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Musselshell Watershed TMDL Development
Page history
last edited
by Christina Staten 3 years, 5 months ago
Page Contents:
Project Purpose
The state of Montana monitors its waters and conducts water quality assessments to determine if waterbodies are supporting their designated uses. Waters that are determined not to be supporting their designated uses are called impaired and are placed on Montana’s list of impaired waters. Impaired waterbodies and their associated probable causes and sources of impairment are published within Montana’s biennial Water Quality Integrated Report.
Montana’s state law, and the federal Clean Water Act that was established by Congress in 1972, require development of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for all waterbodies impaired by a pollutant (e.g., metals, nutrients, sediment, temperature, etc.). A TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards (think of a TMDL as a loading rate). TMDL development includes four main steps:
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Characterizing the impaired waterbody’s existing water quality conditions and comparing those conditions to Montana’s water quality standards. During this step, measurable target values are set to help evaluate the stream’s condition in relation to the applicable water quality standards.
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Quantifying the magnitude of the pollutant contribution from each significant source
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Determining the total allowable load of the pollutant to the waterbody (the TMDL)
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Allocating the total allowable pollutant load into individual loads for each significant source (referred to as load allocations for nonpoint sources and wasteload allocations for point sources)
The TMDL planning process for this project incorporates a combination of water quality sampling and hydrologic modeling to further identify and quantify metals, nutrient, sediment, and temperature contributions from all significant sources to the streams identified in the table below. For more information about the development of TMDLs, please see the What is a TMDL? page on this site or download our pamphlet: Understanding the TMDL Process.
Steps for Completing a TMDL Document
The Musselshell TMDLs are being completed in a series of TMDL documents, with E. coli TMDLs being completed first in 2021. The remaining TMDLs are not yet scheduled. The below steps will be followed for producing each of the TMDL documents.
- A stakeholder group is formed to work with DEQ in an advisory capacity throughout this project (contact Lou Volpe if you would like to be added to our email distribution list for project updates)
- DEQ drafts the TMDL document
- Stakeholders review and comment on the draft document (see table below)
- DEQ works with stakeholders to address their comments in the document
- A public comment period is held to solicit public input on the draft document (a notice will be posted on the Project Outreach page)
- DEQ prepares responses to written public comments and makes final document edits
- DEQ submits the TMDL document to the U.S. EPA in Denver for approval
- Once EPA approval is received, DEQ publishes a final TMDL document and notifies stakeholders the document is available
- DEQ works with local stakeholders to implement the water quality improvement recommendations contained in the TMDL document
Draft TMDL Documents
There are currently no TMDL documents under development for the Musselshell. Draft TMDL documents will be posted for stakeholder review in the table below as they become available. Following stakeholder review, a public comment period will be held and stakeholders will also have the opportunity to comment on the draft document during the public comment period. A notice will be posted in the table below and on the Project Outreach page when public comment begins.
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Document
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Contents
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Date Posted
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Submit Comments To:
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Stakeholder Review Draft of Musselshell E. coli TMDL Document
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A project overview, watershed description, water quality improvement recommendations, and E.coli TMDLs and allocations for:
- American Fork
- Big Coulee Creek
- Fish Creek
- Fords Creek
- Half Breed Creek
- McDonald Creek
- Musselshell River
- NF Musselshell River
- SF McDonald Creek
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5/20/21
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The stakeholder review draft was removed from this table on 6/24/21. Public comment took place from July 5 through August 2, 2021. More information on the final document can be found in the tables below.
Contact Lou Volpe with any questions.
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Completed TMDL Documents
A few waterbodies in the Musselshell River watershed were included in the 2013 Judith Mountains TMDL document, shown below.
