Oftentimes, we take our environment for granted. We enjoy the outdoors in our beautiful state. Whether we are walking our dog, taking a run, feeding the geese and ducks, or walking along the river with a friend, we enjoy our city parks. One of those mainstays of our community needs critical efforts to preserve and restore—the Sacajawea Park Lagoon. The canal or “arm” upstream of the Yellowstone Street Bridge has historically been a full, viable, and essential habitat for the park ducks, geese and wildlife and a public-recreation waterway.
We need to act now to replace rotted dam sections. The lower water levels are resulting due to rotted and missing sections of the lagoon dam adjacent to the public pool has caused habitat destruction upstream of the lagoon. This destruction is rapidly progressing. (See photos taken from same location.) Replacement of the rotted dam sections is necessary to restore water levels.
We also need to address the dredge sediment. The lagoon arm naturally and progressively fills with sediment. For lagoon preservation, dredging is again needed. A simple dredging of the short flow path between the Yellowstone River and diversion dam would restore the health and vitality of the lagoon. Also, a dam/sediment trap at the head of the lagoon along Fleshman Creek would mitigate future sediment fill.
You can help by contacting your city official today to request these improvements to restore and preserve the dam and lagoon. It only takes a minute to call or email your city official. The city commissioners are: Karrie Kahle at 406-220-9017 or karriekahle@gmail.com, Melissa Nootz at 406-220-9014 or mnootz@livingstonmontana.org, Quintin Schwarz at 406-220-9015 or qschwarzs8@gmail.com, Torrey Lyons at 406-589-9253 and torrey.lyons@gmail.com, James Willich at 406-220-9016 or houseofwillich@gmail.com.
You can also contact City Manager Grant Gager at 406-823-6000 and citymanager@livingstonmontana.org. You can attend a City Commission meeting and discuss the issue at 5:30 pm on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month at the City/County Complex Community Room, 220 East Park Street in Livingston.
Be a part of the conversation and the solution by joining the lagoon preservation committee’s email list at: lagoonpreservation@gmail.com