Centennial Valley Association - January 2021 - Centennial Valley Association
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Centennial Valley Association — January 2021
Shane Mills
CVA Program Updates
Invasive Species Management Program Update
Happy New Year from the Invasive Species Program! After a successful summer of noxious weed
management, we wrapped up our treatment season by completing the Monida Hill revegetation
project. The project began in 2019 to strengthen the area’s intact native plant community. The
project site, which has been identified as priority wildlife habitat, has undergone successful
herbicide spot-treatments to manage infestations of spotted knapweed and Canada/musk
thistle, with a documented decrease in the abundance of these species since 2015. However,
these invasives will reestablish without competition from a healthy native plant community.
In October 2019, we implemented the first stage of the project by reseeding 5-acres of
the site with a fall-season, cold-dormant native grass mixture that included bluebunch
wheatgrass, mountain brome, and Montana wheatgrass. In October 2020, we completed the
project by reseeding 10-acres of the site with native fescue and forb species that included Idaho
and rocky mountain fescue, arrowleaf balsamroot, rocky mountain bee plant, and western
yarrow. All of the reseeded species were selected based on their relative forage value to both
Clare Ols wildlife and livestock, site conditions, and weed interference.
Prior to the 2019 reseeding, we also established a Clare Ols
100-m monitoring transect with three photo monitoring sites to qualitatively and quantitatively assess
changes in plant species diversity and percent ground cover. Monitoring will be conducted each year to
evaluate the success and establishment of the reseeded species. We estimate that approximately 70%
of ground cover at the project site will be native grasses and forbs five-years post this reseeding
treatment and look forward to seeing the results!
This project would not have been possible without our partners at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and
Park’s Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, the Bureau of Land Management, Red Rock Lakes
National Wildlife Refuge, and The Nature Conservancy who provided funding, support, equipment, and/
or materials for this project. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to the Montana Native Plant
Society who helped make this project possible!
If you have any questions about this project or other invasive plant management efforts in the
Centennial Valley, please do not hesitate to contact Clare Ols, Invasive Species Coordinator, at
invasiveweeds@centennialvalleyassociation.org.
Wildlife Program Update
CVA Trail Camera We had a very productive range riding season with an experienced Team who kept things operating
smoothly. This year’s Team included returning riders, Jack Cronin and Sarah Malarik, returning
camera trap technician Clare Ols, and Erika Nunlist as the new Wildlife Program Coordinator.
Range Riders were on the landscape riding through livestock, tracking wildlife activity, and
monitoring game cameras from June 1st – November 1st. Thirty-two game cameras were deployed
throughout the Valley in semi-permanent locations and additional areas of interest (i.e. carcasses)
from mid-May through October. Riders logged a total of 250 range riding days and covered nearly
80,000 acres. Game cameras logged a total of 3,535 game camera days, consisting of 2900 days at
semi-permanent locations, 530 days at temporary areas of interest, and 105 days at carcasses.
Range Riders located 14 carcasses throughout the season,
including one that was a confirmed grizzly bear depredation by Wildlife
Services. From game cameras, there was an estimated 20 individual
grizzly bears documented throughout the season. This is consistent with the estimate from last year and
slightly increased from previous years. Grizzly bear activity was documented throughout the Valley, with the
farthest west observations coming from the Wolverine Creek area. Grizzly bear activity was highest in the north-
central portion of the Valley. Wolf activity was fairly quiet overall, with the most consistent observations coming
from the north-central portion of the Valley where we routinely documented a pack of 2-4 wolves. Other wolf
activity was sporadic, with observations of lone individuals dispersed throughout the valley. Many other wildlife
species were documented as well throughout the season, including black bears, mountain lions, elk, deer,
antelope, moose, mountain goat, bobcat, porcupine, and numerous bird species.
We would like to thank participating ranches, CVA members, community members, and all of those
who donated funding and equipment. We would also like to thank our Team for all their hard work this season.
