ABOUT DEEP CREEK

The Deep Creek watershed is located in central Montana in the heart of Broadwater County. The creek originates in the Big Belt Mountains, about 20 miles east of Townsend, MT, where it flows for roughly 30 river miles west to its confluence with the Missouri River.

The 88 square mile drainage area has two distinct upper and lower watershed zones.  The creek originates in the Big Belt Mountains, about 20 miles east of Townsend, MT, where it flows for roughly 30 river miles west to its confluence with the Missouri River. The 88 square mile drainage area has two distinct upper and lower watershed zones, separated by the US Forest Service western boundary.

The lower watershed is predominantly privately owned land used for cultivated agriculture, irrigated pasture, grazing, and residential development. In the upper watershed, Deep Creek runs through steep canyons adjacent Highway 12 before it opens up to the wider, flatter portion of the lower watershed. Land use in the upper watershed is sparse, but includes logging, grazing, residential development and several active forest roads.

A total of 25 locations have been selected as established monitoring sites along Deep Creek and its tributaries.