2024 Year End Review

Our team at the Madison River Foundation would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to those who have supported our conservation mission this year. Every donor, member, volunteer, and community member has played an integral role in the success of the foundation and the preservation of the Madison River. Read on to review our highlights of 2024!

West Madison Irrigation Ditch ~ Fish Rescue

This year we had 20+ Madison River Foundation volunteers (aka The Mad Squad) gather together on 10/7 and 10/8 to participate in the annual Trout Rescue at the Eight Mile FAS. Over two days, we were able to put an estimated 4000 trout back into the main stem of the Madison River. 

This was a true group effort with many community participants and sponsors. A special MRF thank you going out to the following: 

~ Our dedicated, determined volunteers

~ Tony at Dark Timber for providing delicious coffee 

~ Cody & Julie Bittick at True Value for providing buckets and gift certificates

~ Mike Reeves at Madison Meadows GC for scouting services 

~ Montana FWP for expediting the permit necessary to make it all happen

Jack Creek Beaver Dam Analog Installation ~ Site Visit Follow Up

In 2023, the MRF partnered with Jack Creek Preserve to install 3 beaver dam analog structures and 12 scour pools along sections of Upper Jack Creek. These structures will help reactivate historic floodplains in the area, revitalize surrounding riparian vegetation, restore eroded riverbanks, and supply water to nearby aquifers. We also hope to see more trout utilizing the slow, shallow pools! 

In September 2024, MRF staff members accompanied JCPF staff members on a site visit to study the progress of the analog structures and report on current successes as well as issues needing further conservation work.

Salmonfly Study

Dr. Lindsey Albertson, MSU and masters students from the MSU ecology program continued sampling sections of of the Madison River. The experiments conducted measure nitrogen uptake by macroinvertebrates and assess the health of the river over multiple years.

The project has two parts -- first, accumulating and evaluating years of water temperature data on the Madison and second, assessing the impact of tributary flow, temperature, sediment and other variables on invertebrate populations below the tributary’s confluence with the main stem river.

The result of this project will help scientists better understand river and tributary conditions that impact invertebrate populations and diversity.

Annual Madison River Cleanup

On August 2nd, The MRF joined forces with Can'd Aid for the annual Upper Madison River clean-up day. Thanks so much to everyone who participated. The efforts had 15 volunteers roaming the banks from Valley Garden to Hebgen Dam. They say it takes a village...and we sure do appreciate ours!

Watershed Speaker Series

If you missed these speakers, you missed some great information. Thank you to our speakers for their dynamic presentations!

FWP Madison River report - Mike Duncan

Hebgen Dam Report - Northwestern Energy

Salmonfly Study - Dr. Lindsey Albertson

Madison Valley Geology - Jean Dixon

Future Fisheries - Michelle McGree, FWP