Both Erika and Sarah will be returning for the 2021 season and CVA will be accepting applications for the third
Range Rider position from January 15th – February 15th. The job announcement is available on the CVA
website. Contact Erika Nunlist with any questions, at wildlife@centennialvalleyassociation.org. Bob the Dog following wolf tracks.
Kurt Duffner
To preserve traditional ranching as a way of life in the Centennial Valley, and to maintain quality open space, wildlife habitat, water quality, and wildlife migration corridors as
they exist today for future generations.
CVA Program Updates (continued)
Water and Drought Awareness Program Update Grant Updates
Southwest Montana, including the Centennial Valley, has not Earth Concerns International
experienced a big wintry hit yet. As of the end of the day on January In 2019, the CVA was James Waxe
14th, the Jefferson Basin is at 80% of normal for snow water equivalent, awarded a grant from Earth
with the Beaverhead sub-basin coming in at 74% of normal for snow Concerns International, who
water equivalent. A good majority of Beaverhead and Madison counties aims to support the
are seeing moderate drought, per the National Drought Mitigation Centennial Valley and
Center. surrounding ecosystems
through independent action
Although this is a stressful way to kick off 2021 in terms of water, the and in partnership with
Montana NRCS Snow Survey Program’s January Water Outlook report others. The grant funds
provided some hopeful insight. “Last year there was a major provided materials and a
turnaround after January 1st when snowpack looked similarly bleak in Montana Conservation
river basins along the Idaho border and southwest Montana. With La Corps labor crew for wildlife-
Nina's chances of persisting through the January through March period friendly fencing modifications in high traffic ungulate areas of the
being greater than 95%, and a 65% chance that it continues through Centennial Valley, with the goal to help wildlife movements, while
the March through May period, there is still plenty of time for the maintaining the working landscape. In partnership with
potentially above-normal precipitation and below-normal temperatures participating landowners, The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of
to come through.” Land Management, and Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge,
a total of 3.53 miles of fence was modified and/or removed and
Strong winds came across Montana on Wednesday, January 13 th, with replaced, benefiting migration routes for pronghorn, without
Mount Sentinel in Missoula seeing a 125mph wind gust, and Dillon hindering working land operations! We appreciate the support of
experiencing a 67mph wind gust! Unfortunately, the system did not the participating landowners and want to thank Earth Concerns
bring significant snow accumulation the Centennial Valley. As of the International for their financial support. We look forward to seeing
end of the day on January 14th, the SNOTEL sites surrounding the the modifications work come spring and early summer of 2021!
Centennial Valley have the following snow water equivalent (SWE)
percent of normal values:
Watershed Management Grant
• Beagle Springs: 65% • Short Creek: 104% Also in 2019, the CVA applied for and
received funding from the Montana
• Clover Meadow: 72% • Tepee Creek: 68% Department of Natural Resources and
• Divide: 57% • White Elephant: 72% Conservation’s (DNRC) Watershed
Management Grant program. This grant
• Lakeview Ridge: 44% provided funding from 2019-2020 to
finalize CVA’s Drought Outreach Plan,
which was an endeavor that began in
The CVA will continue to send out Water Reports to the community, and 2016 alongside DNRC in the Upper
share them on the website, once per month through April and begin Missouri Headwaters. Funding was also
biweekly reports in May. If you would like to receive the Water Report used to implement the Water and
directly to your inbox, reach out to Drought Awareness Program, via data
drought@centennialvalleyassociation.org to get your email address collection, such as streamflow monitoring
added to the listserv. If you would like to receive the Water Report by and precipitation data collection from our
mail, please contact Kara at (715)681-0795 or automated rain gauges, as well as
communityorg@centennialvalleyassociation.org. A new Drought funding our 2020 Big Sky Watershed
Coordinator and Big Sky Watershed Corps (AmeriCorps) Member will be Corps Member, Sara! With the assistance
joining the Team in late January/early February, so look out for an from the Watershed Management Grant,
introduction! We will continue to think thoughts of snow for southwest landowner input, and volunteers, CVA was able to finalize the
Montana and the Centennial Valley! Drought Outreach Plan and implement the first complete year of
the Water and Drought Awareness Program! The final Plan can be
found on the CVA website. We are excited to see the Program
Gillian Hadley flourish and provide a unique service to the Centennial Valley
community into the future!
