MRCDC Conducts Tours

The Missouri River Conservation District Council (MRCDC), comprised of the 15 conservation districts in the Missouri River Corridor held their quarterly meeting in Culbertson on Sept 26.

The MRCDC provides leadership, assistance and guidance to conservation districts along the Missouri River Corridor, their goal is to share perspectives, solve problems and exchange information on Missouri River resource management. In this light the Lower Missouri Coordinated Resource Management (LoMo CRM), the conservation districts representing the four counties below the Fort Peck Reservoir, Richland, Roosevelt, McCone and Valley counties hosted a tour for the group. Dick Iversen, LoMo CRM chairman, and Richland County’s representative to the MRCDC along with Julie Goss, LoMo CRM coordinator, organized the tour.

Representatives of MRCDC, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Natural Resource and Conservation service (NRCS) along with congressional representatives were given a firsthand look at the various issues the area is facing due to the oil development and the results of the recent flooding that occurred this summer below Fort Peck Dam.

The tour began with a look at the man camp and truck parking area being built north of Bainville. Garth Harmon, Blaze Enterprises, explained the steps necessary to set up a man camp. One of the workers graciously allowed the group to view his home away from home.

The next stop took the group to an oil well drilling site, for many of the attendees this was their first chance to see a rig up close. The group ventured into Richland County, where a local resident, Jim Carlisle, explained his water depot and the process involved in securing a permit to market water. Russ Huotari, Richland County road supervisor, discussed the various methods Richland County is using to try and improve the county gravel roads. Hopefully, these methods will give the roads some sustainability for years to come. Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric told the group about the demand for power an oil boom brings to an area, through electrification of oil wells to electrical hook ups for man camps and RV parks. Attendees also got a first hand look at Cody Saboe’s newly opened scoria pit and heard about the permits that are necessary for open mining in Montana. They ended the tour checking out the results of the flooding on the Missouri River, land with heavy silt that will require extra work in order for it to be productive again. Thousands of tiny cottonwoods, ash and willows trees growing along the flooded riparian areas were an eye opener. Tom Pick, NRCS, explained the upcoming incentive programs available to encourage landowners to leave the trees growing. Continuous CRP, EQIP and the Wetland Reserve Program are available to landowners. If anyone is interested in these programs contact your local NRCS or FSA Office. The group returned to Culbertson for supper and the Missouri River Conservation District Council quarterly meeting.

Other topics the group is working on include the FWP Interim Translocation of Bison and the Eurasian Milfoil infestations occurring on the Missouri River.