Next Water Quality District Board Meeting: May, 2 2024
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday May 2, 2024 at 8:30 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas will be posted on AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming platform) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
To attend remotely, click the link in the agenda below.
Next Water Quality District Board Meeting: April 4, 2024
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday April 4, 2024 at 8:30 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas will be posted on AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming platform) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Next Water Quality District Board Meeting: February 1st, 2024
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday February 1st, 2024 at 8:15 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas will be posted on AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming platform) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Local Water Quality District to host information session on Idaho Pole Site
On Thursday December 7th, 2023, the GLWQD will host representatives from the US Environmental Protection Agency and MDEQ for an information session on the Idaho Pole Site, a Controlled Groundwater Area in Bozeman.
The history of this site dates back to the mid-1940s, when the facility used creosote to preserve wood and later switched to pentachlorophenol in carrier oil (similar to mineral oil) for the wood treating solution. In 1978, evidence of a release of the oily wood treating fluid was identified in ditches near the facility and near Rocky Creek.
If you’re interested in the status of the remedial actions, have questions or concerns, or just want to learn more about groundwater issues in the Bozeman area, we invite you to attend this public information session.
At the conclusion of another field season in the Local Water Quality District
Kudos to District Staff Drew Shafer for completing his first season of surface water sampling within the Gallatin Local Water Quality District. Over the 2023 season, Drew worked tirelessly in rain, wind, and snow to characterize the surface water resources of the District by measuring streamflow and facilitating chemical analysis of water samples at 17 different sites. His work continues to bolster our long-term datasets on water quality in rapidly developing Gallatin County. Way to go, Drew!
Here’s a quick look at the 2023 sampling by the numbers:
- 1160 water chemistry analyses
- 600 water quality observations
- 168 bottle sets delivered to laboratory
- 80 instream discharge measurements
- 28 field days
- 7 months
- 6 volunteers
- 3 shareholder organizations
Calling All Volunteers! The Gallatin Local Water Quality District will be partnering with the Gallatin Watershed Council to re-launch the Stream Teams volunteer monitoring program for the 2024 sampling season. Please visit this link to be redirected to the Gallatin Watershed Council’s website to fill out the Volunteer Application Form. We hope to see you in 2024!
Next Local Water Quality District Board Meeting: November 2, 2023
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday November 2nd, 2023 at 8:15 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas will be posted on AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming platform) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Saturday October 14th is Halloween Grossology Family Day at the Museum of the Rockies!
Come see some creepy, crawling macroinvertebrates (like this Hydropsyche caddis larva) from the Gallatin Watershed up close at the Museum of the Rockies on Saturday 10/14/23 from 1 – 4 pm. We will be hosting a table and providing opportunities for folks to examine some of the finest, grossest, creepiest BUGS in the Gallatin watershed!
Follow this link to the Museum of the Rockies to register for this event!
Position Announcement: Water Quality Specialist/Hydrogeologist (Closed 11/3/2023)
Are you interested in helping protect and preserve Montana’s Water Resources? The Gallatin Local Water Quality District is now accepting applications for a full-time Water Quality Specialist/Hydrogeologist position at our downtown Bozeman, MT., office.
The WQS/Hydrogeologist position is focused on characterizing groundwater resources within the District. Current projects include monitoring and characterization of the Big Sky Meadow Village Aquifer using groundwater sampling equipment, administering the data collection and characterization of groundwater within our 60-well monitoring network, and using GIS to map aging septic systems near impaired waterways. This position is public-facing and requires daily interaction with residents of Gallatin County while assisting them with questions about their well, septic systems and groundwater and conducting outreach and education.
Sound interesting? Follow the link to be redirected to Gallatin County’s job portal where you can submit your application materials. We look forward to hearing from you!
Learn about Groundwater and Well Construction through the Private Well Class
Join the Private Well Class for a free, informative webinar about well water. The Private Well Class is run through the Illinois State Water Survey and offers of a wealth of information about your well and septic system through free online webinars.
This month’s webinar about Groundwater and Well Construction takes place on October 11th at 12:00 pm MDT. The class is free to register and attend. Follow the link above to register and to see other courses they offer on managing your home water supply (recordings of past webinars available).
To paraphrase legendary WDET broadcaster and host of ‘Destination Jazz: the Ed Love Program’ the courses at the Private Well Class are “Highly Recommended.”
