Montana proposes removal of Musselshell River’s Egge Diversion Dam

The State of Montana is proposing the creation of a 120-foot-wide channel in Golden Valley County’s Mussleshell River, which necessitates the removal of the Egge Diversion Dam, and the Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comments on the project’s draft environmental assessment (DEA).

The Egge Diversion, which has been used to block fish passage and to irrigate nearby farm land, was created in 1902 by covering a beaver willow dam with concrete and has been patched in a similar manner over the years.

This led to severe damage in 2011 after a flood, which saw the Egge Diversion’s edge breached and created the 120ft. wide channel that is carved into nearby agricultural land. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has proposed removing the dam and letting the Musselshell River return to its original flow patterns and bank lines. This would also stop the dam from becoming a flood hazard, which its current condition suggests.

The Service is accepting public comments on the proposal for a 20-day period, ending on Sept. 15, 2015.