About the Mineral Withdrawal
Our diverse group is formally requesting that the U.S. Forest Service initiate an administrative “mineral withdrawal,” whereby the Forest withdraws the adjacent public lands from prospecting and mining under the 1872 Mining Act.
Specifically, the withdrawal would remove about 4,500 acres of public land from industrial scale mining, and set these lands aside for other uses, such as wildlife, grazing, and recreation.
About the Smith River
Montana’s Smith River is renowned for its spectacular scenery, towering limestone canyons, and blue-ribbon trout fishery. It originates high in the Castle Mountains of central Montana, and flows through remote canyons before it empties into the Missouri River about 10 miles downstream of Great Falls.
It is Montana’s only permitted river due to the exceptional public demand to experience its fishing and recreational opportunities. And, it’s an important economic engine – generating upwards of $10 million in economic activity for Montana. A portion of the river is managed as a State Park, featuring an incredible 59-mile stretch of river that winds through public and private lands with only one put-in and one take-out point.
The Smith River and its tributaries provide crucial habitat and spawning grounds for regional trout fisheries. The Sheep Creek drainage accounts for over half of the tributary spawning of rainbow trout in the Smith River drainage, and rainbow trout have been known to travel nearly 200 miles round-trip from the Missouri River to spawn! The Smith River valley is sandwiched between the Little Belt and the Big Belt Mountains, a popular destination in south-central Montana for residents and visitors alike.
Photo provided by Pat Clayton.
Photo provided by Pat Clayton.
Photo provided by Pat Clayton.
Photo provided by Pat Clayton.
Photo provided by Scott Bosse.
Photo provided by @joshmettonphoto.