The Gallatin LWQD is live on social media!
Check out our fresh Instagram page, @gallatin_lwqd, curated by our very own Montana Conservation Corps Intern, Chase. Be sure to follow our account on Instagram to stay up to date on all things water quality within the Gallatin Valley.
If you’re wondering about eutrophication, or nutrient enrichment of our water bodies, go see our post highlighting results from the 2022 nutrient monitoring season. With the exception of Bridger Creek, all surface water sites that we monitor are showing signs of nutrient enrichment above impairment thresholds of 0.3 mg/L Total Nitrogen and 0.03 mg/L Total Phosphorus.
https://www.instagram.com/gallatin_lwqd/
Groundwater Technical Bulletin: 2022-2023 Groundwater Monitoring Results
As part of our Groundwater Monitoring Network, we conduct routine monitoring of chemical conditions throughout the Gallatin Valley Aquifer System. Please check out the latest 2022-2023 Groundwater Technical Bulletin, summarizing the results of monitoring in the northern portion of the Gallatin Valley. Results presented are intended to give readers a snapshot of aquifer chemical conditions from our monitoring wells during this heavy-use period.
GW Monitoring Network Technical Bulletin.
Check out this free informational webinar on Septic Systems from The Private Well Class!
Have questions about your septic system? Join The Private Well Class on July 12th at 12:00 pm MDT for a 90-minute webinar about septic management. The class is free to register and attend. Follow the link above to register and to see other courses they offer on drinking water wells a managing your home water supply. We highly recommend these informational webinars!
Local Water Quality District Sampling Recreational Waters for E. coli and Harmful Algal (HABs) Toxins:
To protect human health, throughout summer 2023 the GLWQD will be sampling a number of recreational water bodies for E. coli bacteria counts and algal toxins.
Sites monitored for E. coli counts include Kendeda Lake at the Gallatin County Regional Park, Bozeman Pond (Mall Pond), and Meyers Lake (Valley West Park). Please click the individual site links for results.
Sites monitored for Harmful Algal Bloom toxins (Microcystins, Anatoxin-a) will depend on observations of water quality at each site and the presence of algal material.
The public will be notified if our observations exceed the US EPA thresholds for safe recreational water use and recreational use advisories may be issued in conjunction with HealthyGallatin.
The City of Bozeman monitors Glen Lake (Bozeman Beach). To see results from sampling at this locaiton follow the link to the HealthyGallatin page: HealthyGallatin.org Recreational Water Sampling Results.
If you have any questions or wish to report a water quality concern, please contact the District office at (406) 582-3145.
June Board meeting cancelled.
The June 1, 2023 Board of Director’s meeting is cancelled. Our next public meeting will be held August 3, 2023.
Local Water Quality District Board Meeting, May 4, 2023
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday May 4, 2023 at 8:15 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas will be posted here (and available via AV Capture All, Gallatin County live-streaming platform) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
No April 6th Board Meeting — The regular Board of Director’s meeting for April is cancelled.
The next regular meeting of the Gallatin Local Water Quality District will be held Thursday May 4th, 2023.
Have a great month ahead and think Spring!
Please join us at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds on April 5th for an Open House!
We will be discussing water quality monitoring within the district, providing well test kits to owners of individual, private domestic wells and discussing any water quality/quantity questions you may have. See you at the Fairgrounds on April 5th!
March 5 – 11 is Groundwater Awareness Week!
We here at the Gallatin LWQD are aware of the importance of groundwater to residents of Gallatin County and across Montana. Groundwater provides drinking water for humans, hydrates our animal friends out there on the arid landscape, keeps our crops fresh and green and keeps streams cool during the hot summer months.
In 1910, Theodore Roosevelt said, “Civilized people should be able to dispose of sewage in a better way than by putting it in the drinking water.” In Gallatin County, there are approximately 20,000 permitted septic systems that discharge wastewater to our aquifer (click on link or see map, below).
Many of these systems were permitted in the 1970s and 1980s and their capabilities to adequately treat wastewater beyond the recommended 30-year lifespan. Additionally, many of these outdated systems are in neighborhoods throughout the County and City of Bozeman that are located along small creeks and streams. Work performed by the Gallatin LWQD has examined the role of human influence from septic systems on water chemistry in some of these streams and we will continue to characterize nutrient inputs and the presence of bacterial pathogens throughout the year as part of our monitoring networks.
