $10 or $100, every gift helps us make a difference protecting clean water and healthy rivers in Montana. Thank you!!

https://www.givebiggv.org/organizations/uppermissouriwaterkeeper

04/30/2026

Last day to sign the pledge for water in Helena!

It's Earth Week and the City of Helena has several great opportunities to jumpstart a sustainable spring! First up, Helena is participating in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, which runs April 1-30. Take the pledge to reduce your water use at https://www.mywaterpledge.com/ for a chance to win prizes!

04/29/2026

Great coverage on a critical opportunity to stand up for Montana’s Water against a dangerous proposal to exempt new pollution to groundwater from environmental review and public process.

“Our waterways are not healthy today. We’re already seeing the health of our waterways slip through our fingers, and a primary cause of that is related to widespread nutrient loading from a variety of sources.” - Guy Alsentzer, Executive Director, Upper Missouri Waterkeeper

📰 Read the full story in the Missoula Current here:
👉 https://missoulacurrent.com/state-septic-system/

📢 Be Heard! Stand up for clean water by Friday, May 1st, by commenting against this new pollution exemption!
👉 https://www.uppermissouriwaterkeeper.org/8478-2/

📰 Learn more about this dangerous new exemption from environmental review here:
👉 https://www.uppermissouriwaterkeeper.org/deqs-draft-environmental-assessment-for-subsurface-wastewater-systems/

📩 Stay informed and take action:
Join our Alert Network for updates on data centers, pollution threats, and what we must do to protect our rivers:
👉 https://forms.gle/FMQkoUoSeyHg9HeP9

💧 Support the River Defense Fund:
Help us stay in the courts, track rulemaking at every level, and hold decision-makers accountable for your right to fishable, swimmable, drinkable water. Become a Waterkeeper today!
👉 https://www.uppermissouriwaterkeeper.org/give-now-to-the-river-defense-fund/

The state is proposing a program to give blanket approval to subdivision septic systems, but like many things in Montana, one size doesn’t fit all, according to some environmental watchdogs.

04/28/2026

Great kickoff event in Great Falls in the Upper Missouri Basin!

Great Falls area Waterkeeper’s, please donate today or during this week of giving to support fishable, swimmable, drinkable water!
👉 https://www.givegreatfalls.org/organizations/uppermissouriwaterkeeper

For Clean Water!

04/24/2026

Join us Monday, April 27 at 12pm for a public Zoom webinar on DEQ’s Draft Environmental Assessment for Subsurface Wastewater Treatment Systems.

DEQ is accepting public comment on a proposal that would shape how septic systems are approved across Montana, yet it fails to address the threats wastewater pollution poses to our rivers, streams, and groundwater, especially as development continues across the state.

Hear from an expert scientist and environmental attorneys about what’s at stake and how you can take action before the May 1 deadline.

Register for the webinar now at the link in our bio.

04/23/2026

Recording of "Protecting Montana’s Water Future" with John Tubbs is now available.

Drawing on decades of experience in water policy and public service, Tubbs walks through how Montana’s waters became overallocated and increasingly threatened—and what it will take to turn that around. From exempt wells and septic loopholes to the rollback of numeric standards, this is a clear look at the legal and policy decisions shaping our rivers today, and the path forward to protect them.

📺 Watch here:
👉 https://vimeo.com/1184926608?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

📰 Read coverage from today’s Bozeman Daily Chronicle:
👉 https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/montanadnrc-montanawateruseact-waterrights-gallatinvalley/article_4a859fad-8b33-4fd9-9c96-39d1018d1b40.html

Waterkeeper is committed to making sure new growth protects Montana’s waters, as shown in this recent article:
👉 https://www.explorebigsky.com/bsrad-pitches-in-200k-for-environmental-assessment-of-canyon-sewer/170455

Happy Earth Month. See you Saturday at Gallatin Valley Earth Day:
👉 https://gallatinvalleyearthday.org/

📩 Stay informed and take action:
Join our Alert Network for updates on data centers, pollution threats, and what we must do to protect our rivers:
👉 https://forms.gle/FMQkoUoSeyHg9HeP9

We are working across the watershed and need your help. Sign up for updates on events, new resources, and ways to take action to protect clean water in your area.

💧 Support the River Defense Fund:
👉 https://www.uppermissouriwaterkeeper.org/give-now-to-the-river-defense-fund/

Your support fuels direct, effective action using science and the law to defend Montana’s waters. As a member or donor, you’re part of the work to protect the water that sustains our fish, our economy, and our way of life.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle Gallatin Valley Earth Day &Law4CleanWater