Construction of Hungry Horse Dam inundated about 125 km of resident and adfluvial trout habitat in the South Fork of the Flathead River and its tributaries, profoundly affecting natural fish reproduction and rearing.  Hydropower development, other land disturbances, and both legal and illegal introductions of non-native and invasive fish species, have caused severe declines in the range and abundance of our focal resident fish species, bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout.  As part of the Hungry Horse Fisheries Mitigation Program, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) have been collaboratively mitigating Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) acknowledged losses, in part through habitat conservation projects.  Our joint priority has been conservation of the highest quality and most important aquatic and riparian habitats within the Flathead Basin before development undermines the values of these areas.  Consistent with the goals and objectives of the NPCC’s Fish and Wildlife Program and the Flathead Subbasin Plan, MFWP and CSKT are working to maintain the best, most functional fish habitat for resident fish species affected by hydropower development. The Flathead River Subbasin Plan identifies the protection of aquatic and riparian habitat for bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout as one of the most critical needs in the subbasin and directs actions to offset identified habitat losses.

The current project augments past and ongoing efforts by the CSKT and MFWP to protect and enhance critical fish habitat within the Flathead River watershed.  Specifically, this project implements the 2008 Columbia Basin Fish Accords negotiated between the State of Montana and the United States as represented by the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Action Agencies that include the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the U.S. Army  corps of Engineers (USCOE) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR).  As set forth in the Memorandum of Agreement, reasons for the agreement include the following:  
  
   • To address legal mandates for the FCRPS and Upper Snake Projects under the Endangered Species Act ("ESA"), the Northwest Power Act ("NPA"), and the Clean Water Act ("CWA").
     • To address the Parties’ mutual concerns for certainty and stability in the funding and implementation of projects for the benefit of fish and wildlife affected by the FCRPS and Upper Snake Projects, affirming and adding to the actions proposed in the draft          FCRPS and Upper Snake Biological Opinions (“BiOps”); and
     • To foster a cooperative and partnership-like relationship in implementation of the mutual commitments in this Agreement.

Practical outcome of the agreement will be expanded fisheries protections in Flathead Basin watersheds achieved by purchase of lands that support critical fisheries habitats, including protection of important spawning and rearing  areas. In part because of a new and fortuitous opportunity to acquire properties formerly owned by the Plum Creek Timber Corporation, this project will work with a variety of partners to secure remaining priority fish habitats within the Swan River Valley, a tributary to the Flathead River.  Habitat conservation will be achieved by MFWP acquiring fee ownership or conservation easements on over 14.5 km of critical spawning and rearing streams within the Swan Valley, providing BPA with up to 15.5 km mitigation credits to offset acknowledged fish losses.  Pre-acquisition work, the  subject of this contract, will set the stage for these acquisitions to occur.