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Scientists at Milltown cite dam removal as key to bull trout recovery
Summary
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks research biologist David Schmetterling summarized decades of study showing the Milltown Dam blocked migratory passage for hundreds of thousands of fish annually and said dam removal and subsequent management have improved spawning trends in upstream tributaries such as the North Fork and Montour Creek.
David Schmetterling, research biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, told the Milltown Confluence audience that the dam's century-long presence severely disrupted historical fish migrations and degraded habitat for native trout, particularly bull trout.
The nut graph: Schmetterling said dam operations impeded both upstream and downstream fish movements, concentrated predators such as northern pike in reservoir habitat and trapped sediment that periodically released metals and caused fish kills. He described monitoring work showing large numbers of fish attempting upstream passage and documented improvements in spawning counts in some tributaries following dam…
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