A free walking series is giving Bozeman residents a chance to explore local wetlands and wildlife while learning how stormwater management connects to the health of the community’s waterways.
The Gallatin Watershed Council hosts riparian walks through different Bozeman neighborhoods, bringing community members outside to learn more about the natural areas around them.
Early Thursday morning, Gallatin Watershed Operations Coordinator Ben Buescher led a group through the Harvest Creek neighborhood for the fifth riparian walk of the summer.
“The Gallatin Valley is an incredibly diverse region,” Buescher said.
With a background in wildlife biology and environmental education, Buescher said the Gallatin Valley’s wetlands are part of what makes the area unique.
Historical accounts also highlight the abundance of wildlife that once inhabited the valley.
“Lewis and Clark’s journals describe the absolute abundance of otters and beavers that existed out here,” Buescher said.
For Buescher, the walks are an opportunity to share that appreciation for the area’s biodiversity while bringing people together around the place they call home.
“I am always jumping at the opportunity to share that passion with other people,” he said.
A lesson in stormwater
While the walks typically focus on nature and biodiversity, Thursday’s walk included a closer look at Bozeman’s stormwater infrastructure.
Russell Smith, a project coordinator with the city of Bozeman, joined the group to explain how stormwater storage and treatment facilities capture and manage runoff and help protect nearby riparian areas.
“Spread awareness and educate folks on how important these things are,” Smith said.
One of the stops was a stormwater pond, where Smith demonstrated how the system works and explained features such as a weir.
Smith said stormwater infrastructure can often go unnoticed, despite playing an important role in water quality.
“Generally when you start peeling back the layers stormwater is kind of a forgotten utility at times,” Smith said.
Bozeman has nearly 2,000 stormwater facilities, according to Smith. The city is responsible for maintaining about 10% of them, while much of the remaining maintenance responsibility falls to homeowners associations.
Participants saw examples of those facilities throughout the Harvest Creek and Westwinds neighborhoods.
Smith also demonstrated how simple actions around the home, such as keeping lawn clippings and leaves away from storm drains, can help keep pollutants out of local waterways.
“Water quality and how stormwater management has a direct correlation on the health of our waterways,” Smith said.
The walk ended with participants taking time to reflect on and draw the landscape tucked behind the subdivision.
Buescher said that while stormwater facilities are not typically the focus of the riparian walks, the excursions provide an opportunity for people to get outside, learn about their surroundings and connect with others in the community.
“It really is invigorating to meet people you wouldn't otherwise meet in your community and bond over the place you live,” Buescher said.
More information on the walks: https://www.gallatinwatershedcouncil.org/riparianwalks
More information on stormwater: https://www.bozemanmt.gov/departments/utilities/stormwater