Grants of 2021
Looking ahead to this year, we are grateful for the continued
support from the Livestock Loss Board and Cross Charitable
Foundation, both of which support the Wildlife/Range Rider
Program. We will also be entering into the second year of a five-
year grant with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Wildlife Habitat
Improvement Program, which is providing funding for noxious
weed management in priority landscapes within the Centennial
Valley.
The CVA is actively looking for grants and other monetary or in-
kind support for our programs in 2021. Please reach out to Kara
at communityorg@centennialvalleyassociation.org or at
(715)681-0795 if you have any suggestions or would like to help
us in any way. We are ready for another great year serving the
Centennial Valley community!
PO Box 240077 www.centennialvalleyassociation.org
Dell, MT 59724 www.facebook.com/centennialvalleyassociation
info@centennialvalleyassociation.org Follow us on Instagram @centennialvalleyassociation
Partner Updates
Refuge Native Wildflower & Pollinator Plot
Cortez Rohr Earlier this summer, the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge embarked upon a test plot
to sow native wildflowers around the kiosk area at headquarters. After spraying herbicide for
grasses and weeds, and subsequent tilling of the soil during the summer and fall, seeds were
mixed with sawdust as a carrier agent to ensure even distribution and were then sown in the
test plot in December on bare soil and atop a few inches of snow. Since the time of sowing,
brief warm temperatures have melted some snow, then refroze, locking the seeds in an
encrusted ice-snow layer with now over 3 feet of drifted snow on top of them. The drifted
snow covering them will ensure they are protected from wind and provide the necessary
moisture for germination in the spring, thus replicating the natural process that would occur
in nature. The Refuge was able to plant nearly 60 species of native wildflowers, with a
significant number of those seeds being hand collected throughout the Refuge and
Centennial Valley. Most of the wildflower seeds are perennial, so it will not be until next year
when blooms appear, with this year being purely vegetative growth. Wildflower seeds were
selected based on native status, growing requirements, and seasonal flowering, with
emphasis placed on biodiversity and flowering throughout the growing season to provide pollinating insects a constant supply of nectar and
pollen. All colors of the rainbow are expected in this wildflower plot when flowering begins next year. A few of the wildflowers you can expect
to see are:
• blanketflower
• blue flax
• evening primrose
• bitterroot
• pasqueflower
• lupines
• balsamroot arrowleaf
• mules ears
• Indian paintbrush (red & yellow)
• asters (multiple different species and shades of blue and white)
• fireweed
Cortez Rohr
Refuge Arctic Grayling Monitoring Beaverhead County Weed District
The ladies at the Beaverhead County Weed District have not
Despite cold and snowy conditions, field
slowed down, despite weed management season being over. The
work continues at the Refuge. Out on the
ice of Upper Lake, oxygen levels Weed District submitted the 2021 Upper Red Rock Cooperative
continue to be monitored for Arctic cost-share grant to the Noxious Weed Trust Fund in early January.
This 50/50 cost-share grant will provide private landowners of the
grayling fish. Holes are cut in the ice, then
monitoring equipment is deployed to Upper Red Rock landscape assistance with noxious weed control
measure oxygen and sunlight and revegetation activities. In 2020, Upper Red Rock landowners
penetration through the ice. Some fully expended the cost-share grant applied for, so we are hopeful
for this second round of funding!
monitoring equipment will remain and will
be collected once ice melt occurs as it is The Weed District also applied for the Beaverhead-
carried by wind and icesheets and Deerlodge National Forest’s 2021 Resource Advisory Council (RAC)
grant. This will allow the Weed District to treat National Forest and
deposited towards the shoreline. Current
adjacent lands, preventing the spread and establishment of
ice conditions show the ice growing with
deep groans and cracks that can be noxious weed species. There are six focus areas in the County,
with Little Sheep, Medicine Lodge/Horse Prairie, and Bell/Limekiln
heard as it expands. As of January 12th,
ice thickness varied from 32cm (~12.6")Canyons being of note for the area.
