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Eddy line: Some trends are worth following
Published
7 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersProtect the Smith River
By Pat Straub EBS Fishing Columnist
I’m jealous of my friend’s 6-year-old daughter, and not because he cuts off her crusts or packs a chocolate mint in her school lunch each morning. I’m jealous because she’s been down the Smith River twice in her short life.
It took me 19 years before I floated this endangered river that snakes its way through public and private lands on its way to meet the Missouri River southwest of Great Falls. I was a freshman in college and it was early May in the late ‘90s. The river was running high and muddy, and in three days we caught two fish, both at the mouth of Sheep Creek.
Twenty-plus years ago, the river with a headwaters south of White Sulphur Springs was a hidden gem. Nearly a quarter-century past my first float, the Smith River is as popular as ever, but not necessarily for the best reason. It’s the battleground for a polarizing matchup of long-standing foes: the promise of sustainable mining practices versus ensuring multiple generations can experience natural wonders.
An international mining company, Tintina Resources, is in the permitting process for an underground copper mine adjacent to and underneath Sheep Creek, a tributary of the Smith River. Sheep Creek is often an important source of in-stream flows of clear and cold water to the main stem of the Smith. At least half of the wild trout in the Smith River drainage use Sheep Creek as spawning grounds. Clearly a healthy Sheep Creek is essential to the drainage’s high population of large and healthy trout. In fact, radio telemetry suggests trout from the Missouri River have utilized Sheep Creek.
Tintina is following all proper protocols in the permitting and public outreach process, and is working to dissuade a negative public opinion toward Montana’s past history with mining operations gone wrong. To their credit, and unlike operations in the past, Tintina is working hard to promote and utilize the most modern, least-impactful technologies and practices. Of concern is not so much Tintina and their international management team and investors; rather, it’s our necessity for resource extraction in our daily lives and working to negate those impacts as much as possible.
This doesn’t mean an internationally owned and operated mine like the proposed operation shouldn’t exist. It means if it is going to exist, as Montanans who value special resources like the Smith River, we must look at the past poor track record of mining in Montana. It’s not a good one. Our local communities, state agencies, officials, and citizens who cherish resources like the Smith River watershed must insist there will be no risk whatsoever to the water and wildlife.
Finding level ground to stand on while making one’s argument for or against the mine, or for or against the Smith River, is challenging. Very few of us are squeaky clean, and nearly all of us, myself included, play a small part in the larger whole of resource conservation. Is driving a large SUV or truck to protest a mine while drinking a latte from a paper cup sitting next to a plastic water bottle really that effective in the larger picture? Technology and its resulting innovations are helping to reduce our impact; however, the battle lines are often much closer to home than we care to admit. Changing personal habits can be much harder than sending out mass emails or sharing posts.
Pat Straub has been guiding the Smith River for nearly twenty years. He is the author of six books, including “The Frugal Fly Fisher,” “Montana On The Fly,” and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Fly Fishing.” He and his wife own Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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Join Jacquelyn Rinaldi, Ph.D. for guided meditation at BASE. This series is free and open to the community, no membership to BASE required. All are welcome to attend if you
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Join Jacquelyn Rinaldi, Ph.D. for guided meditation at BASE. This series is free and open to the community, no membership to BASE required. All are welcome to attend if you are tying meditation for the first time, seasoned in your practice or anywhere in between. Jacquelyn is an author, teacher, and therapist.
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14 (Tuesday) 6:45 pm - 28 (Tuesday) 7:45 pm
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285 Simkins Dr
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The Bozeman Symphony will join forces with the Bozeman Symphonic Choir and Montana State Youth Chorale to present its final classical concert of
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The Bozeman Symphony will join forces with the
Bozeman Symphonic Choir and Montana State Youth Chorale to present its final
classical concert of the 2023/24 season the second weekend of May, the spectacular
choral masterpiece “O, Fortuna!” Orff’s Carmina Burana, Carl Orff’s
infamous ode to love, drink, and living life to the fullest.
