With summer in full swing and blistering temperatures on the way, Missoula County is bracing for a wave of recreation and the planning that comes with it.
David Brooks and Andrew Gorder write, "We’ve come too far to accept a perpetually contaminated Clark Fork fishery, and FWP’s discoveries demand a strong response."
The Caras Park River Access project was included in the latest Downtown Master Plan and is one of the most sought-after improvements to the urban stretch of the river.
With erosion along the urban reach of the Clark Fork River a growing concern, the Missoula City Council this week approved allocating $1 million from the open space bond to stabilize the banks and create dedicated access sites.
The project has been in the works since 2014 and looks to preserve water quality and wildlife habitat while also acknowledging the river's popularity as a summer recreation site.
The bridge on Rock Creek Road crossing the Clark Fork River was recently found to be “scour critical,” and Missoula County is working to pursue countermeasures to keep the bridge intact and open to traffic.