The single most important thing you as a resident of Gallatin County can do to protect our groundwater is to do your part to prevent non-point source pollution by having your septic system pumped every 3 – 5 years. This regular maintenance is necessary to ensure adequate performance and prevent pollution of our drinking water aquifer resource by things like nitrate, a plant-available form of nitrogen that leads to algal blooms and contamination by E. coli bacteria, a human-health risk.
Groundwater is an extremely important part of life around the globe and here in Montana. Approximately 50% of global drinking water comes from groundwater and over half of Montana’s public drinking water is made up from groundwater. While seeing the changes in groundwater is difficult its importance is immeasurable for individuals and our ecosystem as a whole.
Join us at the State Capitol Rotunda on Friday, March 10th, for Water Quality Awareness Day where you can meet some of the many organizations that are working to keep Montana waters clean and enjoyable.
Local Water Quality District Board Meeting, March 2, 2023
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday March 2, 2023 at 8:15 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas and materials will be available via AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Local Water Quality District Board Meeting, February 2, 2023
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday February 2, 2023 at 8:15 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County Courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend, however, public participation is limited to the comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting agendas and materials will be available via AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming) 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Seasons’ Greetings from the Local Water Quality District
It’s that magical time of year again when…snow falls in the mountains and makes its way to recharge zones of the Gallatin Valley aquifer. For most folks outside of the City of Bozeman, this means a steady supply of sand and gravel-filtered drinking water in their homes from their backyard well. This Holiday Season, give the gift of knowing what’s in your loved one’s drinking water well by having their well water tested at a State of Montana certified laboratory.
While the water in the Gallatin Valley aquifer is generally of very good quality, there are still some areas of concern for owners of private domestic wells. For example, did you know that there is naturally occurring arsenic in parts of the Gallatin Valley? Geologic formations associated with ancient and modern Yellowstone volcanic and geothermal features are the source of this arsenic. In fact, water in the mainstem Missouri River exceeds the US Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level all the way to Great Falls, Montana.
While elevated arsenic is generally not a valley-wide problem, owners of domestic drinking water wells in the Gallatin and in surrounding communities should have their wells tested annually for things that can occur in groundwater and may impact human health like arsenic, lead, nitrate, and E. Coli bacteria.
This Holiday Season, stop by the Local Water Quality District office and pick up a free well-test kit. Staff can provide guidance on what to test for and interpretation of your results. While the kits are available at no cost, the price of analysis depends on what test is desired and is covered by the well owner.
Local Water Quality District Board Meeting 12/1/2022
Our next Board of Directors meeting will be held Thursday December 1st, 2022 at 8:15 am in the Community Room, located on the third floor of the Gallatin County courthouse, 311 W. Main St., downtown Bozeman, MT.
The public is welcome to attend. To access the digital agenda and stream the meeting via AV Capture All (Gallatin County live-streaming), please follow the link below. For access via Zoom, please contact the district at (406) 582-3145.
Digital Agenda and livestream AV Capture All Link:
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/ed5948ba-7973-46cf-a411-ee6bd5ef2f9c
MONTANA DEQ RELEASES PFAS SURFACE WATER & SEDIMENT MONITORING REPORT
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, known as PFAS for short, are widely used and long lasting chemicals that break down very slowly. PFAS can be found in a variety of consumer, commercial, and industrial products, including food products, and in the environment. PFAS are also found in the blood of people and animals worldwide, and scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS may be linked to harmful health effects.
The State of Montana recognized PFAS as emerging contaminants of concern and implemented the
Montana PFAS Action Plan in June of 2020, and began monitoring to determine the prevalence and magnitude of PFAS contamination in surface water in at-risk areas of Montana in 2021.
A new report provides results from water these quality monitoring efforts and discusses next steps.
A Fact Sheet summarizing results from the Bozeman area can be found HERE.
MONTANA DEQ PROVIDES HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING RESOURCES FOR WATER RECREATIONISTS
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue green algae, occur naturally in many on Montana’s freshwater systems. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) happen when these organisms grow rapidly, typically when nutrients are abundant and calm water is warmed by a long, hot growing season.
