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Musselshell River
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{{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox river | name = Musselshell River | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | map = Mt-rivers.gif | map_size = 300px | map_alt = | map_caption = Map of Montana rivers with the Musselshell in the center | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= {{coord|46|18|56.1|N|110|39|53.7|W|name=South Fork Musselshell River}} | source1_coord_ref = {{r|gnis}} | mouth_location = | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|47|22|29|N|107|56|35|W|name=Musselshell River|display=inline,title}} | mouth_coord_ref = {{r|gnis}} | subdivision_type1 = Counties | subdivision_name1 = [[Petroleum County, Montana|Petroleum]], [[Phillips County, Montana|Phillips]], [[Rosebud County, Montana|Rosebud]], [[Musselshell County, Montana|Musselshell]], [[Golden Valley County, Montana|Golden Valley]] and [[Wheatland County, Montana]] | progression = | length = {{convert|342|mi|km|abbr=on}} | source1_elevation = | mouth_elevation = {{convert|2247|ft|m|abbr=on}}{{r|gnis}} | discharge1_avg = {{convert|253|cuft/s|m3/s|abbr=on}}<ref>Near Mosby,~60 mi from mouth</ref> | basin_size = {{convert|9570|mi2|km2|abbr=on}} | river_system = [[Missouri River]] | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = }} The '''Musselshell River''' is a [[tributary]] of the [[Missouri River]], {{convert|341.9|mi|km}} long from its origins at the confluence of its North and South Forks near [[Martinsdale, Montana]] to its mouth on the [[Missouri River]]. It is located east of the [[Continental divide]] entirely within [[Montana]] in the [[United States]].{{r|mtfish1}} Counting its pre-confluence tributaries, it measures {{convert|425|-|500|mi|km}} in length.{{r|mtfish2}}{{r|mra}} It rises in several forks in the [[Crazy Mountains|Crazy]], [[Little Belt Mountains|Little Belt]], and [[Castle Mountains (Montana)|Castle mountains]] in central Montana. The main branch is formed by the [[Confluence (geography)|confluence]] of the [[North Fork Musselshell River|North Fork]] and [[South Fork Musselshell River|South Fork]] in [[Meagher County, Montana|Meagher County]], about {{convert|25|mi|km}} east of [[White Sulphur Springs, Montana]], just east of [[Martinsdale, Montana|Martinsdale]], north of Martinsdale Reservoir, and just west of Meagher County's border with [[Wheatland County, Montana|Wheatland County]].{{r|mra}}{{r|hwy}} The North Fork flows south from the Little Belt Mountains through Bair Reservoir, then southeast. The South Fork flows northeast from the Crazy Mountains. From the confluence of these two waterways, the main branch flows roughly due east past [[Two Dot, Montana|Two Dot]], [[Harlowton, Montana|Harlowton]], and [[Roundup, Montana|Roundup]], then turns north just past [[Melstone, Montana|Melstone]], and continues to the [[UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge|UL Bend]] on the Missouri River at the beginning of [[Fort Peck Dam|Fort Peck Reservoir]].{{r|mtfish1}}{{r|mra}}{{r|hwy}} The Musselshell River has also been known as: Cockkleshell River, Mahtush-ahzhah, Muscleshell River, Mustleshell River, Shell River.{{r|gnis}} The Musselshell was entered by the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]] on May 20, 1805 and named by them for the [[Freshwater bivalve|freshwater mussels]] lining the bank,{{r|lewcla}} noting in their journals that the [[Hidatsa|Minnetare]] people had given the waterway a similar name.{{r|lewcla1805}}{{r|lewcla1805-1}} The [[Blackfoot Confederacy|Blackfeet]], who hunted buffalo and prepared the meat for winter in the Musselshell area, called it the Dried Meat River.{{r|wpa}} ==Geography== [[File:Bush Banks Selkirk2.jpg|thumb|right|Banks of the Musselshell River near Selkirk.]] The terrain varies from the mountainous [[island range]]s where it originates to prairie.{{r|mtfish1}} It is fed largely by snowmelt and has its highest flow rates in the spring and early summer. The Musselshell River Basin, including tributaries, drains {{convert|108268|acre|km2|1}}.{{r|recl}} The South Fork has much brush, gravel bars, and clear water. The North Fork has [[willow]] trees and undercut banks. The Musselshell is about {{convert|60|ft|m|sigfig=1}} wide at its confluence of the two forks. Three reservoirs built in the 1930s help control the river's flow: Bair Reservoir on the North Fork, Martinsdale Reservoir near the confluence, and Deadman's Basin on the main river between [[Shawmut, Montana|Shawmut]] and [[Ryegate, Montana|Ryegate]].{{r|hwy}}{{r|recl}} The river becomes wider in the {{convert|50|mi|km}} before Roundup. [[Honeysuckle]], [[Rosa acicularis|wild rose]], willow, and [[Populus sect. Aigeiros|cottonwood]] are common in this section. The river is about {{convert|100|ft|m}} wide in its last {{convert|90|mi|km}}, with increased choppiness and flow rate. The relatively more arid climate in this section results in less vegetation, more livestock grazing, and poorer soil.{{r|mtfish1}} Additional tributaries of the Musselshell include: Middle Fork, Bozeman Fork, Dry Fork, American Creek Fork, Big Elk Creek, Careless Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Flat Willow Creek, Hopley Creek, Spring Creek, Swimming Woman Creek, and Willow Creek.