Watershed Quality Assessment Report | WATERS

Return to home page

On This Page

Assessment Summary
Causes of Impairment
Probable Sources Contributing to Impairment
TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment
Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant

Montana State Report

For More Information:

Download Excel compatible information

Download GIS Information (Internet Explorer only)

Water Quality Data Available for this Watershed

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Click on the watershed for an interactive map

Search for a waterbody within Bitterroot

Features

Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2006
Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Description of this table
Click here to list Threatened and Impaired Waters Only

Waterbody Name	Waterbody ID	Location	Map	Waterbody Type	Size	Units	Status	State TMDL Development Status
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Waterbody Name" to view a Waterbody report.
Ambrose Creek	MT76H004_120	Ambrose Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Threemile Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	11.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bass Creek	MT76H004_010	Bass Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To Mouth (Cofluence With The Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bear Creek	MT76H004_030	Bear Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Data Unavailable	River	8.7	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Bitterroot River	MT76H001_010	Bitterroot River, The East And West Forks To Skalkaho Creek	Waterbody Map	River	24.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bitterroot River	MT76H001_020	Bitterroot River, Skalkaho Creek To Eightmile Creek	Waterbody Map	River	36.5	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bitterroot River	MT76H001_030	Bitterroot River, Eightmile Creek To The Mouth (Clark Fork River)	Waterbody Map	River	23.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Blodgett Creek	MT76H004_050	Blodgett Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	12.6	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Buck Creek	MT76H003_070	Buck Creek, Tributary To The West Fork Bitterroot T1n R22w Sec36	Waterbody Map	River	2.0	Miles	Good
Deer Creek	MT76H003_030	Deer Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	12.5	Miles	Good
Ditch Creek	MT76H003_060	Ditch Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	2.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
East Fork Bitterroot River	MT76H002_010	East Fork Bitterroot River, Anaconda-Pintlar Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	29.9	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
East Fork Lolo Creek	MT76H005_040	East Fork Lolo Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Confluence With Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	7.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Gilbert Creek	MT76H002_080	Gilbert Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Laird Creek) T1n R20w	Waterbody Map	River	2.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Granite Creek	MT76H005_030	Granite Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	8.5	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Hughes Creek	MT76H003_040	Hughes Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	17.6	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Kootenai Creek	MT76H004_020	Kootenai Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.8	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Laird Creek	MT76H002_070	Laird Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (East Fork Bitterroot River) T1n R20	Waterbody Map	River	5.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Lee Creek	MT76H005_070	Lee Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (West Fork Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	3.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Lick Creek	MT76H004_170	Lick Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	6.2	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lolo Creek	MT76H005_011	Lolo Creek, Mormon Creek To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	2.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lolo Creek	MT76H005_012	Lolo Creek, Sheldon Creek To Mormon Creek	Waterbody Map	River	14.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lolo Creek	MT76H005_013	Lolo Creek, Headwaters To Sheldon Creek	Waterbody Map	River	13.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lost Horse Creek	MT76H004_070	Lost Horse Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	20.1	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Lost Park Creek	MT76H005_060	Lost Park Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Confluence With East Fork Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	5.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Martin Creek	MT76H002_050	Martin Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Moose Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	11.7	Miles	Good
Mcclain Creek	MT76H004_150	Mcclain Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Meadow Creek	MT76H002_030	Meadow Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (East Fork Bitteroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	9.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Mill Creek	MT76H004_040	Mill Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	8.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Miller Creek	MT76H004_130	Miller Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	16.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Moose Creek	MT76H002_040	Moose Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (East Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	10.1	Miles	Good
Muddy Spring Creek	MT76H004_180	Muddy Spring Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Gold Creek) T7n, R19w, S2	Waterbody Map	River	2.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Nez Perce Fork Bitterroot River	MT76H003_020	Bitterroot River, Nez Perce Fork, Headwaters To Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	14.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
North Burnt Fork Creek	MT76H004_200	North Burnt Fork Creek, Confluence With South Burnt Fork Creek To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	10.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
North Creek	MT76H005_080	North Creek (Or North Fork Granite Creek), Headwaters To Mouth (Granite Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	4.8	Miles	Good
North Fork Rye Creek	MT76H004_160	North Fork Rye Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Rye Creek-Bitterroot River, South Of Darby)	Waterbody Map	River	7.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Overwhich Creek	MT76H003_050	Overwhich Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	19.1	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Reimel Creek	MT76H002_020	Reimel Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (East Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	7.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Roaring Lion Creek	MT76H004_060	Roaring Lion Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	6.2	Miles	Good
Rye Creek	MT76H004_190	Rye Creek, North Fork To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.6	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Skalkaho Creek	MT76H004_100	Skalkaho Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	25.1	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Sleeping Child Creek	MT76H004_090	Sleeping Child Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	23.9	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
South Fork Lolo Creek	MT76H005_020	South Fork Lolo Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To Mouth (Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	6.2	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Sweathouse Cr	MT76H004_210	Sweathouse Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	11.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Threemile Creek	MT76H004_140	Threemile Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	17.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Tin Cup Creek	MT76H004_080	Tin Cup Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitteroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	7.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
West Fork Bitterroot River	MT76H003_010	West Fork Bitterroot River, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	39.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
West Fork Lolo Creek	MT76H005_050	West Fork Lolo Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	6.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Willow Creek	MT76H004_110	Willow Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	16.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed

