BUTTE, MONT- As scorching heat gripped the Treasure State in July, prolonged dry spells with little moisture have pushed parts of western Montana into concerning levels of drought.
Per the U.S. Drought Monitor, counties such as Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell find themselves amid extreme- if not exceptional- levels of drought. Parts of Ravalli County, Missoula County, and the Big Hole region of Beaverhead County are included in the “D3- Extreme Drought” designation as well.
Although the below-average winter and grilling summer raised concerns about stream flows or extended drought, Michael Downey -Drought Program Coordinator for the Montana DNRC- says western Montana's current drought conditions remain relatively average.
“This year has been interesting in that despite a nearly record low snowpack, our streams have held up surprisingly well,” said Downey. “All told, things are not as bad as we thought they would be,” he said.
In Butte, Downey pointed to a chilly April and May as a critical factor in supporting the surrounding snowpack, as the cold temperatures allowed the snow to sit longer than it normally would. “In Butte specifically, May was pretty dry but it was cool. Whereas we had a much below normal snowpack, it held on a little longer,” he said before mentioning the stark contrast from 2023, where an above-average snowpack dwindled suddenly in early May due to warm temperatures.
Overall, Butte remained consistently below average in terms of precipitation even in May, which Downey states was pivotal to avoiding a larger disaster. “For a lot of the state, May was fantastic. May saved us,” he said. “I would argue that even in a place like Butte that had a below-average May, the cooler temperatures and precipitation saved us from a disaster that would have been on the order of 2021,” said Downey referencing the severe drought that covered 100% of the state at its peak and stretched into 2022.
While May’s cool air and precipitation were a much-needed lifeline, it was not enough to shield southwest Montana from a smoky reminder of what summer can bring. Despite it all, Downey says Montana has seen worse conditions than what they are now at this point in the season.
“Hot temperatures in July are not that unusual in Montana, and July is typically our hottest month across most of the west,” said Downey, noting that 90-95 degree temperatures in June are more of a cause for worry. “Although it has been an extended heat wave, we certainly have had worse and we have had it relatively recently,” he said.
As for what's to come in August and September, Downey warned that fire season might stretch into late September, potentially early October should above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation play out as expected.
Still, Downey estimates that Montana will see dry conditions throughout August, although hope remains for a wetter September, which Downey says is critical. “September rains are important, as they do a lot to set us up for the next year in terms of what things will look like,” he said.
Downey also mentioned the incoming La Niña climate pattern, which bodes well for those hoping to see a wetter and colder winter. He expects the onset of La Niña by September.
Although the warmer-than-usual summer has added fuel to drought and fire concerns, the heat has also impacted recreationists as they navigate a busy fishing season full of restrictions.
Morgan Jacobson -Communication and Education Program Manager for Montana FWP District 3- spoke on the implications of drought in southwest Montana’s rivers and streams by saying, “What we typically see in response to drought conditions and high temperatures is some kind of fishing restrictions, mostly in rivers. What that could include is hoot-owl restrictions, which are designed to protect fish during the most stressful times of the day when it is hottest.”
According to Jacobson, both hoot-owl restrictions and full closures have been implemented throughout portions of western Montana, particularly in the southwestern part of the state. “Again, the purpose of those [restrictions] is to protect fish,” said Jacobson. “A lot of fish species -especially Trout- become susceptible to disease and mortality much more easily when conditions like low flows and warm water temperatures exist and combine with other stressors like catch-and-release fishing. By limiting when fishing occurs, we can help fish get through this most-stressful part of the year,” he said.
In the drought-affected waters of the Big Hole, hoot-owl restrictions and full closures provide relief for a tributary that has struggled recently with unhealthy fish populations. “What we have seen over the last couple of years at least, are situations where fish in the Big Hole River and other places have fungal infections and other visually-apparent health problems,” said Jacobson. “With drought conditions and summer weather, those things [disease] can become more apparent in the summertime when fish become more susceptible,” he said.
Still, the popularity of the Big Hole River remains unchanged, said Jacobson, noting that the river is one of the most popular fisheries in the state, even as recurring drought continues to leave its mark. “Despite historically low fish abundance in some sections of the Big Hole, fishing opportunity and pressure has remained pretty high,” he said.
As it stands, however, the Big Hole remains under hoot-owl restrictions, if not full closures. Jacobson says that FWP restrictions tend to get put in place and lifted with little notice as conditions have the potential to change quickly.
Long-term, Jacobson says restrictions of this type may become normal across the area. “Going forward, I think we are going to see more of these [restrictions] as drought conditions continue or return annually,” he said. “These types of restrictions will become routine in many places if they haven't already.”
Jacobson encourages all anglers to visit fwp.mt.gov and click on the ‘Restrictions and Closures’ tab at the top of the page.