Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on the following environmental assessments (EA). For more information, including how to submit comments, click on the link provided or visit?fwp.mt.gov/public-notices.

Tiger Trout Introduction to seven Region 4 Ponds/Reservoirs – Draft EA Checklists

FWP proposes to stock tiger trout into seven Region 4 ponds or reservoirs, including Bair Reservoir, Crow Coulee Reservoir, Hansen Reservoir, Kingsbury Pond, Leningtons Reservoir, Maiden Spring Pond and Upper Carter Pond. The primary goal of the fish introduction would be to provide additional recreational angling opportunities in these waterbodies. A secondary goal would be to provide some biocontrol on nongame species in some cases. Tiger trout are a produced hybrid of brook trout and brown trout. Triploid tiger trout eggs from Wyoming would be used as the source for stocking. They are sterile; therefore, their numbers can be highly managed by stocking practices.

Comment deadline: Feb. 22.

Big Coulee Fish Barrier Enhancement Project Draft EA Checklist

FWP is proposing to enhance a previously constructed fish barrier on Big Coulee to protect a nonhybridized population of westslope cutthroat trout?Oncorhynchus lewisi. The fish barrier project site on Big Coulee is located entirely on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Judith-Musselshell Ranger District. The proposed enhancements to the Big Coulee fish barrier include constructing a cast-in-place concrete weir on top of a previously blasted bedrock waterfall and pouring a concrete splash pad at the base of the waterfall to eliminate the formation of a plunge pool. Additionally, drilling, blasting and/or hydraulic hammering of the bedrock directly downstream of the barrier would be performed to grade the streambed in a manner that prevents pooling of water during periods of high stream discharge.

Comment deadline: Feb. 22.

Westslope Cutthroat Trout Restoration in Elk Creek Draft EA

FWP proposes to restore native westslope cutthroat trout (WCT) to Elk Creek in the Madison Valley in southwestern Montana. Historically, WCT, Arctic grayling, and mountain whitefish were the only salmonid species in the Madison Valley. The primary threat to WCT?in southwestern Montana is competition and predation by non-native species, and the WCT population in Elk Creek has been reduced to occupying 0.8 mile of the headwaters due to competition with nonnative brook trout.?Non-native fish upstream of an existing fish barrier will be removed using a piscicide (rotenone) for two consecutive years. After two treatments have been completed and the stream has been verified to be fishless using environmental DNA, WCT will be allowed to repopulate 8 miles of habitat and will serve as a source of aboriginal Madison River WCT for future introductions.

Comment deadline: March 8.

Flathead Lake Dynamic Gravel Beach Shoreline Erosion Protection Draft EA

FWP is proposing to repair any current and future eroding shorelines on FWP property on Flathead Lake utilizing a dynamic gravel beach design as funding permits.?A dynamic gravel beach?utilizes local cobble of varying sizes to stabilize the shoreline, while absorbing wave action through the movement of smaller top cobble. Project prioritization would be based on current erosion of each site, current rate of shoreline loss, average wind and wave action, which would assist in determining future shoreline loss rate and recreational opportunities of each site.

Comment deadline: March 13.

Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement Phase 2 Draft EA

(FWP proposes to purchase a 52,930-acre conservation easement, the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement – Phase 2. This is the second and final phase of a two-phased project totaling 85,752 acres of important timberland and fish and wildlife habitat currently owned by Green Diamond Resource Company in northwest Montana.

Comment deadline: March 15.