Missouri River Conservation Districts Council

The Rancher Stewardship Alliance Weed Committee, with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri River Conservation Districts Council, completed two weeks of free weed washes for hunters entering the CMR National Wildlife Refuge.  The first weed wash event was the week of Sept. 16-24, prior to the opening of bow hunting season.  More than 80 vehicles took advantage of the free wash station and several more used car wash coupons, provided by the U.S.

If the Fort Peck Reservoir continues to gain water like it did this past year, the U.S.

How would Charles M. Russell react to the management alternatives being developed for the national wildlife refuge that bears his name?  Given the artist’s love of the cowboy life on the open range and his admiration of those who came before and lived closer to the land than he did, one might wonder what his reaction would be and where his beloved landscape is headed.

With significant help from Alan Rollo and a group of eager students, the Council embarked on another great river cleanup project.  Alan Rollo, coordinator for the Sun River Watershed, facilitated the cleanup and restoration of a section of the Missouri River just upstream from Great Falls.  Alan, who has coordinated the removal of more than 400 car bodies from the Sun River, got involved with the project after being contacted by concerned landowners.  The work was paid for by those landowners and the Missouri River CD Council.  After Alan and his crew removed 23,000 pounds of material, inc

A documentary of homesteaders and their families who have persevered for generations in the area now known as the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is in the final stages of production.  The film, entitled “Pride and Perseverance” will be available at the BLM Interpretive Center in Fort Benton.  The documentary features several local families, including those of two Council Members in that area — Rick Anderson and Dana Darlington.

The Corps of Engineers is accepting applications for the newly formed Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC), which will advise the Corps on a study of the Missouri River and its tributaries as well as provide guidance on current Missouri River recovery and mitigation activities.  Applications are being accepted until August 22nd and application forms are available online at http://www.moriverrecovery.org.

The Council’s 1st Annual River Rendezvous was a huge success, bringing landowners, agency representatives, and special interest groups together to spend time on the river, discuss river issues, and learn about new federal programs that can help achieve conservation goals throughout the river corridor.  Thanks to the ingenuity and persistence of the BLM’s Wade Brown, the high water and closure of the Fort Benton boat launch didn’t stop the boat tour, which was moved instead to the Wood Bottom boat launch.  Coming back with tales of weed infestations, potential CREP pro

After just three Planning Team meetings, the draft management alternatives for the CMR National Wildlife Refuge’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) are taking shape. The Council, through their Coordinator Vicki Marquis and alternate Mike McKeever of the Garfield County CD, serves on the Planning Team for the CCP. When finalized, the CCP will provide management objectives and strategies for the Refuge over the next 15 years.

Earlier this year, the Council lost one of its founding fathers when Dale Marxer, age 82, passed away peacefully at his ranch in the Millegan area outside of Great Falls. Dale served for 44 years on the Cascade County Conservation District and was involved with the Council from the very beginning. The Council’s previous Coordinator, Gayla Wortman Oehmcke, remembers Dale and his incredible service.

Read the article In Memory of Dale Marxer from the April 2008 River Journal.