River Management Society - Interagency Workshop Agenda

Relationships Along a River

Sixth Biennial Interagency River Management Workshop

May 21-24, 2007 ~ Missoula, MT

DRAFT AGENDA
[As of 5/15/07]
(Subject to Change)

Sunday, May 20 & Monday, May 21

Blackfoot River Pre-Workshop Float Trip
(Hosted by the Northwest Chapter of RMS)

Depart: Sunday, May 20 8:00 AM
Return: Monday, May 21 6:30 PM

Made famous by the book and movie “A River Runs Through It,” the Blackfoot is known for its scenic beauty, trout fishing, and Class II whitewater boating. The trip will feature two days of rafting and discussions on a variety of river management topics including river restoration, native fish recovery efforts, river conflicts, commercial use, and permit allocation. Participants will leave Missoula on Sunday morning and return to Missoula Monday evening.

Sunday night will be spent at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest Dormitory. The Lubrecht Experimental Forest is a 28,000 acre outdoor classroom and laboratory operated by the University of Montana. While at Lubrecht, there will be opportunities to hike, play volleyball, relax, and sit around the campfire.

An outfitter will provide the boats, transportation, PFD's, wetsuits , and lunches. Dinner (Sunday evening) and breakfast (Monday morning) will be provided at the Lubrecht Dining Room. Participants should be back in Missoula around 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 21.

Cost: $175 (price does not include gratuity for guides)
Limit: 20

Alternative: A 1-day option (Sunday, May 20) will be available only if there are fewer than 20 registrants for the 2-day option. The 1-day option will include one day of floating on the Blackfoot, three meals, and lodging at Lubrecht State Forest Dormitory. Participants will need to arrange their own transportation back to Missoula or to the Swiftwater Rescue Course.

Cost: $120 (price does not include gratuity for guides)

Monday, May 21

Swiftwater Rescue Course (COURSE IS FULL)
(8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Roundup FAS on Blackfoot River)

Join local outfitter and river rescue instructor Mike Johnston for a one day swiftwater rescue course. This class will be very “hands on” including opportunities to participate in on-the-water rescue scenarios. The class will include sections on reading water, basic rules of river safety, identifying and assessing hazards, self-rescue, basic rescue equipment and rescue options, and entrapment. All experience and skill levels are welcome to participate.

Note: Lunch is not provided. Participants will be contacted directly by the instructor upon registration for further information, gear lists, etc.

Cost: No Cost
(Limited to Federal and State Agency personnel only. Preference will be given to River Rangers.)

3:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Registration

6:00 pm - Social; no-host bar

Tuesday, May 22

7:00 am - 12:00 pm - Registration

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Welcome

      Tom Tidwell, Regional Forester, USFS Northern Region


                                Keynote Speakers

      Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief, National Forest Systems

      Chris Smith, Chief of Staff, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

9:00 am - 11:30 am - Clark Fork River Plenary session

From Milltown Dam to Brennan's Wave: Relationships along a River.
Learn how one community organized to restore their river.

    Tracy Stone-Manning, Field Representative, Office of U.S. Senator Jon Tester

    Doug Martin, Montana State Department of Justice

    Diana Hammer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

    Chris Brick, Clark Fork Coalition

    Gary and Judy Matson, Bonner Community Council

11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Luncheon speaker - LuVerne Grussing

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm - Concurrent Sessions

    -Monitoring: Going with the Flow and other Monitoring Measures

    -Community Involvement in Stewardship

    -Establishing Recreation Capacity on a WSR: How Many are too Many?

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm - Break (Sponsored by NW Chapter)

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Concurrent Sessions

    -Living with Large Wood: Considering All the Pieces

    -In the Know about NGOs

    -Ideas for Developing and Implementing a Limited-Entry Permit System

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Barbecue and Social at                                       Caras Park

    John Engen, Mayor of Missoula

    Trent Baker,Brennan's Wave

    Scott Doherty, Zoo Town Surfers

7:00 pm - Award Presentations

Wednesday, May 23

Field Trips
All field trips except Field Trip 3 include lunch and transportation. Water-based field trips also include a PFD, wetsuit, and paddling top. Weather in May is likely to be cool with the possibility of rain sunshine or both. The following is a recommended gear list that will not be provided by the outfitter:

     -Layer up (i.e., swimwear is ok but please layer with capilene or polypro top and bottoms)
     -Second layer of Fleece or wool shirt or jacket
     -River Sandals or booties
     -Rain Jacket & Pants
     -Dry Change of Clothes for after the trip
     -NO COTTON

