BOZEMAN – NorthWestern Energy, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the Bureau of Land Management, in partnership with River Design Group, have completed a project to improve trout habitat in an area of the lower Madison River.

Trout numbers in the lower Madison River are at historic lows due in part to low population recruitment and limited spawning and rearing habitats.

This fall, crews expanded an island to enhance side channel habitat complexity and improve flows for the maintenance of gravels used by trout for spawning. The project also included constructing an additional side channel for added habitat complexity, as well as replanting riparian vegetation to better control erosion along the riverbank.

The project is about 11 miles downstream from Madison Dam, between the BLM’s Warm Springs Day Use Area and the Hwy 84 bridge at Trapper Springs recreation area.

FWP is asking anglers and recreational floaters in this area to stay river right and avoid the island and left riverbank to allow the vegetation to become established. FWP is also asking anglers to avoid fishing the side channels near the islands from October through March to protect spawning trout.

FWP fisheries staff will continue to monitor trout populations within the project area and elsewhere as part of long-term monitoring efforts.

“We’re excited to see this effort lead to positive outcomes for trout in the lower Madison River,” said Matt Jaeger, FWP’s hydropower, native species and Beaverhead-Ruby program manager. “We appreciate the support from our partners who contributed to this project.”

“NorthWestern Energy is pleased to fund this effort and work closely with partners to improve trout populations. We believe this is the type of work that can have meaningful results to improve habitat and bolster fisheries in the Madison River,” said NorthWestern Energy Fisheries Biologist Jon Hanson.

To learn more about the project, click here.