Missoula Bypass Channel Installed At Rattlesnake Dam Removal Site

Press release from the City of Missoula:

July 29, 2020

Beginning July 29, a short section of Rattlesnake Creek will be diverted to a bypass channel to allow removal of the Rattlesnake Dam, located about 1 mile south of Sawmill Gulch Road. Residents may notice a brief period of turbidity in the stream as the temporary flow is established.

The dam mitigation and restoration project will remove the obsolete dam and reestablish a natural river connection between the Rattlesnake Wilderness at the headwaters and the Clark Fork River for the first time in more than 100 years. The project includes removal of all manmade structures, 1,000 feet of stream channel restoration, and 5 acres of wetland and floodplain creation.

Project partners include the City of Missoula, Missoula Water, Trout Unlimited, the Watershed Education Network, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The project is largely funded by state, federal and private foundation grants.

Project managers are making every effort to minimize impacts on Rattlesnake Creek and aquatic life. Project plans have been reviewed and permitted by the appropriate state and local agencies.

Residents can visit the project overlook by taking a short walk or bike ride on the Rattlesnake Greenway. The dam site and overlook are about .8-mile from the trailhead at the north end of Duncan Dr.

Learn more about the project at https://www.engagemissoula.com/rattlesnake-reservoir-restoration.

This press release was produced by the City of Missoula. The views expressed here are the author’s own.