Arts & Entertainment
Water Wisdom: Map indicates snow melts slowly in Big Sky
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5 years agoon
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Outlaw PartnersNew research explores water supply, climate change resilience
By Stephanie Lynn EBS CONTRIBUTOR
Rebekah Levine, associate professor at the University of Montana Western, identified “snow refuges” in the headwaters of the Missouri River that could bolster summer water supply even as Montana heats up using a new map. Her conclusions resulted from seven years spent pondering the connection between winter snow and summer streamflow in partnership with The Nature Conservancy.
“Snow acts like a reservoir high in the mountains that releases water slowly through late spring and early summer. The high elevation reservoir, however, is not actually controlled by a head gate, but controlled by the amount of snow accumulated and the temperatures during the melt season,” Levine said. “The term ‘snow refuge’ is a way to think about the characteristics of the landscape that allow snow to remain for the greatest length of time.”
As warming temperatures cause precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow, late summer stream and groundwater levels in Big Sky, and across the West, will dwindle. Pinpointing locations that protect snow will allow land managers and conservation organizations to strategically plan projects that protect water supplies and native species.
“In Big Sky, the streams that have the highest potential to hold snow and supply water are the South Fork of the West Fork, West Fork, Cedar Creek and Jack Creek,” Nathan Korb, freshwater director with the Montana chapter of The Nature Conservancy, said. “These areas will become increasingly important in the future.”
Wildlife and people depend on snowpack reservoirs to supply about 50 to 80 percent of water in Montana, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service Montana. Areas like Big Sky that shelter snow during the spring will play a critical role in nourishing rivers and streams parched by a warmer world with a growing population.
“When we have to make strategic decisions about which streams will benefit from a restoration project or where we should focus on native fish conservation, this map can help us decide which projects or management actions make sense in which rivers,” Levine said. “Then we can ask whether we want to preserve the most resilient streams, or perhaps focus on streams closer to the brink.”
Stephanie Lynn is the education and communications coordinator for the Gallatin River Task Force.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
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Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
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Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass St. Joseph Catholic Mission
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