Two of Montana’s most iconic rivers, the Madison and Gallatin, have sections poised to gain permanent federal protection under a new bill that Rep. Ryan Zinke announced last week. The Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement and Tourism Act would add segments of rivers and streams in Madison and Gallatin County to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System created by Congress in 1968 to preserve rivers with outstanding natural, cultural and recreational values.
Standing last Tuesday alongside conservation leaders from the Gallatin River Task Force, American Rivers, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and American Whitewater at Northern Lights Rivers, Lakes and Oceans in Bozeman, Zinke framed the bill as a “Montana solution” that balances conservation with continued public and economic use of the state’s rivers.
“Striking the right balance between conservation and multiple use of our resources is the Montana way,” Zinke said in a July 29 press release. “These rivers support everything from family farms to fly shops, ranchers to rafters, and literally power our community … Madison and Gallatin Counties both rely on these waters for irrigation and energy, but also for the outdoor recreation economy that fuels small businesses and draws visitors from around the world. This bill strikes the right balance between preserving what we treasure, maintaining access for recreation, and ensuring continued operation of the existing dams on the [Madison] river.”
Montana has a total of 408 miles of Wild and Scenic river miles across the Upper Missouri, the three forks of the Flathead, and East Rosebud Creek, according to American Rivers. Of approximately 170,000 miles of rivers and streams in the Treasure State, less than 0.02 percent have been protected as Wild and Scenic, and only 20 miles of one stream — East Rosebud Creek in 2018 — has received new protections since 1976. By comparison, Wyoming has about 400 miles of designated Wild and Scenic rivers, while Idaho boasts nearly 900.
While Montana is lagging behind other regions of the West in Wild and Scenic designation, the origins of the act itself trace back to the state. In the 1950s, wildlife biologists John and Frank Craighead developed a systematic vision for river conservation while opposing two major dam proposals: the Spruce Park Dam on the Middle Fork of the Flathead and the Glacier View Dam on the western border of Glacier National Park.
“[The Wild and Scenic designation is] the strongest river protection law we have in the United States, and it ensures that the river you love today will remain as it is tomorrow.”
scott bosse, Northern Rockies regional director, American Rivers
The Craigheads mobilized grassroots opposition, engaged elected officials, and eventually gained the support of Interior Secretary Stewart Udall and Senators Lee Metcalf (D-MT) and Frank Church (D-ID). Their advocacy helped shape the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. The act protects designated rivers from new dams or major alterations, while preserving their natural, scenic and recreational character for future generations.
Kristin Gardner, chief executive and science officer for the Gallatin River Task Force, told Mountain Journal that the push for new Wild and Scenic designations in Montana has been a long time coming. Approximately 15 years ago, a coalition of residents, business owners, sportsmen and -women, and conservationists formed Montanans for Healthy Rivers to identify and voice support for rivers eligible for Wild and Scenic designation.
The original proposal included 500 miles of waterways in Western Montana. Gardner said that over the years, based on feedback from congressional delegation, that number was reduced. The most recent Wild and Scenic bill, the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act, was carried by Senator Tester in 2024 and included 383 river miles. That bill never made it out of the Senate last fall.
“From Congressman Zinke, we knew he was interested in a smaller bill that had support from county commissions and the U.S. Forest Service,” Gardiner said. “The Gallatin and Madison rivers have this support.”
If passed, the GYREAT Act would designate nearly 100 miles of river and tributaries in southwest Montana, including 42 miles of the Madison River from the Cabin Creek confluence to Cherry Gulch; 39.5 miles of the Gallatin River from the Yellowstone National Park boundary downstream to the Spanish Creek confluence; 7.3 miles of Cabin Creek from its source to the fish barrier; 5.1 miles of the Middle Fork of Cabin Creek from its source to the Cabin Creek confluence; and 4.6 miles of Hyalite Creek from its source to the Grotto Falls trailhead.
Scott Bosse, Northern Rockies regional director of American Rivers, told Mountain Journal that Wild and Scenic designation is the best insurance you can buy for a waterway. “It’s the strongest river protection law we have in the United States, and it ensures that the river you love today will remain as it is tomorrow,” he said.
The act prohibits construction of new dams or projects that would alter a river’s free-flowing condition, while requiring federal and state agencies to protect a river’s “outstandingly remarkable values,” which can include scenery, recreation, wildlife habitat and cultural significance. It also mandates agencies to work with the EPA to ensure water quality standards are upheld after designation.
The GYREAT Act must pass through the House and Senate, and must be signed by the president, but Bosse is optimistic about its chances, citing broad bipartisan support and years of groundwork.
