The Getaway, LLC Private Pond License Review FWP-CEA-FSH-R3-24-067

Sep 20, 2024 2:37 PM

A private landowner is applying for a Private Fish Pond License and proposes to stock Rainbow Trout and Westslope Cutthroat Trout in an unnamed private pond. The pond is 1.0 surface acres and located on 850 S. Whistleberry Road, Bozeman. This pond is south of Bozeman about 0.4 miles north of Big Bear Creek, which is a tributary to the Gallatin River. Big Bear Creek contains Brook Trout and Westslope Cutthroat Trout. The pond is fed from a developed groundwater well located at the site. The outlet consists of a screened Agri-Drain control structure. The pond discharges to a roadside ditch and eventually reaches an open field. Risk of escapement is low. Rainbow Trout are not native to Big Bear Creek but were legally stocked. Westslope Cutthroat Trout are, however, native to Big Bear Creek. Rainbow Trout and Westslope Cutthroat Trout could be removed from the pond via chemical treatments or through senescence.

The project is sponsored by the private landowner, and the license would be active for a period of 10 years from the year of issuance (2024). The license can be renewed for additional 10-year intervals at the end of each term and the license is transferable.