Field Trip 1- (TRIP IS CANCELLED) Milltown Dam Superfund Site to Rock Creek
(8:00 am – 5:00 pm; site visits to Milltown Dam and Rock Creek)

Your day will begin with a stop at the Milltown Dam Superfund Site where Envirocon, the contracted remediation construction firm, will describe the work occurring to remove toxic sediments and the dam itself. A visit from the Milltown Redevelopment Working Group will provide a look at the past, present, and future of the site, which is located at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers. After lunch, you will continue on a short drive to Rock Creek, a renowned Blue Ribbon trout stream. While in route to view several recently installed fish habitat structures, the Forest Service and MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks representatives will lead discussions on development pressure, Wild and Scenic River eligibility, Wilderness concerns, and a recent angling pressure survey.
Cost: No Cost

Field Trip 2 - Milltown Dam Superfund Site to Downtown Missoula
(8:00 am – 5:00 pm; site visit to Milltown Dam and flatwater float to downtown Missoula)

This trip will start at the Holiday Inn Parkside where the experts who are working on the Milltown Dam project will provide a look at the past, present, and future of the site, which is located at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers. You will then travel to an overlook and the Dam Powerhouse to actually observe removal of the toxic sediments and the dam itself. Following lunch, you will take to the water for a flat water float through downtown Missoula to Kelly Island, a popular fishing access. Learn about Missoula's redevelopment strategy, visitor attractions, and open space program while floating past two open space focal points, Mount Jumbo and Mount Sentinel.
Cost: No Cost

Field Trip 3 - Walking Tour of River City
(Anytime; self-guided tour of historic buildings and public art in downtown
Missoula)

No visit to Missoula is complete without taking the time to appreciate the unique attributes of
downtown. Follow these self-guided walking tours of historical landmarks and public artworks and get to know the real Missoula, historic and modern. Compiled by the Missoula Cultural Council and Missoula Historic Preservation Commission, these tours are a great way to understand the pulse of the city.
Cost: No Cost

Field Trip 4 (TRIP IS FULL) - Clark Fork River – Alberton Gorge
(8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Class III-IV raft trip 40 miles west of Missoula)

Formed by floodwaters from Glacial Lake Missoula during the last ice-age, the Alberton Gorge offers challenging whitewater and incredible scenery throughout this float. MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks will lead discussions about a recent land exchange to protect the river corridor, outfitting, increased recreational use, wood in rivers, and emergency planning and response.
Cost: No Cost

Field Trip 5 (TRIP IS FULL) - Blackfoot River – Russell Gates to Roundup
(8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Class II-III raft trip 45 miles east of Missoula)

Many people know the Blackfoot River as the renowned Blue Ribbon trout stream made legendary by Norman McLean’s book, “A River Runs Through It,” but fewer may know that the Blackfoot also provides many examples of the successes that can be achieved through cooperative watershed management. Highlighting this trip will be a discussion of cooperative watershed management led by The Blackfoot Challenge, a landowner-based group that has been nationally recognized for their coordination efforts in conservation efforts. MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks will provide insight into the Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor Landowners’ Agreement, commercial outfitting, and habitat restoration.
Cost: No Cost

Field Trip 6 (TRIP IS FULL) - Blackfoot River – Roundup to Johnsrud
(8:00 am – 5:00 pm; Class II-III raft trip 35 miles east of Missoula)

A popular recreation destination for recreational floaters on hot summer days, some say that this scenic stretch of the Blackfoot is being loved to death. Join agency representatives for a discussion of managing heavy recreation use. Discussions will include the recent formulation of a river recreation advisory committee to address recreation planning for the Blackfoot River and how those planning efforts may extend to other area rivers. Law enforcement issues and cooperative efforts among enforcement agencies will also be a topic of conversation.
Cost: No Cost

Thursday, May 24

8:00 am - 9:30 am - Concurrent Sessions

    -Revising a Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan: Do I have      to?

    -Finding the Funding: Revenue Generation for River Programs

    -Outfitting a River Program: Beyond the Uniform

9 :30 pm - 10:00 pm - Break

10 :00 pm - 11:30 pm - Concurrent Sessions

    -Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, 40th Anniversary: Business as Usual or New      Beginnings?

    -Info 101: Running the Rapids of Audience Interest

    -3-2-1 Contact! Staying Safe, Reading Others, and De-escalating Conflict While      Working with the Public

11:30 am - 12:00 pm - Looking to the Future -- 40th Anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Lunch (on your own)

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Agency Meetings