Conserving our rivers
and way of life

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PROTECT what YOU LOVE

Right now, you can help secure the future of Montana’s extraordinary wild rivers. Whether you love to float down the Madison with your family, guide new anglers on the Gallatin, or relax by a campfire after a long day of rafting on the Smith, you understand these rivers deserve protection.

The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act is a groundbreaking, made-in-Montana bill that will forever preserve 385 miles of wild rivers by designating them as Wild and Scenic. If you believe that healthy streams are vital for the Montanan way of life, then we need your help.

Montana’s free-flowing rivers and clean water are critical to our state’s prosperity, our unmatched way of life, and to our flourishing fish and wildlife. They provide us with water for drinking, irrigation, and world-class recreation. Montana’s agriculture and our rapidly growing $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy thrive on healthy rivers and clean water. Now is the time to conserve the most important headwaters streams on Montana’s public lands by designating them as Wild and Scenic Rivers.

Learn all about the rivers included in the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act and why they're deserving of Wild and Scenic protections.

Legislation

The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act builds off of the success of the bipartisan supported East Rosebud Creek Wild and Scenic designation in 2018.  Introduced by Senator Jon Tester, the act is our made-in-Montana insurance plan to keep our rivers healthy in the face of a changing climate and rapid population growth. You can read the introduced legislation here.
Explore the map below to learn about the rivers of the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act. The Crown of the Continent Proposal represents a hopeful next step to come.
The Montana Headwaters Legacy Act will protect approximately 384 river miles within the pristine Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem by designating segments of 20 streams as parts of the National Wild and Scenic River System. This legislation is a grassroots, made-in-Montana bill that will boost Montana’s outdoor recreation industry and safeguard Montana’s outdoor heritage by protecting some of the most pristine and iconic rivers in the world.
The Crown of the Continent legislative proposal would protect another 20 streams and approximately 200 miles of river in and around the Crown of the Continent as part of the Wild and Scenic River System. The proposal includes iconic tributaries of the Flathead and Clark Fork river systems, and is supported by a broad cross section of Western Montanans.

take action

Call Senator Steve Daines at (202) 224-2651 and ask him to join the 85% of Montanans that support the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act.
ADD YOUR VOICE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Ask Senator Daines to support the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (MT residents only)

Advocate Today!
Tell senator tester thank you!

Office of Senator Jon Tester
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2604
Phone: (202) 224-2644

Email Senator Tester
Not a Montana resident?
add your endorsement!
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About us

Starting in 2010, Montana residents, business owners, sportsmen and sportswomen, and conservationists joined forces under the banner of Montanans for Healthy Rivers to identify and conserve the last, best free-flowing rivers in Montana. Through a decade of public outreach over 3,000 Montanans and more than 1,000 Montana businesses have voiced support for these new Wild and Scenic River designations.
Dane Rider
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Lewistown, MT
Shannon Waters
Gastro Gnome Meals
Bozeman, MT
Ryan Cruz
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bozeman, MT
Jessy Stevenson
American Rivers
Missoula, MT
KynsLee Scott
Blackfoot River Outfitters
Missoula, MT
Jim Hepburn
American Whitewater
Missoula, MT
Emmy Reed
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bozeman, MT
Brian McGeehan
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Bozeman, MT
Rick Donaldson
Gallatin River Guides
Big Sky, MT
Sam Mascari
Montana Roots
Bozeman, MT
Mike & Sara Garcia
Northern Lights
Bozeman, MT
Josh Olsen
Montana Wilderness School
Bozeman, MT
Dan Gigone
Sweetwater Fly Shop
Livingston, MT
Paul Robertson
Romeo Bravo Software
Livingston, MT
Tom Healy
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
Dillon, MT
Russell Parks
Missoulian Angler
Missoula, MT
Whitney Milhoan
Casting for Recovery
Bozeman, MT
Hilary Hutcheson
Outside Media
Columbia Falls, MT
Will Hammerquist
Polebridge Mercantile
Polebridge, MT
Kristin Gardner
Gallatin River Task Force
Big Sky, MT
Eric Adams
Montana Flyfishing Guides
Livingston, MT
Joe Biby
Wilderness River Outfitters
Kalispell, MT
Scott Bosse
American Rivers
Bozeman, MT
Kevin Colburn
American Whitewater
Missoula, MT
Darcy Cook
Granite Sports Medicine
Livingston, MT
Charles Wolf Drimal
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bozeman, MT
Becky Edwards
Montana Mountain Mamas
Bozeman, MT
Todd Frank
The Trail Head
Missoula, MT
Mike Fiebig
American Rivers
Durango, CO
See a complete list of Montana businesses and organizations that
endorse the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act.
Dane Rider
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Lewistown, MT
Shannon Waters
Gastro Gnome Meals
Bozeman, MT
Ryan Cruz
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bozeman, MT
Jessy Stevenson
American Rivers
Missoula, MT
KynsLee Scott
Blackfoot River Outfitters
Missoula, MT
Jim Hepburn
American Whitewater
Missoula, MT
Emmy Reed
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Bozeman, MT
Brian McGeehan
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Bozeman, MT
Rick Donaldson
Gallatin River Guides
Big Sky, MT
Sam Mascari
Montana Roots
Bozeman, MT
Mike & Sara Garcia
Northern Lights
Bozeman, MT
Josh Olsen
Montana Wilderness School
Bozeman, MT
Dan Gigone
Sweetwater Fly Shop
Livingston, MT
Paul Robertson
Romeo Bravo Software
Livingston, MT
Tom Healy
Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
Dillon, MT
Russell Parks
Missoulian Angler
Missoula, MT
Whitney Milhoan
Casting for Recovery
Bozeman, MT
Hilary Hutcheson
Outside Media
Columbia Falls, MT
Will Hammerquist
Polebridge Mercantile
Polebridge, MT
Kristin Gardner
Gallatin River Task Force
Big Sky, MT
Your Help Is Needed to Protect Montana’s Best Rivers
Join us in conserving Montana’s next Wild & Scenic Rivers. Submit your endorsement in the form below, or better yet call or email Montana’s U.S. Senators Tester and Daines and Representative Gianforte and ask them to introduce and pass the Montana Headwaters Security Act!    

Office of Senator
Jon Tester
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-2604
Phone: (202) 224-2644
Email Senator Tester

Office of Senator
Steve Daines
320 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2651
Email Senator Daines

Office of Congressman
Greg Gianforte
1222 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3211
Email Rep. Gianforte

news

Tester reintroduces Montana Headwaters Legacy Act to protect 384 miles of Montana rivers

Senator's bill designates stretches of the Gallatin, Madison, and Smith Rivers as "Wild and Scenic" to protect for future generations
read moreNews Archive

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