Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group

“Description AmountMaterials and Supplies 4,354Travel 2,781Insurance 3,922Office expenses 1,560Facilities and equipment 360Outreach 396Dues and Memberships 250Business, fees, bank charges, misc. 6”

“Category Beginning of Year End of YearAccounts Receivable (net) 22,738 0Inventory - not for sale 667 471”

“Category Beginning of Year End of YearAccounts Payable 684 0Payroll Liabilities 3,209 2,491”

“The mission of the Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group (LCFWG) is to facilitate collaboration among watershed stakeholders and to coordinate efforts to maintain, enhance, and restore the ecological integrity of tributaries to the lower Clark Fork River. Our work focuses primarily on in-stream and on-the-ground restoration projects that improve water quality and enhance habitat for Bull Trout or Westslope Cutthroat Trout. In 2024, the LCFWG maintained communication among project partners to coordinate continued efforts to improve the health of our watersheds. Major 2024 accomplishments across the watershed are described below: - Private Land Stewardship Program: The LCFWG continued the Private Land Stewardship Program, aimed at landowner outreach and engagement intended to increase on-the-ground projects on private lands. In 2024, LCFWG worked with the Natural Resource Conservation Service to develop revegetation projects on private lands in the Bull River drainage. Continued efforts were planned for 2025 in the Bull River drainage. One new landowner was engaged through NRCS, with potential revegetation work in 2025 or 2026. - Bull River: Continued ongoing efforts to revegetate areas along the Bull River, which over time will help stabilize stream banks, improve water quality, and create diverse habitat for native fish and wildlife. Major accomplishments in 2024 included new plantings of approximately 200 trees and shrubs on two properties along the East Fork and mainstem Bull River. Maintenance also occurred on 3 properties, resulting in 15 old exclosures removed from the landscape. This includes removing old browse protection materials at past projects, maintaining engagement with landowners and protecting past planting efforts from browse. On Arbor Day 2024, the LCFWG hosted an Arbor Day planting event where 11 volunteers got 100 trees planted and caged on private property. Additional plantings will be completed in 2025 and beyond, as funding has been secured to continue working with private landowners to revegetate areas in the Bull River watershed. These major planting efforts will be paired with significant maintenance efforts and volunteer and landowner engagement. - Thompson River: The LCFWG worked with partner Trout Unlimited and others to continue stakeholder engagement in preliminary planning and feasibility assessment activities for project development in the Thompson River. With the support of the Lolo National Forest and other stakeholders, the partners aim to develop projects in the drainage to reduce impacts of roads and other human activities on Bull Trout, Westslope Cutthroat Trout and the robust recreational fishery in the drainage. Activities in 2024 included two stakeholder meetings with natural resource managers. LiDAR has been completed for the Thompson River and will help to guide future projects within that watershed. In 2024, funding was received to continue project development in the Thompson River and Prospect Creek drainages. - Vermilion River: The LCFWG continued to support the continuation of the Vermilion River Restoration and Effectiveness Monitoring project, in partnership with the United States Geological Survey and the United States Forest Service. Additional funding was secured for monitoring efforts. The Grouse Reach slated for completion in 2025-2026, would improve floodplain habitat and improve connectivity to Grouse Creek, which is a tributary to the Vermilion River. Funding has been secured for the next two reaches (Rocker and 100 Ton) of the Vermilion River for 2025-2028. In 2025, the LCFWG will continue working with landowners, volunteers, and partner organizations to implement further revegetation efforts in the Bull River, develop other projects on private lands in other drainages, as well as maintain coordination across the watershed with all partners regarding past, ongoing and potential projects.”