Big Hole Watershed Committee

06/17/2026

Join us for our monthly meeting this Wednesday, June 17th at 7pm!
Have a seat with us at Divide Grange Hall or watch on zoom (link in bio)

🔹Danika Holmes with Montana DNRC will be presenting on Reduced or Ceased Water Use Reporting. This is great info to have and key for any drought plan participants.

🔹We will also hear from Benjamin Raffety with Anvil Solutions who will update us on the status of their mining projects.

🔹Our next meeting won't be until August 19th, so be sure to catch us this Wednesday! See you soon!

06/15/2026

It was good to get up to the Elkhorn Mine early this year to take samples of groundwater at its peak. We took water quality samples, flow, pH, conductivity and a few other metrics. pH at this site was 3.9, with one site at 3.4, about as acidic as orange juice.
What we saw is helping us fine tune our design leading to a lower price tag with no reduction in impact for the land and water. Superfund projects like this take time because we need to get enough data to make sure what we design fixes the problem once and for all.

05/29/2026

Due to receiving several applications already, we will be closing applications for our Communications Coordinator position as of close of business today.

We appreciate the strong interest in this opportunity and want to sincerely thank everyone who has applied. We will begin reviewing application materials immediately and scheduling interviews as soon as possible.

05/26/2026

Looking for a meaningful way to spend a summer day outdoors? Join us on July 7 at Moose Creek for a volunteer day focused on building and restoring habitat for beavers and healthier streams! 🦫🌿💧

Volunteers will help with hands-on restoration work that supports watershed health, wildlife habitat, and natural water storage in the landscape. No prior experience is needed — just bring your enthusiasm and willingness to help.

Lunch and gloves will be provided, but we do need everyone to RSVP ahead of time so we can plan for lunches.

Sign up here: sagesteppe.org/volunteer

We hope you’ll join us for a great day of conservation work, community, and time outside!

05/22/2026

Now accepting applications for Communications Coordinator position. Mostly remote position with some in-person commitments. Must be local to Southwest Montana, passionate about conservation and rural communities, and experienced in multiple forms of communications/media. View the full job description and instructions to apply at bhwc.org.

05/20/2026

Please join us tonight for our May monthly meeting. We've got a full agenda!

Our feature presentation is about the Big Hole River fishery and will be presented by Jim Olsen with Montana FWP.

The meeting will also include the following special presentations:
- Water Measurement for Conservation by Jon Peterson, BHWC Hydrology Technician
- Cloud Seeding Pilot Proposal by Garrett Gee from Rainmaker

Please join us in-person or via Zoom! https://bhwc.org/monthly-meetings

05/15/2026

We’re so excited about this stream bank restoration project!

Historically, stream bank areas were often cleared of riparian vegetation to maximize grazing use.

Today, we’re using three different restoration methods to build a more resilient watershed for the future.

04/30/2026

Better water management starts with real data.

This summer, our seasonal hydrology technician, Jon, will be measuring flows across the Big Hole and working with local landowners to better understand water movement in the watershed.

Our in-stream flow monitoring program is free, confidential, and always voluntary.

Interested in being part of it? Reach out and we'd love to connect. Text FLOW to 26989 to get started

04/15/2026

FREE livestock carcass removal now available throughout the Big Hole Valley! (From Jackson to Twin Bridges, and even in the Grasshopper Valley!)

Call or text Conflict Reduction Coordinator Eric Lewis at 307-343-3803. Carcasses are hauled to our compost site near Wisdom.

To learn more about the program, check out this awesome article originally published in the Montana Standard.

The Big Hole Watershed Committee, an ag-friendly nonprofit in the Big Hole Valley, provides free livestock carcass removal and composting during spring calving and lambing season to reduce predator conflict.

04/12/2026

Join us for BHWC’s upcoming public meeting this Wednesday, April 15 at 7 PM!

Topic: Flexible Grazing
Presenters: Pat Fosse, Dan High, and C**t High
Location: Divide Grange Hall + Zoom

Come learn about practical approaches to flexible grazing and how it can benefit your land and operations. Everyone is welcome!

Learn more and find the Zoom link here: https://bhwc.org/monthly-meetings