The Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) works to engage the community and facilitate efforts that will enhance, conserve, sustain, and protect the natural resources and rural lifestyle of the Clearwater Watershed for present and future generations. Learn more »
Announcements, News and Events.
Thank You to everyone who donated to CRC through the Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s 2024 "Change your Pace Challenge" (CYP) which ended May 31st. Nearly $4000 was raised for CRC. We plan to use these donations to help fund and expand ongoing activities relating to lakes, streams, forests, fisheries and wildlife in the valley.
If you’re interested to learn more about the money raised for all participating organizations, Click Here.
Please checkout our 2024 Spring Newsletter by clicking Here.
The MWCC Watershed Fund has awarded funding to six of Montana’s local watershed groups - including CRC, in support of their efforts to more sustainably and effectively pursue targeted conservation goals identified within their communities using the Watershed Approach to conservation. Learn more about CRC’s plans for utilizing this funding by Clicking HERE.
To learn more about CRC’s board and staff, click here - Board and Staff.
We’re also looking for volunteers to help out with programs and events. Please click here - Volunteer if this might interest you.
Wildflowers are Out
Pictured here:
Sticky Geraniums (Geranium viscosissimum) and
Sugarbowl (Clematis hirsutissima )
You may need to head to higher elevations to see some flowers
See if you can identify some of the common and not so common flowers that you might see when you’re out and about by clicking Here - Wildflowers. There is also a slide show of other wildflowers you might spot.
Water Quality Monitoring Findings presentation - a Community Meeting
On January 9, 2024, CRC presented various findings from its years of water monitoring of the lakes and streams in the Clearwater Valley as well as the current understanding of the status of surface and groundwaters.
The informational slides titled, Water Quality Monitoring Findings which were used during the presentation can be downloaded here. (pdf format, 3.5MB)
The informational report Clearwater Valley Watershed Restoration Plan with data used in the presentation can be downloaded here. (pdf format, 3.6MB)
Read the January 18th, Pathfinder article by Griffen Smith of the Seeley Swan Pathfinder about the meeting by CLICKING HERE.
Thank you to everyone who attended both in person and via Zoom. Much appreciation to Tom Browder for making the Zoom option possible.
Explore Volunteer Opportunities with CRC
We’re always looking for volunteers. For more information on how you might get involved CLICK HERE.
“ CRC has been designated as a model watershed program partner by the
Bonneville Environmental Foundation due to its outstanding resource protection efforts.”
In the News…
Over the years, numerous volunteers and staff have helped to monitor the health of our lakes and streams.
October 26, 2023, Seeley Swan Pathfinder article - Clearwater Resource Council reports on water quality sampling for Chain of Lakes. To read the article, Click Here.
The actual report, titled “Priority Water Quality Monitoring in the Clearwater Valley” is available in pdf format in two possible “file size” options. Download the 60 page report by clicking on the desired “file size” version below.
8.9 MB version (File name: 2022-2023_ClearwaterLakesMonitoringReport.pdf) or
2.0 MB version (File name: 2022-2023_ClearwaterLakesMonitoringReport-r.pdf images & graphs - might have slighty less quality)
The report includes the results of monitoring six lakes in the valley, including Big Sky Lake, Lake Alva, Lake Inez, Placid Lake, Salmon Lake, and Seeley Lake. The sampling looked at Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature Profiles, Chlorophyll and Blue-Green Algae, pH Analysis, Conductivity, Nutrient Analyses, and Secchi Transparency.
(Additional reports regarding water quality are available below.)
Clearwater Valley - Water Quality Monitoring information
Recent Reports
2023 Priority Water Quality Monitoring in the Clearwater Valley” is available in pdf format in two possible “file size” options. Download the 60 page report by clicking on the desired “file size” version: 8.9 MB version or 2.0 MB version
2022 - Water Sampling Report (SAP) - 2.9 MB & 2022 MMR Report information.
2021 - Water Sampling Report (SAP) - 1.7 MB & 2021 MMR Report Information
Access an assortment of “lake” information by viewing the following website pages: the Adopt-A-Lake Program page and the Clearwater Lake Alliance pages.
Summer 2022 - Teagen Nap recording lake data. photo by J. Harrits
Area Fire Plan
The 2019 update of the Seeley-Swan Fire Plan is now available.
Fuels reduction work - thinning ladder fuels.
First prepared in 2004, this updated plan helps guide and focus wildfire mitigation activities in the Seeley Lake-Clearwater River watershed as well as the Swan River watershed.
The Fire Plan identifies significant wildfire risks to the communities and outlines an action plan to reduce or eliminate fire impacts. It includes resources and information to assist county residents, public and private organizations, local government, and others interested in planning for wildfire risk reduction. This includes a list of action steps that will assist both communities in reducing and preventing loss from future wildfire events. Download the plan. (3.5)MB
Learn more about CRC’s Forest Fuels initiatives and consider participating in a Forest Fuels Home Assessment and applying for a Fuels Mitigation Grant. Click here to download the application. Be sure to save the file. Then complete and return to CRC.
Many of CRC’s events have been reported in the Seeley Swan Pathfinder, the weekly local paper.
Click here for a list of articles.
Informative Reports
2023 - Clearwater Valley Watershed Restoration Plan informational report, which was the basis for an community meeting January 2024.
2021 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report (162 KB)
2021 - Aquatic Plant Surveys for area lakes. (635 KB pdf)
mentioned in the Sept. 23 Pathfinder article.
2020 - 2025 Strategic Plan (3.0 MB pdf)
2020 - Students In Action, Morrell Creek Report (345 KB)
2019 Annual Report (3.7 MB pdf)
2020 Adopt-A-Lake Report (updated June 2021 - 1.4 MB pdf) and the 2019 Adopt-A-Lake Supplement to the 2014 report (0.5 MB pdf)
2017 Adopt-A-Stream Report (1.1MB pdf)
Forest Fuels Home Assessment and Grant application available here.
We are delighted to see @Senator Tester reintroduce the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act to the U.S. Senate at the end of April. This is a long lasting solution that balances healthy forests, local jobs, recreation and wilderness with broad state-wide support, in fact 75% of Montanans support the #BCSA. It’s time to get this done.
CRC supports the passage of Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) as it is a common sense, practical solution to safeguard our rural way of life, bolster the local economy and to better protect the natural resources that we all cherish. To Learn more about the BCSA and how it came about, visit the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project website by clicking here.
Additional Topics of Interest
In 2011, CRC received a 10 year grant from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) in support of many of its watershed programs and projects. To learn more about these projects and the grant, please visit the Projects Overview (http://crcmt.org/projects-overview) page. Projects cover a wide area of the valley, looking at our forests, our lakes, and the streams in the watershed.
Watch “Keeping Clearwater”
A 15 minute movie detailing efforts to protect the Clearwater watershed.
For more information about
these topics contact the office by calling
406-677-0069 or send an email to
Jon Haufler ( jon@crcmt.org)
Please click the Donate button.
Payment can be made by credit card or PayPal.
Banner Photos: Clearwater River, Snowy Mountaintop, Early Spring - Jeff Harrits