April 2022 Newsletter
NorthWestern Energy Community Meeting Recap
On April 26th employees from Northwestern Energy (NWE) hosted a community meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to provide updates on current projects and conditions along with information on repairs and plans for mitigation from the Hebgen Dam failure in November 2021.
With the drought conditions in Southwest Montana, it is NWE’s goal to conserve as much water as possible in Hebgen Lake. A 20-day modification of minimum flows was just completed in an effort to increase water levels in Hebgen Lake. They have proposed an additional temporary variance to the allowed rate-of-change for flow increases below Hebgen and Madison Dams. The variance would allow for increasing outflows from Hebgen Dam at 5% hourly and would eliminate the 100 cfs per hour (below 600 cfs) ramping rate in the Madison Bypass channel (below Madison Dam and above Madison Powerhouse).
The increased rates will allow NWE to react more quickly to changing conditions in the Madison and would also eliminate the need to increase flows below Madison Dam over four hours. NWE would make flow increases in a shorter period when thermal pulse flows are needed. The ability to quickly change flow increases will result in significant water savings with no expected impact from the change in operations. The current license requirements for flow reductions will be followed in order to prevent fish stranding in the Madison River.
NWE also shared their plan to initiate a Stakeholder Engagement initiative. This group would be led by a third-party facilitator and include diverse community representatives. The committee would collaborate in order to form an operating plan for drought management. NWE will be providing more details on this initiative in the near future.
In response to the Hebgen Dam failure, NWE has submitted proposed mitigation plans for approval from FERC. The Dam failure occurred due to stress corrosion cracking in a stem coupling, which is a component of the outlet gate configuration. The failure of this component resulted in the outlet gate falling downward and restricted flows. A new coupling is in place, and NWE is actively seeking materials which better withstand elements in Hebgen waters as a long-term solution. A permanent replacement cannot be installed until June or July when Hebgen reservoir elevation is high enough to convey Madison River flows through the spillway, not affecting necessary Spring water releases.
NWE also presented a summary of their follow-up with an advisory group, consisting of resource agency biologists, where impacts to the fishery from the gate failure event were evaluated, along with presenting proposed monitoring efforts and added mitigation measures. The detailed report and advisory group meeting notes NWE filed with FERC are available to the public and can be found by using the search function in the FERC elibrary. To access the report, first select the “Unique Identifier Type” and choose “Accession” from the drop-down options. Then enter accession number 20220323-5088 in the adjacent box. This document was submitted on 3-23-22. FERC will respond to their proposed plan by the end of May. Jon Hanson, NWE Fisheries Biologist, is available for further questions.
Watershed Summer Speaker Series
This summer the Madison River Foundation and the Madison Conservation District will be co-hosting a watershed speaker series on the last Tuesday of the month from May – September at 5pm MT. Presentations will be available both in person at the Madison Valley Public Library and virtually.
Speakers are being selected from the community who are best able to report on our fisheries, stream health, conservation efforts, and ranching practices. Each month a different topic will be presented. The series will conclude with a panel discussion on the state of the Madison Watershed in September. Details will be posted on our event calendar once they are finalized. We hope you are able to join us as we stay informed and active within our community!
Board of Directors Recruitment
The Madison River Foundation is seeking candidates for its Board of Directors. We encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds and skill sets to apply. Beneficial qualifications include fundraising knowledge, involvement with a nonprofit, or experience serving on a board. If you have a passion for protecting the health of the Madison River and are interested in applying, please send a short biography and statement of interest to our Executive Director, Jon Malovich, by June 1, 2022. Please be aware that to vote in the board elections, your membership must be paid and up-to-date.
Upcoming Film Fundraiser
If you haven’t purchased your tickets to one of our three showings this year, it is time to secure your seat at our International Fly-Fishing Film Festival (IF4) fundraiser! The IF4 features short documentary films of stunning fly-fishing adventures across the globe. Proceeds from the events will benefit conservation of the Madison River. Join us in West Yellowstone on May 13, Ennis on May 20, or in Bozeman on June 3. There is also the option to purchase virtual tickets and view from home. Thank you for your support and involvement!