Description of this table
Click here to list All Assessed Waters

Waterbody Name	Waterbody ID	Location	Map	Waterbody Type	Size	Units	Status	State TMDL Development Status
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Waterbody Name" to view a Waterbody report.
Ambrose Creek	MT76H004_120	Ambrose Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Threemile Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	11.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bass Creek	MT76H004_010	Bass Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To Mouth (Cofluence With The Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bear Creek	MT76H004_030	Bear Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Data Unavailable	River	8.7	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Bitterroot River	MT76H001_010	Bitterroot River, The East And West Forks To Skalkaho Creek	Waterbody Map	River	24.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bitterroot River	MT76H001_020	Bitterroot River, Skalkaho Creek To Eightmile Creek	Waterbody Map	River	36.5	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Bitterroot River	MT76H001_030	Bitterroot River, Eightmile Creek To The Mouth (Clark Fork River)	Waterbody Map	River	23.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Blodgett Creek	MT76H004_050	Blodgett Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	12.6	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Ditch Creek	MT76H003_060	Ditch Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	2.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
East Fork Bitterroot River	MT76H002_010	East Fork Bitterroot River, Anaconda-Pintlar Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	29.9	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
East Fork Lolo Creek	MT76H005_040	East Fork Lolo Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Confluence With Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	7.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Gilbert Creek	MT76H002_080	Gilbert Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Laird Creek) T1n R20w	Waterbody Map	River	2.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Granite Creek	MT76H005_030	Granite Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	8.5	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Hughes Creek	MT76H003_040	Hughes Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	17.6	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Kootenai Creek	MT76H004_020	Kootenai Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.8	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Laird Creek	MT76H002_070	Laird Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (East Fork Bitterroot River) T1n R20	Waterbody Map	River	5.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Lee Creek	MT76H005_070	Lee Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (West Fork Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	3.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Lick Creek	MT76H004_170	Lick Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	6.2	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lolo Creek	MT76H005_011	Lolo Creek, Mormon Creek To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	2.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lolo Creek	MT76H005_012	Lolo Creek, Sheldon Creek To Mormon Creek	Waterbody Map	River	14.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lolo Creek	MT76H005_013	Lolo Creek, Headwaters To Sheldon Creek	Waterbody Map	River	13.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Lost Horse Creek	MT76H004_070	Lost Horse Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	20.1	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Lost Park Creek	MT76H005_060	Lost Park Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Confluence With East Fork Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	5.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Mcclain Creek	MT76H004_150	Mcclain Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Meadow Creek	MT76H002_030	Meadow Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (East Fork Bitteroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	9.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Mill Creek	MT76H004_040	Mill Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	8.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Miller Creek	MT76H004_130	Miller Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	16.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Muddy Spring Creek	MT76H004_180	Muddy Spring Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Gold Creek) T7n, R19w, S2	Waterbody Map	River	2.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Nez Perce Fork Bitterroot River	MT76H003_020	Bitterroot River, Nez Perce Fork, Headwaters To Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	14.7	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
North Burnt Fork Creek	MT76H004_200	North Burnt Fork Creek, Confluence With South Burnt Fork Creek To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	10.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
North Fork Rye Creek	MT76H004_160	North Fork Rye Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Rye Creek-Bitterroot River, South Of Darby)	Waterbody Map	River	7.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Overwhich Creek	MT76H003_050	Overwhich Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (West Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	19.1	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Reimel Creek	MT76H002_020	Reimel Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (East Fork Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	7.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Rye Creek	MT76H004_190	Rye Creek, North Fork To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	5.6	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Skalkaho Creek	MT76H004_100	Skalkaho Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	25.1	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Sleeping Child Creek	MT76H004_090	Sleeping Child Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	23.9	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
South Fork Lolo Creek	MT76H005_020	South Fork Lolo Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To Mouth (Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	6.2	Miles	Impaired	Non-pollutant impairment
Sweathouse Cr	MT76H004_210	Sweathouse Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	11.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Threemile Creek	MT76H004_140	Threemile Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	17.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
Tin Cup Creek	MT76H004_080	Tin Cup Creek, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Boundary To The Mouth (Bitteroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	7.0	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed
West Fork Bitterroot River	MT76H003_010	West Fork Bitterroot River, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	39.4	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
West Fork Lolo Creek	MT76H005_050	West Fork Lolo Creek, Headwaters To Mouth (Lolo Creek)	Waterbody Map	River	6.8	Miles	Impaired	TMDL completed
Willow Creek	MT76H004_110	Willow Creek, Headwaters To The Mouth (Bitterroot River)	Waterbody Map	River	16.3	Miles	Impaired	TMDL needed

