Restoring Healthy Streams
Greater Yellowstone’s cold streams, clear lakes, and wild rivers are the lifeblood of the region, sustaining fish, wildlife, and local communities while providing unmatched recreation opportunities. These storied waters are biodiversity hotspots, essential for species that rely on cold, clean, connected waterways, and for the people that are deeply connected to them through agriculture, recreation, and Indigenous resource gathering.
A rapidly changing climate coupled with increased development threatens these critical waters. Rising temperatures put stress on native fish, and declining snowpack and unpredictable precipitation lead to extreme flooding, as seen in the 2022 Yellowstone River flood. Without action, the integrity of Greater Yellowstone’s waters—and everything that depends on them—is in jeopardy.
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition works to keep the region’s rivers wild, clean, and free-flowing so wildlife and people can thrive. We work collaboratively to understand regional threats to water, and prepare for a warmer, drier future. By enhancing climate resilience, we are ensuring that Greater Yellowstone’s waters remain healthy and abundant for generations to come.
Our Healthy Rivers News
How the Greater Yellowstone Coalition Supports Stream Restoration
GYC is dedicated to safeguarding the region’s waters through on-the-ground restoration projects that keep water cold, restore natural landscapes, support water security, and encourage ecosystem engineers like beavers to maintain wetlands.
Revitalizing Crow Creek for a Resilient Future
Crow Creek, a stream that meanders through the northwestern section of the Wind River Indian Reservation, is vital for important fish, wildlife, and native plant habitat. Over time, agricultural changes to the landscape have impacted the health of the creek and the species that depend on it. To support a healthier ecosystem, we are restoring wetland areas to create better conditions for plants and animals to thrive.
Our efforts include improving habitat for fish and waterfowl, encouraging the growth of beaver populations to support natural water storage, and planting native vegetation to promote Indigenous food sovereignty. These efforts help strengthen the land, water, and wildlife that make Crow Creek a source of sustenance, biodiversity, and cultural significance for future generations.
Protecting the Lands and Waters of the Upper Yellowstone River
Flowing through southwest Montana’s picturesque Paradise Valley just north of Yellowstone National Park, the Upper Yellowstone River and its surrounding lands are rich with wildlife and working ranches. This river supports native fish, healthy wetlands, and diverse plant and animal species.
GYC endeavors to ensure the health of this waterway by constructing a fish barrier on Mill Creek, a Yellowstone River tributary, to prevent non-native species from outcompeting native fish and working collaboratively to develop long-term conservation strategies to protect the area for future generations.
Photo EcoFlight
Restoring the Snake River Headwaters
The Snake River is one of the most iconic waterways in Greater Yellowstone. Its headwaters support diverse fish and wildlife, provide clean water, and sustain local communities. To protect this vital river system where it flows through northwestern Wyoming and parts of Grand Teton National Park, we work with agencies and nonprofit partners to develop effective solutions for water resource management challenges. Our efforts also include supporting climate-focused research and conservation initiatives on the Snake River and its tributaries.
Safeguarding the Gallatin River
The Gallatin River is a beloved hub for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts in southwest Montana. This Missouri River tributary’s clean, cold waters support fish, wildlife, and recreation, but development pressure and warming water temperatures threaten its health. GYC is protecting the Gallatin by supporting efforts to reduce toxic algae blooms that can harm aquatic life and water quality, developing floodplain management plans, preventing harmful development along the riverbank, and planning for the long-term health of the Gallatin. By taking these steps, we are ensuring this beloved river remains a thriving natural resource for generations to come.
Our Wins and Progress for Healthy Streams
In February 2025 GYC was awarded a grant from the Keta Legacy Foundation to help fund watershed restoration work. This generous grant will help sponsor our project to identify priority areas to install low-tech process-based stream restoration structures in Greater Yellowstone.
In late 2023 on the Wind River Indian Reservation, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition were awarded a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through its America the Beautiful Challenge program. The funding has helped us to promote Indigenous-led work toward buffalo conservation, habitat restoration, and climate resilience.
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