The Lolo Watershed Group is a nonprofit (501-c3) membership organization in Lolo, Montana.  Our mission is to understand and conserve the unique characteristics of the Lolo Creek watershed, including its wildlife, fisheries, scenic and rural character, local agriculture, and recreational opportunities while supporting private property and water rights.

 Watershed Description:

The Lolo Creek watershed is 175,270 acres in size and sits at the northern end of the Bitterroot Mountains just southwest of Missoula, Montana. Lolo Creek originates near Lolo Pass and flows about 37 miles east to its confluence with the Bitterroot River.

Lolo Creek is one of the last major creeks of the Bitterroot watershed, which drains into the Clark Fork watershed, which in turn drains into the Columbia River basin and ultimately flows into the Pacific Ocean.

What is a watershed?

A watershed is an area of land that is drained by a distinct stream or river system.  It is divided from other similar systems by ridgetop boundaries. Another common term for a watershed is a drainage basin.

A watershed can cover a large multi-state area like the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille watershed (which encompasses the region from Butte, MT westward through the Bitterroot and Flathead Valleys north to the Canadian border) or it can be as small as a pond or an individual creek and its tributaries.

Why was a watershed effort begun?

Lolo Creek was listed as an impaired water body by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality because too much soil, sand, and gravel wash into the creek to it keep it clean and healthy for fish and wildlife. Landowners in the watershed were concerned about a variety of issues stemming from past and present land uses, and wanted to see a results-driven collaborative effort to restore and conserve the watershed.

Contact Information:

Bobbie Bartlette, President
Lolo Watershed Group
9781 Lolo Creek Rd., Lolo, MT 59847
Phone: (406) 273-0652

Send Email to Bobbie Bartlette