Cortez Rohr
all the way up to 51cm (~20.1"). Last Community Spray Days for 2021 are being ironed out and
year, ice thickness reached 89cm (~35") in February, so there is stillwill be finalized this spring. Currently, the Weed District is
more growing left for the ice if temperatures get colder. anticipating the same number of cooperative spray days in the
Upper Red Rock as there were last year (12).
Forest Carnivore Inventory Finally, be sure to send in your annual applicator license
renewal to the MT Department of Agriculture. You cannot earn
At the end of December, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge staff continuing credits towards your license without renewal. The Weed
checked trail cameras on the Refuge in forest mountain areas. Snow District will also work on credit opportunities for the spring/fall.
conditions varied between 8" - 12" at 7,400' to 7,700', with much of The Montana Weed Control Association (MWCA) is hosting its
the snow being finely to moderately granulated in consistency. Given Annual Conference virtually on January 26-27th. A variety of credits
the nature of snow then, will be available, including
avalanche danger was and four credits each for Right-of-
is considerable on steep Way, Regulatory, and Private
slopes where few trees are licenses. To register, visit the
present. Trail cameras did MWCA’s website.
not produced any carni- Amber and Kara are
vores, but did show some available weekdays from
moose posing for photos. 7am-5pm to answer any
questions, check credits, or
just to chat! (406)683-3790
RRLNWR Trail Camera
Cydne Collins
2021 content is property of the Centennial Valley Association. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without written
permission.
Partner Updates (continued)
Cortez Rohr Beaverhead Watershed Rancher Roundtable: Virtual Winter Speaker Series
Committee Dominique Shore, RVCD Stewardship Director
Join us this January and February for the virtual Rancher Roundtable
The Beaverhead Watershed Speaker Series where we’ll discuss topics ranging from integrated
Committee is applying to the pest management to life-threatening injuries in the backcountry.
Bureau of Reclamation for Originally started by Ruby Valley producer Les Gilman of Ranch
funds to reach out to everyone Resources, the Rancher Roundtable series began 15 years ago as a
interested in the Red Rock platform for producers to discuss issues pertinent to livestock
watershed, especially from operations. MSU Extension began partnering with Ranch Resources
Lima Dam to Clark Canyon ten years ago to expand the program into the Madison and Jefferson
Reservoir and lower Horse Prairie. We'll continue working mainly Valleys. MSU Extension, Madison Valley Ranchlands Ground,
with the water users, but also with the rest of the community, Madison Conservation District, and Ruby Valley Conservation District
including anglers, agencies and organizations, to hear what people's have partnered to host the series virtually this winter. The next
concerns and issues are with water quality, quantity, and fish to see events will be held on Tuesday January 26th, February 9th, and
if we can find solutions. We're also still monitoring flows on the lower February 23rd at 5pm. Links to the events can be found on the
Red Rock, and hope to install groundwater monitoring wells this calendar at rvcd.org or by emailing info@madisoncd.org.
summer. We're working on a second planning grant to design a mine
tailing reclamation project on the Grasshopper. We're still working
with the Beaverhead Trails Coalition, Montana Trout Unlimited, FWP Refresher on Calving Techniques and Navigating Difficult Births |
and the Kiwanis on the Cornell Park project in Dillon, on the January 26th at 5pm
Beaverhead River. The Trails Coalition has taken ownership of the
park, and now we're figuring out how to raise funds to improve it. MSU Assistant Professor and Extension Beef Cattle Expert,
Dr. Carla D. Sanford, and local veterinarian from Chuteside
-Zach Owen Veterinary Service, Dr. Will Oliver, will be discussing tips and
techniques for successful deliveries, which can set calves up for a
Heart of the Rockies healthy life. Drs. Sanford and Oliver will be also be discussing
effective time management tips during calving season such as when
Big Hole Watershed Committee The Heart of the Rockies to step in during delivery and how much time to spend with each
Initiative is excited to animal.