{{r|mra}} ==Usage== [[File:Dry Ryegate.jpg|thumb|right|Musselshell River during dry season near Ryegate.]] Recreational use of the Musselshell averages 63,000 visitor-days per year.{{r|recl}} Much of the water on the Musselshell is [[Prior-appropriation water rights|decreed water]] and managed by the Musselshell River Distribution Project.{{r|lmcd}} The Musselshell is used extensively for [[irrigation]] for farming and ranching and due to that may run dry or nearly dry in many sections during much of the summer and fall.{{r|mra}}{{r|recl}} Water supply is less in the lower basin due to the more arid climate and the fact that users in the upper basin have [[Prior-appropriation water rights|senior rights]] to the water.{{r|recl}} Fishing is popular along most parts of the Musselshell. Species of fish found on the North and/or South Forks down to Harlowton include: [[mountain whitefish]], and [[brown trout|brown]], [[cutthroat trout|cutthroat]], [[rainbow trout|rainbow]], and [[brook trout]]. The eastern part of the river has [[channel catfish]], [[sauger]], [[smallmouth bass]], and [[walleye]] due to the warmer water caused by dewatering from irrigation and the arid climate shift from mountain to prairie ecosystems in the Musselshell's last {{convert|90|mi|km}}.{{r|mtfish1}}{{r|bsfish}} There are three different species of freshwater mussels as well as [[crayfish|crawdads]].{{r|mra}} The [[Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Project]] is a planned pumped hydroelectric power plant that will use water from the Cottonwood Creek, a Musselshell tributary.<ref name="abc">{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/license-issued-1b-montana-power-storage-project-44356609|title=License Issued for $1B Montana Power Storage Project|publisher=ABC News|date=December 22, 2016|access-date=December 23, 2016}}</ref> ==Spring 2011 flood== {{main|2011 Musselshell River flood}} There was major [[2011 Musselshell River flood|flooding on the Musselshell River]] in May 2011. On May 26 the flooding inundated portions of [[Roundup, Montana|Roundup]].{{r|msnbc}} Cresting and flow rate records were set along several sections of the river, such as [[Mosby, Montana|Mosby]] and Shawmut, near [[Harlowton, Montana|Harlowton]].{{r|bg1}}{{r|cbs}} The crest of the flood at {{convert|14.16|ft|m}}, more than {{convert|4|ft|m}} over flood state, exceeded the record previously set in 1975.{{r|bg2}} ==Legacy== The Musselshell region is where the last surviving herds of wild [[American bison|American buffalo]] lived. Zoologist [[William Temple Hornaday]] of the [[Smithsonian Institution]] harvested specimens from the region in 1886 so that future generations would know what the buffalo looked like.{{r|mra}} The Musselshell was mentioned by both [[Stefan Gierasch|Del Gue]] and [[Robert Redford|Jeremiah Johnson]] in the film ''[[Jeremiah Johnson (film)|Jeremiah Johnson]]''.{{r|imdb}} The Musselshell is also mentioned in [[Larry McMurtry]]'s classic 1985 novel ''[[Lonesome Dove]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=13 February 2020|title=Lonesome Dove|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL134601W/Lonesome_Dove|access-date=16 June 2020|website=Open Library}}</ref> Roundup is home to the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum, which documents the region's history.{{r|lewcla}} ==See also== {{portal|Montana}} * [[2011 Mississippi River floods]] * [[2011 Missouri River floods]] * [[2011 Souris River flood]] * [[List of rivers of Montana]] * [[Montana Stream Access Law]] ==Notes== {{reflist | refs = <ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis |id=774527 |name=Musselshell River}} Retrieved June 26, 2011.</ref> <ref name=lewcla1805>{{cite book|last=Lewis|first=Meriwether|title=The Journals of Lewis and Clark|year=1806|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|page=106|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aNklevjDzp8C&q=musselshell+1805&pg=PA106|author2=William Clark|isbn=9781419167997|access-date=June 27, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=msnbc>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43184816 |title=Montana flooding swamps towns, reservation - Weather - NBC News |publisher=NBC News |date=May 26, 2011|access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=lmcd>{{cite web|url=http://lmcd.mt.nacdnet.org/MREP/index.html|title=Musselshell River Distribution Project|publisher=Lower Musselshell Conservation District |access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=bsfish>{{cite web|url=http://www.bigskyfishing.com/River-Fishing/Central-MT-Rivers/musselshell-river/musselshell_fishing.shtm|title=The Musselshell River : Fishing|publisher=Big Sky Fishing|access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=cbs>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/28/ap/business/main20067108.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530011701/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/28/ap/business/main20067108.