Music Director Norman Huynh conducts the program, which features the
Symphony alongside renowned vocal soloists Ashley Fabian, soprano; Andrew
Owens, tenor; and Christòpheren Nomura, baritone.
The Symphonic Choir under the direction of Maren Marchesini will be
featured in this massive choral work which includes the world-famous opening
movement “O Fortuna,” with text drawn from the medieval poem Carmina Burana.
Instantly recognizable thanks to its use in countless movies and
commercials, a live Carmina is one of classical
music’s most spellbinding and immersive experiences. From the explosive opening to the
intimate and haunting “In Trutina,” every note will resonate with intensity and
emotion.
Performances are Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 18,
at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m., at the Willson
Auditorium, 404 West Main Street in downtown Bozeman. These concerts
would not be possible without the support of
sponsors Cal and Tricia DeSouza, Michael & Sharon
Beehler, Mike & Cyndi Huempfner, and David & Kippy Sands.
Individual tickets are available at https://www.bozemansymphony.org/carminaburana.html
or by calling the office at 406-585-9774. Adult tickets start at $29
and discounted student tickets (K-12 and college) are available.
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(Friday) 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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Open to all kids ages 4-12 at Glen Lake Rotary Park, at 830 Manley Road in Bozeman MT. Check-in starts at 9:00am, fishing from 10-12pm, with BBQ lunch for everyone
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Open to all kids ages 4-12 at Glen Lake Rotary Park, at 830 Manley Road in Bozeman MT. Check-in starts at 9:00am, fishing from 10-12pm, with BBQ lunch for everyone including parents. Kids can fish with their own gear, or we have loaner equipment available on limited basis. Raffle prizes given after lunch to checked-in kids. Lunch is provided courtesy of Daniels Gourmet Meats. Other event sponsors include Bequet Caramels, Wendys Restaurants of Montana, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Blanchford Landscaping, MGTU (Madison-Gallatin Chapter of Trout Unlimited), and Springhill Sod Farm in Bozeman. Hosted by members of Bozeman Sunrise Rotary Club
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(Saturday) 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
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Glen Lake Rotary Park
830 Manley Road Bozeman, MT
Event Details
The Bozeman Symphony will join forces with the Bozeman Symphonic Choir and Montana State Youth Chorale to present its final classical concert of
more
Event Details
The Bozeman Symphony will join forces with the
Bozeman Symphonic Choir and Montana State Youth Chorale to present its final
classical concert of the 2023/24 season the second weekend of May, the spectacular
choral masterpiece “O, Fortuna!” Orff’s Carmina Burana, Carl Orff’s
infamous ode to love, drink, and living life to the fullest.
Music Director Norman Huynh conducts the program, which features the
Symphony alongside renowned vocal soloists Ashley Fabian, soprano; Andrew
Owens, tenor; and Christòpheren Nomura, baritone.
The Symphonic Choir under the direction of Maren Marchesini will be
featured in this massive choral work which includes the world-famous opening
movement “O Fortuna,” with text drawn from the medieval poem Carmina Burana.
Instantly recognizable thanks to its use in countless movies and
commercials, a live Carmina is one of classical
music’s most spellbinding and immersive experiences. From the explosive opening to the
intimate and haunting “In Trutina,” every note will resonate with intensity and
emotion.
Performances are Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 18,
at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, May 19, at 2:30 p.m., at the Willson
Auditorium, 404 West Main Street in downtown Bozeman. These concerts
would not be possible without the support of
sponsors Cal and Tricia DeSouza, Michael & Sharon
Beehler, Mike & Cyndi Huempfner, and David & Kippy Sands.
Individual tickets are available at https://www.bozemansymphony.org/carminaburana.html
or by calling the office at 406-585-9774. Adult tickets start at $29
and discounted student tickets (K-12 and college) are available.
Time
(Saturday) 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm