East Rosebud Creek Hydro Dam Update

Help to save East Rosebud Creek for Future Generations

East Rosebud Creek drainage surrounded by designated wilderness is about as close to paradise as it gets. This pristine area is now endangered by a small output hydro dam project. A little bit of power for a lot of irreversible destruction . This site has been set up to provide information and tools for people who want to help save this paradise. If you are not familiar with the issue, you can find background information under the right hand side buttons. Here is a

Status Update

Hydrodynamics Inc., the company proposing the hydro power project has received a permit for a feasibility study from FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, docket # P-13531) in June 2010. They have to file a progress report every 6 months. For their last report click button on right side. In order to do a preliminary feasibility study, they have to contact Custer National Forrest (FS). FS then will start their scoping a NEPA study (National Environment Protection Act) and as a part of it there is a 30 day period for people to comment. Only 30 days to comment. During their NEPA study FS will contact Congressmen. If they have had a lot of negative comments the congressmen will relate this and make recommendations.

Get Active at the Right Time

As soon as the project company, Hydrodynamics Inc., contacts Forest Service to start their feasibility: There are 30 days for public comments. That is the time when 1000s should write their opinion to their congress men, senators, to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, to Forest Service, and to every journalist they can find. We do not know yet when this will be. Sign on to our e-mail alerts, and we will keep you informed.

Recent news coverage

Sample letters to voice your opinion:

feel free to change whatever you want to change

Address your concerns to:

The more letters, e-mails, phone calls,.... the better

Send your opinion to FERC:

This was posted on Friends of East Rosebud

Stay tuned:

We will post updates on this website

More info, pictures and comments are on the Facebook site of Friends of East Rosebud.

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This site is only as good as its contents is up-to-date. If you hear something important that we have not posted yet: Please let us know.

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Background:

East Rosebud Creek originates high in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, flowing from the slopes of Montana’s highest peaks through East Rosebud Lake and out onto the prairie where it joins the Yellowstone River. The East Rosebud Valley, formed long ago by advancing glaciers, is thought by many to be one of Montana’s most beautiful valleys. Lying within the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, East Rosebud Creek possesses remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, and historic values. To quote Pat Marcuson, noted fisheries biologist and author of the popular fishing book Fishing the Beartooths, the spectacular East Rosebud Creek is “the land of plenty; plenty of waterfalls, plenty of glaciers, plenty of vertical walls, plenty of fish, plenty of wildlife, plenty of visitors”. One can find eagles nesting, Mountain Goats and Big Horn sheep, Black and Grizzly bears and a rare wolverine, see moose sparing in the fall, hear the elk bugling, spot Mountain Lions, foxes, and wolves and of course plenty of Whitetail and Mule Deer. Anglers can catch Brown, native Cutthroat, Rainbow, and Brook Trout, as well as native Mountain Whitefish. But this valley is also threatened. There are individuals who would like to profit from this free-flowing creek by building a hydropower dam 400 feet downstream of East Rosebud Lake. The proposed dam would be 8 feet high and 100 feet long with 2 miles of penstocks leading to a power generating station next to popular Jimmy Joe Campground. We need your help. There are other individuals who believe that East Rosebud Creek deserves Wild and Scenic River designation by our government in order to permanently protect it from harmful dams and water projects. The purpose of this site is to give you easy access to project information and possible roads of intervention. Please help to protect and preserve one of Montana’s most valued treasures.