By 1994 NPS project monitoring has shifted from traditiional water chemistry approach toward relying more on habitat and biological methods such as Montanas modified RBP (aquztic invertebrates) and fish population estimates. The Projects are: 1. Buffalo Rapids Irrigation District (BRID) Monitoring -- to determine if the BRID was contributing to wate rquality degradation in the Yellowstone River (the receiving water.) 2. Smith River: Set up to identify critical areas in the watershed to help the Meagher County CD direct future pollution control efforts. 3. Three Mile Creek: The project employed post and board revetments to attempt to stabilize vertical eroding banks. Riparian fencing was also applied in some reaches. 4. Grad Student RBP Development Project: Workingin the Montana Valleys and Foothill Praries (foothills) ecoregion, ninety-seven samples were collected using the Montana RBP traveling-kicknet method. The issue addressed --- Should the ecoregion be subdivided? To monitor for project effectiveness on NPS demonstration projects.
