Join Now
Home RiverSmart Growth
RiverSmart Growth Print E-mail

Growth has become the new mining in the Clark Fork basin in terms of the most pressing threat to the watershed.  Through our RiverSmart Growth Program, we are spearheading proactive approaches to protect the river corridor as new subdivisions spring up in fast-growing western Montana valleys.

Image Rivers Rise, Build Back: Our Rivers Rise, Build Back campaign advocates for streamside setbacks and suitable buffers between the river and human development.  Setbacks reduce flood risk, protect clean water, conserve wildlife habitat, and preserve property values.  Visit the Rivers Rise, Build Back webpage for up-to-date campaign info.
Image High Quality Growth: We promote local policies that deliver high-quality growth to value and protect Montana’s irreplaceable rivers, lakes, and streams.
Image Call for Change: We are seeking to change or amend state laws and policies to protect the basin’s waterways and promote river-sensitive growth and development.

 


Streamside Protections: Streamside setbacks are proactive tools for protecting water, wildlife, and private property.  Officials predict that in the next 15 years, Missoula County will add another 35,000 residents.  Proper streamside protections will help combat potential negative impacts of high density populations along waterways by preventing water pollution, conserving riparian areas, and protecting the views we all enjoy while floating or fishing our favorite rivers and streams.  Setbacks are guided by scientific data that analyzes flood risk, charts future channel migration, and seeks to prtect high-value wildlife habitat.  Because setbacks vary by location, they can effectively protect riparian areas while honoring the rights of landowners. Through our Rivers Rise, Build Back campaign, we advocate to protect rivers, property, and wildlife from too-close development.

High Quality Growth: Poorly managed growth can lead to "death by a thousand cuts"—unchecked, poorly-situated residential or commercial growth damages water quality, paves over wildlife habitat, and diminishes the Montana way of life.  Fortunately, we are working to protect our irreplaceable rivers and streams by developing and promoting local policies to deliver high-quality growth in wesern Montana.  Our projects include a campaign to adopt streamside protections in Missoula, Ravalli, Flathead Counties and an initiative to implement local processes for new zonings and transportation plans.  

Call for Change: We are working to protect the basin’s waterways and promote river-sensitive growth and development by changing or amending state laws and policies.  These statewide initiatives include adopting statewide minimum setbacks for rivers and major tributaries, lobbying for legislative changes to laws that inadvertently encourage sprawl and lead to serious water shortage problems, and tightening permit procedures for open cut gravel mines.

Read more about streamside setbacks:

NewWest.Net Article: The Skinny on Streamside Setbacks (2.25.08)

University of Wisconsin: Analysis of Zoning to Protect Lakefront Amenities (21 pp.)

Cleveland State University: Hedonic Analysis of Riparian/Wetland Setbacks (43 pp.)

Citizens for a Better Flathead: Compiled Research (3 pp.)

Read more about how septic systems impact our waters:

Septic Systems Impact on Surface Waters: A Review for the Inland Northwest by the Tri-State Water Quality Council (4.9 MB, 32 pp.)