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627.83 M 7 1 rd s Dam 1991 C. A full supply of water would be provided for ;,^How can / help? / think the Tongue River Study ? present water contract holders more often. should consider. . . MONTANA STATE LIBRARY Se27.83N7trd» 19917C.1 Presently, the reservoir yields only 32,000 oae- Public concerns and opinions are important to TongueRiverDamstudy:publicmeetings development ofa worthwhile plan. feet per year because of safety considerations. Reservoir contracts for water total 40,000 aae- meaning that water users can't expect a "Open house" meetings for the public will be feet, full supply from the reservoir in its present state. held in the Tongue River area to provide infor- Raising the spillway during repair of the dam mation on the study's current progress and could inaease the yield to 63,000 aae-feet. gather information on reaeation and fish and wildlife concerns. These informal meetings will address repairing the spillway, satisfying reserved water rights, and enhancing the habitat and recreation around the reservoir. Public input will help identify the area's needs and be used in the special report. D. Fish and wildlife habitat could be improved. You would also have the opportunity to provide input on the project if an EIS is prepared. Part Analyses being done for the study will also of the EIS process is to have public scoping identify areas for possible wetland enhance- meetings and a formal comment period. ment, wildlife mitigation areas to replace habitat lost to raising the reservoir's water surface, Please read this brochure and attend one of the and effectson threatened and endangered wild- meetings listed below. Agencies involved in the life species. study will be there to answer your questions. TONGUE DAM RI¥ER E. Recreation could be enhanced in the area. The study will analyze impacts to reaeation STUDY and identify reaeation enhancement and mitigation areas. Who*s conducting the study? The Tongue River Dam Rehabilitation Study is Ifyou are unable to attend the meetings, write a coordinated effort of the Northern Cheyenne with your comments or phone: (signed) PUBLIC Tribe, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Department of Natural Montana DepartmentofNatural Resources and Resources and Conservation MEETINGS Conservation. The study also involves the U.S. attn: Glen McDonold Fish and Wildlife Service, the Montana Depart- 1520 East Sixth Avenue ment of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Montana Helena, MT 59620-2301 — Riparian Association, and other agencies. (406) 444-6646 (address if you want on the mailing list) 'Tn|he Tongue River Dam impounds o reser- What's being done I jvoir on the Tongue River approximately to sotve the probhm? 10 miles north of the Wyoming border in , southeasternMontana. Thevalley downstream Supplying water to the Tribe and preventing a of the dam is devoted mainly to agriculture. dam failure are the purposes of the Tongue The Tongue River Project irrigates 15,000 aaes Dam River Rehabilitation Study. This study will in this drought-prone area. Tongue River Res- result in a special report in early 1992 analyzing ervoir boasts an excellent warm water fishery. a way to repair and improve the dam. The plan Four state record fish have been caught there. will include provisions to improve fish and The reservoir is also popular for boating and wildlife habitat and recreation in the area. The picnicking. effects on threatened and endangered wildlife species and on cultural resources will also be Why does Tongue River examined. Dam need rehabilitation/ What specific repairs are Inaeased firm annual yield is needed from the being proposed for the dam/ reservoir to satisfy the compact recently negoti- ated vnth the Northern Cheyenne Tribe regard- The primary option being examined by the ing the Tribe's reserved water rights. Addition- study team at this time is repairing the spillway, ally, the present dam is an unsafe, high-hazard raising the spillway crest 4 feet, and replacing structure. the outlet. While the present study will provide information on one way to meet the water Why Dam is Tongue River classified as needs ofthe irrigators, theTribe, fishermen, and bAng ''unsafe"and " high-hazard'7 boaters, other options for supplying the water and resolving associated issues may also exist. The Tongue River Dam, which was completed These would be addressed during an environ- by the Works Progress Administration in 1940, mental impact statement (ElS) which could was designed to accommodate a flood flow of follow the special report if authorized by Con- 98,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). However, the gress. reinforced conaete spillway in the left abut- ment could fail under flows of 13,000 to 16,000 cfs. In foct, it nearly failed during the 1978 flood What benefits does this option offer/ when passing only 7,800 cfs (illustrated in the coverdrawing). Theinadequatespillwaymakes dam A. The reservoir's increased annual yield would the unsafe. satisfy the reservedwaterrights claims ofthe North- ern Cheyenne Tribe. People along the river in the Northern Chey- enne Reservation and the towns of Bimey, TheTribe andMontana's ReservedWaterRights Ashland, and Miles City would be at risk should Compact Commission signed an agreement on the dam fail, which has caused the Tongue Dam june 11, 1991, allowing the Northern Cheyenne River to be classified as high hazard under the National Dam Safety Program. Dam failure Tribe to take up to 20,000 acre-feet ofwater per year from the reservoir (in addition to their would also result in the loss of property, as well existing right of 7,500 acre-feet). This compact as the valuable irrigation, fishery, and reae- is now awaiting ratification by Congress. ation resource offered by the Tongue River Reservoir. B. Thisapproach wouldeliminate thesafetyhazard now posed by the Tongue River Dam.