Greetings!
Our Watershed Enhancement Team (WET) is getting ready to kickoff the 2020 field season!
WET is the volunteer group that helps maintain and monitor our various restoration projects throughout the Bitterroot Valley.

This year we'll work directly for the river by:
  • watering plants
  • doing plant counts
  • maintaining fences and browse protectors
  • taking pictures at each site to track progress
  • and more!

This team is vital to keeping our projects growing strong in the years after initial implementation.
Our first day out will be next week. If you're interested in getting out right away be sure to email Grace by Monday, June 15th at 5:00 pm to learn more.

We are happy to have folks join us at any point and do not require any previous experience.
WET focuses on ensuring successful restoration projects, but what do we mean by restoration?

The Water Forum focuses our efforts on Nonpoint Source (NPS) pollution solutions. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into rivers, lakes, wetlands, ground water and coastal waters.

In Montana, NPS pollution is categorized by Montana Department of Environmental Quality as "impairments" - when waterways are not meeting their full potential to support beneficial uses like aquatic life.
There are 38 streams in the Bitterroot watershed that are considered impaired, usually by sediment, temperature, and nutrients.
Watershed Enhancement Team volunteer helping to water plants
in the riparian area along the East Fork
Riparian areas are the vegetative buffers between the uplands and a waterbody. By having a healthy riparian area, it can help reduce all three of these impairments.

That's why the Water Forum works to restore the riparian habitat along impaired streams through revegetation, to improve water quality in the Bitterroot watershed and results in clean water for ALL.
If you would like to help us reduce these impairments, the Watershed Enhancement Team (WET) could be for you!
Best,
Katie Vennie
Communications + Outreach Manager

PS - In light of COVID-19 we will be taking precautions with all of our volunteers. Click here to view our COVID-19 Volunteer Guidelines & Precautions.
Volunteer Opportunity
Save the date for a Volunteer Day - Saturday, June 20th

Mark your calendars if you would like to assist with our restoration efforts on the Burnt Fork.
More details coming soon!