announce that they were Grasshoppers in 2021: Integrated Pest Management Techniques |
part of a colossal coalition February 9th at 5pm
that has been awarded an
$886,000 Conservation A panel of experts will discuss strategies for reducing crop
Innovation Grant from the loss to grasshoppers. Our speakers will include MSU Extension
USDA Natural Resources Specialist Dr. Kevin Wanner, USDA Research Entomologist Dr. Dave
Conservation Service to Branson, and UDSA, APHIS, PPQ State Plant Health Director Gary
reduce the financial and Adams. Grasshoppers have caused significant crop loss in southwest
social burden of expanding Montana the past two years, and will likely continue to be
predator populations problematic in coming years. Speakers will discuss strategies for
through innovation and creating a plan of action to stop grasshoppers in their early growth
evaluation of practices that reduce agricultural conflict with stages, reducing crop loss.
predators, like bears and wolves.
Grazing to Improve Soil Health: A Case Study from Jefferson County|
The project will implement field trials on nonlethal techniques in February 23rd at 5pm
seven states and two tribal nations, with six independent producers Dave Scott, retired livestock specialist at the National Center
and 11 local landowner groups, representing more than 600 for Appropriate Technology and local producer with Montana
producers, each year for three years to enable producer-led Highland Lamb, will discuss strategies for improving soil health. As
innovation. For more information, please contact Emily Harkness: we look to the future, studies are showing that improving soil health
Emily@heart-of-rockies.org is a sustainable long-term strategy for improving productivity. Scott
will be discussing how compatible grazing management can improve
The Centennial Valley Association is looking forward to being a part soil health, improving long term yields.
of this larger collaborative, working with many familiar partners from
Montana. The NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant will provide Kiley Martinell
financial support to the Range Rider and carcass pick-up program,
as well as help us look into what makes these programs successful
into the future for the benefit of our local community. Thank you to
the Heart of the Rockies!
University of Montana Western & The Nature Conservancy
Sierra Harris of The Nature Conservancy, Rebekah Levine of the
Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Montana
Western, along with two up and coming middle school scientists
mapped the sedimentation patterns on the bed of Long Creek in
September 2020. University of Montana Western Hydrology students
took the field data and created maps of the sediment patterns to
monitor effects of the Long Creek restoration work.
-Dr. Rebekah Levine
PO Box 240077 www.centennialvalleyassociation.org
Dell, MT 59724 www.facebook.com/centennialvalleyassociation
info@centennialvalleyassociation.org Follow us on Instagram @centennialvalleyassociation
Centennial Valley History: Snowplane Travel
Excerpt from “Centennial Valley: A Journey Through Time 1930-2014” Volume II by the Centennial Valley Historical Society
It starts of slowly but when it picks up momentum, the gas-powered
snowplane glides along the snow quickly...hopefully with lots of space
because it doesn’t have brakes. It’s powered by an airplane motor and has a
propeller, therefore the name snowplane. It runs but it doesn’t fly!
Linc Miller was the first to have a snowplane and used it during the winter to
run the mail. Reminiscing about the days of the snowplane, Wayne
Montgomery III related, “Back in those days we got a lot of snow and in the
winter months the county road was generally closed and mail was delivered
three days a week by our trusty mailman from Monida by snowplane. A
snowplane, common transportation across the snow in the days before
Snowplane near the Centennial Mountains,
snowmobiles, had three long, wide skis in a tricycle configuration, a small
1950. Winston Banko collection
cabin for a couple people, and an airplane engine and propeller that pushed
it across the snow. Most of them were ‘hand propped’ to start. I was always anxious that the person hand propping the snowplane would
quickly clear the spinning propeller after the engine started. In addition to the mail, the mailman would sometimes bring critical supplies to
snowbound residents along his route. You knew the mail was coming in the winter when you heard what sounded like an airplane coming.”
