Aquatics

The Clearwater Resource Council is committed to conserving and protecting the aquatic resources and ecosystems in the Clearwater Valley in a way that is representative of the Seeley Lake community's desires and is integrated with the management of terrestrial ecosystems.

Additionally, the Missoula Conservation District (MCD) has prioritized a goal to improve and protect water quality by conserving streams and rivers in a natural state and conserving soil and promoting wise land use practices, specifically through working with local partners to limit resource impacts of suburban development in rural areas.

Over the years, Clearwater Resource Council (CRC) has gained the skills to collect and analyze water quality data. Therefore the Missoula Conservation District (MCD) partnered with CRC to provide a water quality information. The primary purpose was to conduct a preliminary baseline data assessment of the status of water quality in the lakes with a goal to improve and protect water quality by conserving streams and rivers in a natural state and conserving soil and promoting wise land use practices.

On January 9, 2024, CRC held a public meeting to present 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 information provided was based on the report titled: “Clearwater Valley Watershed Restoration Plan” which can be downloaded here. (pdf format, 3.6MB)

The informational slides used during the meeting titled, “Water Quality Monitoring Findings” which were used during the presentation can be downloaded here. (pdf format, 3.5MB)

Additionally, in October 2023, CRC provided a report titled “Priority Water Quality Monitoring in the Clearwater Valley,” this report also evaluated indicators of potential septic leachate impacts to surface waters and will help inform future sampling plans.

The 60 page report, titled “Priority Water Quality Monitoring in the Clearwater Valley” is available in pdf format in two possible “file size” options. Download the report by clicking on the desired “file size” version below.
8.9 MB version or
2.0 MB version (images & graphs - might have slightly 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.

Learn more about these CRC Aquatics Projects

• Adopt-a-Lake Water Quality Monitoring Program includes a variety of reports on area lakes.

• Clearwater Lakes Alliance information especially for homeowners on those lakes.

• Aquatic Invasive Species

• Adopt-a-Stream

• Water Quality Source Tracking (Microbial Source Tracking, MST)

• Watershed Planning

• Students in Action Stream Monitoring in Morrell Creek

• Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

• 2021 - Aquatic Plant Surveys file for area lakes. Read the article from the September 23, 2021 Seeley Swan Pathfinder, CRC completes aquatic plant survey written by Heidi Sedivy, CRC Project Manager.

A Bit More Background on some of projects listed above.

Water and fisheries of the Clearwater River Basin, particularly those associated with the large, low elevation lakes, are a backdrop to our community. Our lakes are directly influenced by the condition of the streams that drain surrounding watersheds.

Volunteers have been working for more than 10 years to monitor and gather information about most of our lakes. Volunteers have also work to expand the relatively limited information about the conditions of our streams.

“Clearwater Model Watershed Project Strategic Update to the Bonneville Environmental Fund, 2016”

CRC is a Bonneville Environmental Foundation Model Watershed. In the first five years of the partnership, CRC accomplished a great deal. This report details those accomplishments. You can download the original proposal HERE.

Teachers and students in the Seeley schools have stepped in to improve our knowledge about Morrell Creek, a particularly important stream flowing right through our community. Over the years, starting with Patti Bartlett’s 7th and 8th grade science classes, students at Seeley Lake Elementary have been following water quality and fish populations in Morrell Creek. They created the “Morrell Riparian Classroom” where students could “get their feet wet” doing real stream restoration and learning about this stream, its biology and water quality.

Also, in the fall of 2011 Tonya Smith, science teacher at the Seeley-Swan High School, initiated the “Students in Action"  to contribute new, detailed information on nutrients and stream flow.