Agriculture and Irrigation in Gallatin Watershed. Photo courtesy Susan Duncan.

About Us

Gallatin County is one of the fastest growing areas in Montana.  A burgeoning population of increasingly diverse uses has created unprecedented demands on the natural resources of the greater Gallatin watershed.  Created in 2004, the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council (GGWC) grew out of the need to document the extent and quality of the resources and, more importantly, to facilitate the equitable allocation of those resources among the competing demands.  

GGWC works to create a forum in which all interests can be heard and contribute to the problem-solving effort.  The community of stakeholders living in the Gallatin watershed will be the ones to determine the future of the watershed…reaching livable solutions for everyone.  GGWC is here to facilitate these processes through cooperation, coordination, collaboration, and grant funding.  Residents of the greater Gallatin watershed are encouraged to get acquainted with their watershed home through public discussion, information-sharing, and hands-on participation.

The GGWC takes an action-oriented approach to assist local partners by identifying and addressing their needs, finding opportunities for collaboration, leveraging money, and initiating or sponsoring projects as needed.  We strive to be a trustworthy source of information, assistance, and action.

In March 2005, a Community Focus Event was held in Gallatin Gateway, bringing over 100 community members from throughout the watershed together.  The purpose:  To identify the most important resource issues facing the Gallatin watershed.  They are:

› Understand and assess the current status of surface water/ground water interaction.
› Address wastewater/sewage treatment systems/practices.
› Maintain in-stream flows and conditions.
› Maintain healthy riparian and floodplain conditions.
› Determine the state of the Gallatin watershed aquifer system.
› Maintain water quality (reduce pollutants).
› Determine the impact of urban and rural development.
› Address recreational user conflicts and public access.

To learn more about our organization values visit our Mission and Vision page.  To see how our mission is carried out on the ground, take a look at our Work Plan.  Get to know the dedicated folks who run the organization by visiting our Board & Staff page.  Meet our Technical Advisory Committee.  Go to our Members page for information about board meetings and how to get involved.  Finally, you can go to our Accomplishments page to learn about current and past activities.