The Yellowstone River fish die-off foreshadows a bigger threat to Montana’s outdoor heritage: climate change. This summer, Montana’s world-renowned rivers and cold-water fisheries have experienced record low water flows and extreme high temperatures.
LINK (via: The Montana Wildlife Federation)
Here’s a stat for you.
Earnings from non-resident travel to Montana amount to 13 percent of the state’s economy, a larger share than mining and logging combined, which constitute 3 percent and 7 percent respectively. In a state with one million people, outdoor recreation generates a whopping $5.8 billion in consumer spending annually.
LINK (via: Earth Island Journal)
As someone who visited and fished Montana for a few weeks this summer and fished Oregon last summer, I’m amazed at the amount of water that is pumped from the aquifer/rivers to water fields. Certainly this has to result in lower flows and warmer water especially during drought conditions. In some areas/states, you cannot even wash your car during a drought.
My $.02.