Climate Smart Missoula

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  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Story
    • Blog
    • In the News >
      • Sustainable Missoula Column
    • People + Partners
    • Jobs and Opportunities
    • Smarty Pants Awards
    • Contact Us
  • Adaptation + Summer Smart
    • Summer Smart >
      • Wildfire Smoke >
        • HEPA Air Filtration
        • Improving Indoor Air
        • Clean Air for Schools & Daycares
        • Pregnancy + Infants and Smoke
      • Active Fires
      • Hotter Days and Nights >
        • Fans, A/C, and Coolers
      • Clean Air Cool Places >
        • Studying Indoor Air Quality
      • Shade >
        • Shade Shelters
      • Local Climate Indicators
      • Drought and Low Flows
      • Shareable Products
      • Partners and Supporters
      • Summer Smart News
    • Resiliency Planning
  • Energy + Solar Smart
    • Energy Smart >
      • 100 percent
      • Energy Smart Map
      • Reduce Your Use >
        • Energy Smart Challenge
    • Solar Smart >
      • Solar Ease
  • Get Involved
    • Calendar
    • Dear Tomorrow
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Advocacy >
      • Montana Legislature
    • Clean Energy Expo
  • Action Plan & Buckets
    • Education and Outreach
    • Inventory and Metrics
    • Forests and Open Lands
    • Green Building, Energy Efficiency and Conservation >
      • Home Rehab
    • Healthy Community >
      • Mental Health
      • Health and Climate Summit >
        • Health Climate Resources
      • Art and Humanities >
        • Open Air Art Show
        • Climate, Health and Humanities
    • Local Food and Agriculture
    • Renewable Energy
    • Sustainable Economic Development
    • Transportation and Smart Growth >
      • Smart Growth - Active Transportation
    • Water Conservation and Protection
    • Zero Waste
  • The Science
    • Forests and Fire
    • Local Climate: Signs of Change
    • Climate Impacts
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Drought and Low Flows

Drought and Water News
Water Resources
Hot, dry conditions take a serious toll on our farms, our forests, and our watersheds, increasing Wildfires and Wildfire Smoke, and affecting our Mental Health. Low flows are super hard on fish and the many (humans and non-humans alike) who rely on our rivers and streams. For more info, click on the buttons above or scroll down.

Dealing with Drought

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It's easier to talk about being "Summer Smart" when it comes to coping with wildfire smoke and heat, but what about drought?

​There are things we can all do to preserve and protect our precious water resources and to cope with more intense and sustained dry conditions. Here are some things we can do as a community to protect our watersheds:
  • Use less water around our homes and businesses. (One caveat - let your lawn turn brown, but be sure to water your shade trees! Our urban forest provides so many other climate benefits.) 
  • Support agriculture that uses water wisely. Ask your local farmer when and how they water their crops! Ask your local grocer about the farmers they buy from.
  • Support organizations working to keep water in our streams - for all the critters, plants, and people that depend on these ribbons of life. The Clark Fork Coalition and Montana Trout Unlimited both are working to preserve and protect our local watersheds and the wildlife that depend on them.
  • Help turn the trajectory of climate change. Support Climate Smart Missoula or myriad other worthy efforts across the globe.
Drought is just one aspect of the water-climate connection. We talked about drought and the Missoula Aquifer at our August 2018 Meet-Up at Imagine Nation Brewing. Check out Abby's blog on the conversation.
Current Drought Conditions
You can probably tell - we love maps! Click​ below for a snapshot of current statewide drought conditions.
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So what does drought look like for our rivers?
Another great map from the USGS shows below normal 7-day average streamflow compared to historical streamflow:
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Water Related News

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The Upper Clark Fork River at 2.6 CFS in early August. Clark Fork Coalition Photo

​Summer 2017
  • The Billings Gazette reported that 12% of our state is in the midst of an extreme, 100-year drought.
  • Closer to home, the Bitterroot, Upper Clark Fork, and Silver Bow Creek all are under "hoot owl" fishing restrictions.
  • Senator John Tester has set up an online portal to help Montanans suffering financial losses due to drought and wildfires.


More Water Resources

  • ​To see what our streamflows look like, go to the State of Montana's Drought and Water Streamflow website.
  • Of course we have an entire BUCKET dedicated to water conservation and protection.
  • Check out what the Clark Fork Coalition is up to.
  • Visit Montana Trout Unlimited to learn about and support all the good work they are doing to keep fish alive and water in our streams.
  • A few years ago Amy and Jill worked with film-maker Patrick Record to make this Missoula movie - we hope to update this now that the City of Missoula owns our water system. Check out The Hidden Life of Water.
  • ​Also check out this great article from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Energy-Water Nexus Issues Heighten in the Face of Climate Change.

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