In the cold winter after coming back from the mail route, Linc would drain the snowplane engine oil into a bucket and set it by his
woodstove to keep it warm. In the morning, he poured the warm oil back into the engine, started it up and was ready to go.
The Refuge had two snowplanes to zip across their ground to check projects, swans and roads. Ranchers replaced sleighs with snowplanes
to get from place to place in a faster amount of time. Herman Clarno had the most impressive snowplane in the Valley that he purchased
from Shepherd’s Garage in Jackson, Montana. Tobe Morton was the only one staying year-round in Alaska Basin and used his snowplane
as a lone means of transportation besides his horse. Leo Flint even used his for feeding livestock.
Announcements Other owners were: Andy Forsythe, the Gleed brothers, Sam Breneman,
Clayton Kennedy, Dan Sullivan, Alan Raddatz, Gary Brown and Mel Mont-
• Happy New Year! Help the CVA and its community-based gomery. Mel was the last person to have a snowplane in the Valley and ran
programs by renewing or starting a membership in the mail with it during the winter when the road was closed. He sold it in
2021! We appreciate your support and consideration! 1991 and reverted to using a snowmobile.
• THANK YOU to those who donated to the Giving Tuesday The full story, with pictures of various Centennial Valley snowplanes, can be
fundraiser in early December. We raised $9,850 for on- found on pages 133-134.
the-ground programs that benefit the Centennial Valley
and its community in 2021! We are so appreciative of Kiley Martinell
the support and look forward to a successful 2021!
• On January 12th, the U.S. Forest Service released a new
Draft Environmental Assessment for a 3 to 5 year gold
exploration proposal in the Centennial Mountains near
Kilgore, on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. There is
a 30-day comment period, closing February 11th.
Comments may be sent to:
comments-intermtn-caribou-targhee-dubois@usda.gov
Friends of the CVA
CVA strives to build and utilize working relationships with numerous
agencies and organizations.
Federal, State, and County Agencies
The Nature Conservancy
Taft-Nicholson Center
Future West
Heart of the Rockies/High Divide Collaborative
USFWS Partners Program
Montana Watershed Coordination Council
Cross Charitable Foundation
Greater Yellowstone Coalition CVA Board Members
Defenders of Wildlife Yvonne Martinell, Chairwoman Scott Huntsman
Livestock Loss Board Peggy Dulany & Andrew Anderson (Proxy) Ed Wolfe
Missouri Headwaters Partnership Kevin Crowe & Tassi Duffner (Proxy) Mel Montgomery
Earth Concerns International Jerry Scheid (Advisory) Mark Bergstrom (Advisory)
Jim Berkey (Advisory) Bill West (Advisory)
Friends of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and the
Centennial Valley
Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee Committees
Montana Native Plant Society Weeds: Scott Huntsman
Fish, Wildlife and Parks WHIP Program
Wildlife: Yvonne Martinell, Bill West (Advisory)
DNRC Watershed Management Grant Program
And Many Others! Hunting: Jerry Scheid, Scott Huntsman
To preserve traditional ranching as a way of life in the Centennial Valley, and to maintain quality open space, wildlife habitat, water quality, and wildlife migration corridors as
they exist today for future generations.
Jim Berkey
CENTENNIAL VALLEY ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP
Name(s):_________________________________________________________________________
Business/Organization Name:_______________________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________________________________________
Phone:_____________________ Email Address:_____________________________________
How would you like to receive information from CVA? **Note** To assist with mailing costs,
please add an additional $10 to your membership if choosing the “Mail” or “Both” option.
Email Mail Both
Membership Dues (check one): What issues or projects are of special
interest to you?
Individual Community Member or Interested
Party: $20
Individual Centennial Valley Landowner: $30
Family: $50
Business/Organization: $100
Additional amount enclosed for postage, Please remit to:
projects, and matching grants? Centennial Valley Association
c/o Yvonne Martinell
PO Box 240077
_________________________________________ Dell, MT59724
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