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 30, 2011|title=Flooded Montana towns prepare for more water |publisher=CBS News|date=May 28, 2011 |access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=bg1>{{cite news|last=Thackeray|first=Lorna|title=Musselshell River flooding in central Montana|url=http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_63b80a32-8676-11e0-ab0e-001cc4c03286.html|access-date=June 26, 2011|newspaper=The Missoulian via Billings Gazette|date=May 24, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=bg2>{{cite news|last=Thackeray|first=Lorna|title=Musselshell River forces evacuations at Roundup|url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_cd1e1a7a-62d4-5a7e-9a95-bde43acfdc94.html|access-date=June 26, 2011|newspaper=Billings Gazette|date=May 26, 2011|author2=Zach Benoit}}</ref> <ref name=imdb>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068762/quotes|title=Memorable quotes for ''Jeremiah Johnson''|publisher=Internet Movie Database|access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=mra>{{cite web|url=http://www.montanariveraction.org/musselshell.river.html|title=Musselshell -- An Endangered River|publisher=Montana River Action|access-date=June 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715062522/http://www.montanariveraction.org/musselshell.river.html|archive-date=July 15, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name=recl>{{cite web|url=http://dnrc.mt.gov/wrd/water_mgmt/surfacewaterstudies/pdfs/musselshell_rbwm_study_appendixes.pdf|title=Musselshell River Basin Water Management Study|publisher=U.S. Bureau of Reclamation|date=June 1998|access-date=June 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003085701/http://dnrc.mt.gov/wrd/water_mgmt/surfacewaterstudies/pdfs/musselshell_rbwm_study_appendixes.pdf|archive-date=October 3, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name=hwy>{{cite web|url=http://nris.mt.gov/gis/gisdatalib/downloads/hwymapmdt.pdf|title=Montana Highway Map|publisher=Montana Natural Resource Information System|access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=mtfish1>{{cite web|url=http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/waterbodyDetail.html?llid=1078992474520|title=Detailed Water Body Report-Musselshell River|publisher=Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks|access-date=June 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329084146/http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/waterbodyDetail.html?llid=1078992474520|archive-date=March 29, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name=mtfish2>{{cite web|url=http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/mFish/|title=Detailed Water Body Report-Musselshell River|publisher=Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks|access-date=June 26, 2011}} Note: scroll to "Waterbody Name Search", enter "Musselshell River", click next, click check all twice, click next.</ref> <ref name=lewcla>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitmt.com/places-to-go/cities-and-towns/musselshell.html|title=Musselshell|publisher=Visit Montana|access-date=June 26, 2011}}</ref> <ref name=lewcla1805-1>{{cite web |url=http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=1805-05-20&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl |title=May 20, 1805|website=The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Online |publisher=[[University of Nebraska Press]] |access-date=July 10, 2016 |quote=At 11 A. M. we arrived at the entrance of a handsome bold river which discharges itself into the Missouri on the Lard. side; this stream we take to be that called by the Minnetares the [blank] or Muscleshell River.}}</ref> <ref name=wpa>{{cite book|author=Federal Writers' Project|title=The WPA Guide to Montana: The Big Sky State|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dGLpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA315|access-date=10 July 2016|date=23 October 2013|publisher=Trinity University Press|isbn=978-1-59534-224-9|page=315}}</ref> }} ==External links== * [http://www.bigskyfishing.com/River-Fishing/Central-MT-Rivers/musselshell-river/photo_gallery/MusselshellRiverPhotographs/index.shtm Musselshell River photos] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090715062522/http://www.montanariveraction.org/musselshell.river.html MontanaRiverAction.org: Musselshell Engangered River] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040224170703/http://www.dnrc.state.mt.us/wrd/musselshell.htm State of Montana: Musselshell River Enforcement Program] * [http://www.google.com/search?q=musselshell+river&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=musselshell+river&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbs=tl:1,tl_num:20&prmd=ivnsm&ei=DzQHTuKJIcfY0QGEtZW8Cw&ved=0CHcQywEoAg&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=27b93cf21cbb40b9&biw=1264&bih=562 Timeline of Musselshell history] {{Montana}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Rivers of Montana]] [[Category:Tributaries of the Missouri River]] [[Category:Rivers of Petroleum County, Montana]] [[Category:Rivers of Phillips County, Montana]] [[Category:Rivers of Rosebud County, Montana]] [[Category:Rivers of Musselshell County, Montana]] [[Category:Rivers of Golden Valley County, Montana]] [[Category:Rivers of Wheatland County, Montana]]
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