Beginning May 1, 2024 and throughout the month you can support CRC by making a donation to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation’s "Change your Pace Challenge" (CYP). Learn more…

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.

In the News…

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

A Special Thanks…

Thank you to Jim Best and his son Zack Best, who provided additional help and support with the 2023 Adopt-A-Lake monitoring. Along with taking water samples and recording data, Jim also launched his boat on some lakes which was a big help in completing the monitoring.

In the news

CRC has received a $2500 grant from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation for Seeley Lake Water Quality Monitoring.

As noted in the Pathfinder article, “The quality of the waters in the Chain of Lakes in the Clearwater Valley is a critical component of our environment. The importance of this project was emphasized at the January 9th Community Council meeting, where both the Seeley Lake Sewer District and the Community Council voiced strong support for CRC to continue lake monitoring.

Read more about the Foundations grant distribution in the March 8, 2023 Pathfinder article, Six local groups get $12,000 from the Seeley Lake Community Foundation.

Area Fire Plan

The 2019 update of the Seeley-Swan Fire Plan is now available.

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

Read CRC’s Newsletters from Last Year and more - Click Here

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