To celebrate this year’s Public Lands Day, Montana BHA Chapter volunteers organized a river cleanup on the Missouri River between Holter Dam and the town of Cascade.
Boasting over 7,000 trout per mile, this 35-mile section is one of the most well-known stretches of river among trout anglers around the world. Consistent water temps and an excellent biomass of insects, baitfish, crustaceans, and vegetation makes this portion of the upper Missouri River a trout factory, attracting thousands of anglers throughout the year. Active management by the state and conservation efforts from various organizations have enabled the upper Missouri to remain a healthy fishery despite heavy angling pressure, but river traffic takes its toll, resulting in the buildup of litter and man-made debris throughout the watershed. Nearly 20 BHA volunteers addressed this issue by gathering in Craig, Montana on a beautiful Saturday in September to walk, wade, and float the river in search of trash.
After a quick meeting at the Craig Taphouse in the morning to distribute lunches and trash bags, volunteers paired up and dispersed along the river. Special attention was paid to fishing access sites, campgrounds, boat ramps, islands, and high-traffic banks. Volunteers included humans of all ages and even a few dogs. After an arduous but rewarding day, volunteers gathered again at the Craig Taphouse to consolidate trash, have a drink, and take a group photo. The day’s trash bounty was impressive, including four tires, countless wads of fishing line, lots of scrap metal, a muffler, and much more. Special thanks go to the Craig Taphouse for hosting the event, OnX for sponsoring, and all the volunteers for donating their time and passion for public lands and water!
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About Micah Fields
Micah lives in Helena and is the Stewardship Leader for the Montana BHA Chapter.