The Deep Creek watershed consists of 31,000 acres of National Forest, and 25,000 acres of private land. Common land uses include native range for grazing, native pasture for haying and grazing, and dryland and irrigated small grain production. The major cause of degradation is the dramatic change of channel length (9% of the total since 1955) and land use that has left exposed banks and little vegetation. 1) Improve water quality and quantity, improve riparian and upland native herbaceous species diversity. 2) Improve irrigation water management. 3) Improve fish migration and spawning for several species of trout in the headwaters of the Missouri River.