Top of page

Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006

Montana, Bitterroot

Description of this table

Cause of Impairment	Size of Assessed Waters with Listed Causes of Impairment
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Cause of Impairment" value to see a listing of those waters with that cause of impairment.
Cause of Impairment	Rivers and Streams (Miles)
Low Flow Alterations	159.7
Physical Substrate Habitat Alterations	104.7
Chlorophyll-A	39.3
Lead	53.3
Phosphorus, Total	146.4
Copper	77.6
Nitrate/Nitrite (Nitrite + Nitrate as N)	72.6
Nitrogen, Nitrate	23.4
Bottom Deposits	10.4
Fish Passage Barrier	20.9
Nitrogen, Total	47.9
Temperature, Water	222.2
Alteration in Stream-Side or Littoral Vegetative Covers	235.8
Mercury	25.1
Sedimentation/Siltation	348.7
Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN)	45.2

Top of page

Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments for Reporting Year 2006

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Description of this table

Probable Source	Size of Assessed Waters with Probable Sources of Impairments
Probable Source	Rivers and Streams (Miles)
Agriculture	185.9
Animal Feeding Operations (Nps)	5.6
Channelization	47.5
Crop Production (Crop Land Or Dry Land)	16.8
Dam Or Impoundment	5.3
Flow Alterations From Water Diversions	21.6
Forest Roads (Road Construction And Use)	90.7
Grazing In Riparian Or Shoreline Zones	129.3
Habitat Modification - Other Than Hydromodification	52.3
Highway/Road/Bridge Runoff (Non-Construction Related)	96.6
Highways, Roads, Bridges, Infrasturcture (New Construction)	90.3
Impacts From Abandoned Mine Lands (Inactive)	17.6
Impacts From Hydrostructure Flow Regulation/Modification	14.2
Irrigated Crop Production	117.9
Livestock (Grazing Or Feeding Operations)	6.2
Loss Of Riparian Habitat	74.1
Natural Sources	61.3
On-Site Treatment Systems (Septic Systems And Similar Decencentralized Systems)	23.4
Placer Mining	17.6
Rangeland Grazing	67.0
Sediment Resuspension (Contaminated Sediment)	23.4
Silviculture Activities	137.0
Silviculture Harvesting	24.5
Site Clearance (Land Development Or Redevelopment)	41.2
Source Unknown	150.5
Streambank Modifications/Destablization	148.9
Watershed Runoff Following Forest Fire	29.9
Wet Weather Discharges (Point Source And Combination Of Stormwater, Sso Or Cso)	59.9

Top of page

TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

No TMDL Alternatives reported.

Top of page

Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

This chart includes TMDLs since October 1, 1995.

Description of this table

Pollutant	Number of TMDLs Completed	Number of Causes of Impairment Addressed
NOTE: Click on the underlined "Number of TMDLs Completed" value to see a listing of those approved TMDLs for the pollutant.
Sediment	15	15
Siltation	8	8
Sedimentation/Siltation	5	5
Temperature	5	5
Thermal Modifications	5	5
Suspended Solids	4	4
Total Suspended Solids (TSS)	2	2

Total: 44 TMDLs; 0 Causes of Impairment

Search TMDL Documents
Full Text Search of TMDL Documents

Top of page

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Features

Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2006Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Causes of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006

Montana, Bitterroot

Probable Sources Contributing to Impairments for Reporting Year 2006

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

TMDL Alternatives by Cause of Impairment for Reporting Year 2006

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Cumulative TMDLs by Pollutant

Montana, Bitterroot Watershed

Assessment Summary for Reporting Year 2006
Montana, Bitterroot Watershed