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TMDL Document
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Waterbody (Assessment Unit)
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Assessment Unit ID
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Metals TMDLs
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Sediment TMDL
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2013 Judith Mountains Project Area TMDLs and Framework Water Quality Improvement Plan
Found at:
https://deq.mt.gov/water/Programs/sw
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Chippewa Creek,
Headwaters to confluence with Manitoba Gulch
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MT40B002_040
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Antimony,
Arsenic,
Cyanide,
Iron,
Mercury
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Sediment
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Collar Gulch Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (Fords Creek)
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MT40B002_030
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Aluminum,
Arsenic,
Cadmium,
Copper,
Lead,
Zinc
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--
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Fords Creek,*
Headwaters in Chicago Gulch to East Fork Fords Creek
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MT40B002_020
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Arsenic,
Cadmium,
Lead,
Zinc
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--
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*Fords Creek is listed as “Chicago Gulch” in the Judith Mountains TMDL document
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TMDL Document
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Waterbody (Assessment Unit)
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Assessment Unit ID
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E. coli TMDL
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2021 Musselshell E. coli TMDLs and Water Quality Improvement Plan
Found at:
https://deq.mt.gov/water/Programs/sw
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American Fork,
Confluence of Middle and North Forks American Fork to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_120
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E. coli
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Big Coulee Creek,
Confluence of North and South Forks Big Coulee Creek to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_130
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E. coli
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Fish Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_070
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E. coli
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Fords Creek,
East Fork Fords Creek to mouth (Box Elder Creek)
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MT40B002_021
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E. coli
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Half Breed Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_090
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E. coli
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McDonald Creek,
North and South Forks to mouth (Box Elder Creek)
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MT40B002_010
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E. coli
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Musselshell River,
North & South Fork confluence to Deadmans Basin Diversion Canal
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MT40A001_010
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E. coli
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Musselshell River,
Deadmans Basin Supply Canal to HUC boundary near Roundup
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MT40A001_020
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E. coli
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Musselshell River,
Flatwillow Creek to Fort Peck Reservoir
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MT40C003_010
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E. coli
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North Fork Musselshell River,
Bair Reservoir to confluence with South Fork Musselshell River
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MT40A002_012
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E. coli
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South Fork McDonald Creek,
Headwaters to confluence with North Fork McDonald Creek
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MT40B002_070
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E. coli
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TMDLs Still to be Written
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Waterbody (Assessment Unit)
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Assessment Unit ID
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Metal TMDL(s)
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Nutrient TMDL(s)
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Sediment TMDL
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Salinity TMDL(s)
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Big Coulee Creek,
Confluence of North and South Forks Big Coulee Creek to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_130
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Iron,
Selenium
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Nitrate-Nitrite (Nitrite plus Nitrate as N),
Total Nitrogen
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--
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--
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Box Elder Creek,
Headwaters to mouth
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MT40B002_001
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Iron
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--
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--
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--
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Fish Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_070
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Iron
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Nitrate-Nitrite (Nitrite plus Nitrate as N)
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--
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--
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Flatwillow Creek,
Headwaters to Highway 87 bridge
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MT40B001_021
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Iron
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--
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Sediment
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--
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Flatwillow Creek,
Highway 87 bridge to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40B001_022
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Iron,
Selenium
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--
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--
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--
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Fords Creek,
East Fork Fords Creek to mouth (Box Elder Creek)
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MT40B002_021
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Iron
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--
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--
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--
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Half Breed Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_090
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--
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Nitrate-Nitrite (Nitrite plus Nitrate as N)
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--
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--
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McDonald Creek,
North and South Forks to mouth (Box Elder Creek)
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MT40B002_010
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Iron
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--
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--
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Salinity
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Mill Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (North Fork Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_040
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--
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--
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Sediment
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--
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Miller Creek,
Confluence of East and West Forks Miller Creek to mouth (Little Elk Creek)
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MT40A002_110
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--
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--
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Sediment
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--
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Musselshell River,
North & South Fork confluence to Deadmans Basin Diversion Canal
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MT40A001_010
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Iron
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--
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--
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--
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Musselshell River,
Deadmans Basin Supply Canal to HUC boundary near Roundup
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MT40A001_020
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Iron,
Lead
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--
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Sediment
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--
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Musselshell River,
HUC boundary near Roundup to Flatwillow Creek
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MT40C001_010
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Iron
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--
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--
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--
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Musselshell River,
Flatwillow Creek to Fort Peck Reservoir
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MT40C003_010
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Iron
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--
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--
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--
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North Fork Flatwillow Creek,
Headwaters to confluence with South Fork
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MT40B001_040
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--
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--
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Sediment
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--
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North Fork Musselshell River,
Bair Reservoir to confluence with South Fork Musselshell River
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MT40A002_012
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Iron
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Total Phosphorus
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--
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--
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North Willow Creek,
Headwaters to mouth Musselshell River)
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MT40C002_010
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Iron
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Total Nitrogen,
Total Phosphorus
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Sediment
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Salinity,
Sulfate
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Painted Robe Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_080
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--
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Total Nitrogen
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--
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Salinity,
Sulfate
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South Fork McDonald Creek,
Headwaters to confluence with North Fork McDonald Creek
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MT40B002_070
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Iron
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--
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--
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--
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Trail Creek,
Headwaters to mouth (North Fork Musselshell River)
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MT40A002_030
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--
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Total Phosphorus
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Sediment
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--
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Project Contacts
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Role
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Contact
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Email
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Phone
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Project Manager for nutrients, sediment, & salinity TMDLs
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Lou Volpe
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lvolpe@mt.gov
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(406) 444-6742
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Last Updated: August 17, 2021
Musselshell Watershed TMDL Development
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