Shaun McGrath, the Director of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, recently announced at the Montana Watershed Coordination Council’s annual conference in Helena that the Bitterroot River watershed had been targeted to receive the bulk of DEQ 319 project grant funding for the next two to three years. This funding, which the state receives under the Clean Water Act, is made available for projects designed to mitigate the effects of non-point source pollution.
Nonpoint source water pollution stems from diffuse sources and is often associated with specific land uses such as agriculture and forestry, urban and suburban development and runoff from abandoned mine sites. Common pollutants include sediment, nutrients, pathogens and toxic metals. The recommended range for contracts is $10,000 to $300,000 per project, with a 40 percent cost share required.
This year DEQ is distributing $500,000 in funding for such projects and the application process is now open. $300,000 of that is targeted for distribution in the Bitterroot Watershed with the remaining $200,000 being available for other watersheds throughout the state.
According to McGrath, the agency’s new targeted funding method was developed in the face of dwindling funds. With such a small amount of funding being distributed somewhat equally around the state, no watershed was getting enough grant money to accomplish anything significant. The new funding method concentrates the bulk of the funding into a single watershed for two to three years and then the focus will shift to another watershed. He said the Bitterroot watershed was picked out because it had a completed a Watershed Restoration Plan that was in the process of being implemented and had a strong local interest with a good volunteer work force.
“DEQ works closely with land owners, local watershed groups, conservation districts and other groups on these projects to clean and protect Montana’s waters,” said DEQ Water Quality Division Administrator Tim Davis. “Projects can address grazing management, stream flow, riparian revegetation and other measures to identify and address nonpoint source issues. We encourage anyone who is interested to reach out to us about project ideas.”
The application form and instructions are available at: deq.mt.gov/Water/Resources/319funds. All projects must address nonpoint source pollution and implement DEQ-accepted Watershed Restoration Plans. DEQ staff will be available, upon request, to provide feedback on project applications. For more information on the funding, contact Dean Yashan at 406-444-5317 or by email at dyashan@mt.gov or visit: deq.mt.gov/Water/Resources/319funds