The Missouri River Conservation Districts Council (MRCDC) was the vision of a group of dedicated volunteers committed to the protection of one of Montana’s greatest assets,the Missouri River. The Missouri River Council was created from this sense of duty to protect and enhance the headwaters of our nation.

In the fall of 2000, during the annual convention of the Montana Association of Conservation Districts, nearly 50 people attended an impromptu meeting to discuss the opportunity of creating a river council for the Missouri, following the example set by the conservation districts along the Yellowstone River. Feeling the pressure of a variety of environmental groups, conservation district supervisors agreed that if they did not join forces to make management decisions along the river, someone else would. But the task was more than daunting; it seemed impossible.

The Missouri River Corridor in Montana is 725 miles long, literally bisecting the state. The 1.68 million acres were in 14 counties and 15 conservation districts. It contained all land uses, Tribal lands, municipalities, federal lands, a National Monument, a Wildlife Refuge, and private ownership. Indeed, to pull all this together into a single group seemed a formidable task. but, to never try, would be a sure way to fail so, to begin with, a very informal group was formed existing primarily of representation from conservation districts bordering the Missouri beginning in Gallatin County moving downstream to the Robinson Bridge in Phillips County. This regional area was identified for two reasons: 1) the NRCS was promoting a program called the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) which identified the Madison-Missouri Corridor from Hebgon Lake to the Robinson Bridge; and 2) the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument had just been created, encompassing a portion of that reach.

This fledgling group met again in December of 2000 and formally organized into the Missouri River Conservation Districts Council. This meeting was facilitated by a staff member of DNRC, who guided the group in their efforts to write a mission statement and begin drafting goals. The group also began developing a structure which would eventually become the ground rules under which the Council operates today.

 

The Council met again early in 2001 and revised their mission statement to read, “It is our mission to represent natural resource and environmental interests on the Missouri River. This Council believes the conservation of the river and its corridor, and the sustainability of its various uses can best be accomplished through grassroots collaboration, education, incentives and voluntary action.”

During this January meeting, the Council developed and fleshed out their very early goals and, though lofty, readily guided the Council during this early phase. Also, during this meeting, the membership was determined, and since the root of the effort had its foundation in the concerns of the conservation districts located along the Missouri River corridor, it was strictly distinguished as conservation district supervisors. As locally elected officials, they were naturally the most logical choice for a grass roots organization like the MRCDC.

As time went on, and MRCDC gained footing, it soon became apparent that someone would be needed to help keep everyone else on track, and, funding from somewhere was going to have to be acquired. Consequently, the Cascade County Conservation District, having identified the Missouri River as a priority watershed in their Plan of Operations, loaned their district administrator to the Council to act as coordinator until such a time that the Council would no longer be in need of that service, or would have funding to hire an individual to serve in that capacity. The Cascade CD staffer named to that position still serves today, on loan to the Council.

During these early months, the expenses were covered by the corridor districts; however, a watershed assistance grant through DNRC/CARDD and sponsored by the Chouteau County Conservation District was obtained. It was a small amount, only $6500, but it covered travel expenses, purchased a few supplies, and paid for postage.

One of the first achievements the MRCDC claims is being instrumental in the approval of Montana’s first Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program contact. This is a federal program geared to improve water quality and enhance fish and wildlife habitat along the Missouri and Madison Rivers. It was set up to establish, restore, and improve approximately 11,000 acres of riparian buffers along 524 miles of the river corridor and the tributaries. PPL Montana was willing and able to provide the required non-federal match to meet their FERC requirements. DNRC/CARDD, NRCS, FSA, the Governor’s Office, and PPL Montana all worked closely with MRCDC to develop the contract and launch the program successfully.

Occurring at about this same time, was the final process in the creation of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. The landowners, whose private property was included in the Monument boundaries, were outraged with what they perceived to be a government “takings” attempt. They naturally appealed to their local conservation district for assistance; the districts asked for help from the Council. The Council in turn made logical inquiries and investigations and began a dialog with BLM. It soon became apparent however, that the Monument was an irreversible transaction, so the Council dedicated their efforts to helping the landowners learn to live and cope with the Monument and its impacts. The Council, at this point, became a political voice for the conservation districts and the landowners. It is a role they still play today.

In 2003, MRCDC members agreed that, as a whole, they were uninformed about reaches of the river that were not their own. As a result, they gained a 223 grant from DNRC/CARDD to conduct a resource data study to determine where there were gaps in the available data along the river corridor. Today, that gaps analysis is complete and on line. It is a comprehensive electronic card file of all the resources available along the Missouri River. It includes information on everything from fisheries to socioeconomic data.

When MACD and NRCS jointly developed the Local Empowerment Program to fund local conservation district efforts, Cascade County Conservation District agreed to sponsor an operating grant for the MRCDC. reasonable and allowable expenditures included salary and travel expenses for The coordinator, Council member travel expenses, outreach and education, office overhead, and an administrative fee. The MRCDC received this grant in 2004, allowing them to continue to serve the districts in the Corridor. In addition, a second 223 grant from DNRC was received to accomplish the outreach efforts identified in the 2003 MRCDC Annual Plan of Operations, which includes a display, brochures, and a web site.

As the months and years have dissolved, the Council has gained strength, identity, recognition, and focus. The goal statements have been revised to better identify the Council’s function as that of a collective voice for the conservation districts along the river. The Council continues to hold quarterly meetings, rotating them from reach to reach. They now also include tours of projects and problems so that Council members better understand the individual concerns, issues, and opportunities of the river. This seems to be an effective tool for helping members gain an understanding and appreciation of the river as a cohesive unit.

The Council continues to operate as a Conservation District assembly; however, agencies such as BLM, US FWS, FWP, and others are frequently asked to attend meetings and provide information on specific issues. In addition, MACD, DNRC/CARDD, and NRCS all bring representation to the Council membership providing invaluable advice and information.

Funding for the Council for anything other than operations remains allusive. That is to say, there are no funds for “on-the-ground” projects at this time. The Council, however, has recently taken steps to alter this situation so they may provide Corridor districts with opportunities to implement conservation practices on the river.

It is appropriate to recognize the assistance gained from numerous agencies and individuals in this arduous process of building a viable, working group like the MRCDC. Certainly, the MACD Board and staff have been invaluable for their support and advice, as has been the DNRC Conservation and Resource Development Division. The BLM and NRCS have provided much reassurance, recognition, and assistance to this Council. Last, but in no measure, least, are the dedicated people serving as Council members. Without their time and commitment and that of their local conservation district boards, the MRCDC would not be possible.