HABs can produce toxins that can cause skin irritation and illness in humans, pets, and livestock. In extreme cases, these toxins can even be lethal if ingested.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Public Health and Human Services HAB website includes resources for heading out on the water safely. You can:
- educate yourself on HABs: where to look & what to look for when you’re out on the water
- submit reports of suspected HABs – state or local health agencies will follow up
- review suspected HABs reported by others, including any associated health advisories or monitoring
Last year in Gallatin County, HABs were reported and confirmed on Hebgen and Hyalite Reservoirs. If you suspect a HAB-related illness in a person or animal, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
RECENT FLOODING MAY IMPACT DOMESTIC DRINKING WELL WATER QUALITY
Due to the recent flooding events in Gallatin and surrounding counties, residents who rely on a private well for water are strongly encouraged to test their well water for the presence of bacteria.
Wells in flood-impacted areas may be especially prone to contamination from bacteria as rising groundwater levels may interact with nearby septic systems.
Anytime a well has been inundated or the well user suspects contamination due to flood waters, they should follow several important steps to ensure that well water is safe for drinking and general use:
- Pick up well-water test kit from the GLWQD office
- Follow the instructions to collect a sample from your well water or from a home faucet
- Submit the samples to a state-certified laboratory for Bacteria testing (Total Coliform/E Coli.)
- If the well water sample comes up positive for E. Coli, follow well disinfection procedures, per the MSU Extension Water Quality office guidelines.
- As the effect of floods on well water can persist for months, follow up with routine testing to ensure your well water is safe for consumption.
The City-County Health Department has provided a few quick links to important topics, such as how to inspect your well and septic systems post-flood. Please click here or on the the link below the following image to be redirected to the guidance documents provided by the Health Department.
For more information on well-testing, please call the Local Water Quality District at (406) 582-3167 or the Gallatin City-County Health Department at (406) 582-3121.
For more information on flooding in Gallatin County, please visit the Gallatin County Emergency Management website: https://www.readygallatin.com/community-resources/preparedness-information/flooding-in-gallatin-county/
BOZEMAN SOLVENT STATE SUPERFUND SITE UPDATE
Kate Fry from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality delivered an update on the Bozeman Solvent Site State Superfund Remediation at GLWQD’s board meeting on Thursday, May 5th, 2022. A link to the slide presentation can be found HERE.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found HERE. Search ‘LWQD’ and choose the 05/05/2022 meeting on the Past Meetings tab.
2021 WATERSHED HEALTH SUMMARY – SURFACE WATER DATA AT A GLANCE
As part of the Surface Water Monitoring Network program, GLWQD develops regular Watershed Health Summaries that present surface water data from the Lower Gallatin Watershed in a non-technical format for all District residents.
To view the 2021 Watershed Health Summary, click HERE.
GALLATIN STREAM TEAMS IN THE NEWS
The Gallatin Stream Teams volunteer monitoring program was recently featured in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. This recognition is well-deserved, as Stream Teams volunteers are an invaluable component of GLWQD’s data collection efforts for the Surface Water Monitoring Network program. To read the story, click HERE.
GLWQD PUBLISHES 2020 GALLATIN STATE OF THE WATERS REPORT
The Gallatin Local Water Quality District has published the 2020 Gallatin State of the Waters Report. This report is produced every five years to update District citizens on GLWQD’s recent work, and to highlight important findings. Hard copies of the Report are available at the GLWQD office. To view an electronic copy, click HERE.
STATE RELEASES GUIDANCE VALUES FOR MANGANESE IN DRINKING WATER
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services have developed health-based guidance values for manganese in drinking water. Information on the health effects of manganese is an evolving science, and Montana is using a guidance value approach to help Montana families take voluntary steps to ensure that their drinking water is safe.
Because they are guidance values, there are no new or additional regulatory requirements for homeowners or public water systems, but District residents who use private wells as a drinking water source are encouraged to include manganese in their next recommended annual water quality screening. A DEQ/DPHHS factsheet can be found HERE. An associated derivation document is also available.
BIG SKY GROUNDWATER STUDY
A Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) Groundwater Investigation Program (GWIP) study is underway in the Upper Gallatin canyon area of Big Sky. To learn more about this study, take a look at the project fact sheet.
WELL OWNER’S REFRESHER: TAKING CARE OF YOUR GROUNDWATER VIDEO
This video, put together by Montana State University Extension Water Quality is a great resource for homeowners new to using a well and septic, or a great refresher for anyone. Check it out here:
Gallatin Local Water Quality District 
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