Around 20 fishing access sites on the Yellowstone River in Southwest Montana temporarily closed after the floods last June. Most of these sites required repairs and debris cleanup.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is working on plans to re-open two of the fishing access sites that are still closed.
About 14 miles south of Livingston, Mallard’s Rest is a popular fishing access with a boat ramp and camp sites. Montana Fish Wildlife and Park’s Southwest Montana spokesperson, Morgan Jacobsen says the river took out part of the entrance road that curves down from the highway.
“Our design and construction team has come up with a design for new entrance road that would require possibly a lease with a DNRC parcel just North of the site, so that we can basically create an access road that is just a straight shot down into the site without that curve in it,” he said.
Jacobsen says next steps include an environmental assessment and a public comment period. He says Mallard’s Rest could reopen by the end of the year.
Brogan’s Landing, a site upstream from Yankee Jim Canyon near Gardiner, sustained significant damages. The river washed away the parking lot and a boat ramp there.
“That one is a little more challenging, the site is pretty well gone, and so kind of what we’re looking at doing at this point is seeing where else can we provide access in that area, specifically boat ramp access to the river so people have an alternative point to put in or take out,” he said.
FWP is looking into options, which Jacobsen says could include a new lease or modifying a forest service access site.
So far, FWP’s flood damage claim to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Yellowstone River and its tributaries is $1.4 million, which includes helping pay for things like repairing roads, boat ramps and campgrounds.
