Management Plans for the Beartooth Plateau

Jim Darling Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Billings

The Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains contain more than 1,000 lakes within seven drainages flowing into Montana and Wyoming. Of the 948 lakes within Montana, 630 are fishless, 204 are self-sustaining, and 114 are stocked (most since the early 1900's). Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) personnel began intensively surveying these lakes in 1967 and continued for the next 10 years visiting 952 lakes. A management plan for each of the seven drainages was produced in 1980. In 1989, FWP committed to surveying at least 30 lakes per year and visiting all lakes with fish every 10 years. FWP also updated the individual drainage plans in 1991. These plans and surveys have verified the success of fish plants, determined fish growth rates and health, identified self-sustaining populations, and allowed careful adjustment of stocking rates. Since 1994 the presence or absence of amphibians has been noted during surveys. The need for closer monitoring of amphibians and other biota is apparent, as well as continued study of Yellowstone cutthroat trout recently petitioned for listing as a threatened or endangered species.

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