Yellowstone River Corridor
Resource Clearinghouse
This web page provides a single point of access to a variety of data and publication resources that the State Library houses for the Yellowstone River Corridor. The listed data sets and publications were developed by several federal, state, and private entities. The intent is to provide a clearinghouse for information associated with the Yellowstone River Corridor.
The topographic data and air photos may be viewed with the Montana GIS Portal Map Viewer. Go to http://gisportal.mt.gov and click on the Map Viewer link near the upper right corner. Type Yellowstone River data in the search box. A variety of Yellowstone River data should be returned. Select the entry entitled Aerial Photos and Planimetric map data, Yellowstone River Corridor, Montana and North Dakota, 2004 and 2007. Click on Add to Map to load the data into the Map Viewer. You may zoom in to any part of the river and turn the photos and planimetric layers on and off.
Middle and Lower Yellowstone River: (Springdale to Missouri River)
These data were created as part of a joint investigation of the Yellowstone River stream corridor by the Yellowstone River Conservation Districts Council and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District . The interdisciplinary planning study extends 477 river miles from Sweetgrass County, Montana to the Missouri River confluence in McKenzie County, North Dakota. Data developed as part of the mapping project are intended to support hydraulic, geomorphic, biologic and socioeconomic analyses of the stream corridor ecosystem.
HYDRAULICS, HYDROLOGY, AND GEOMORPHOLOGY
- Yellowstone River Channel Migration Zone Maps (2009) This mapping supports the YRCDC in their efforts developing best management practices and performing a cumulative effects assessment of the river corridor.
- GIS Data depicting the Channel Migration Zone ESRI Personal Geodatabase format.
- Lower Yellowstone River Corridor Color Infrared Digital Orthophotography and Physical Feature Data (August, 2001) The Montana Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) produced these mosaics of color infrared aerial photography as a basis for resource inventory and monitoring. Currently, these images are available for download by county. In addition, the physical feature inventory data are also available in ESRI shapefile format.
- Lower Yellowstone Geomorphic Reconnaissance Results
PDF reports and GIS data files, March 2004 - Geomorphic Parameters and GIS Development – Work Order No. 1 (PDF)
- Geomorphic Parameters and GIS Development – Work Order No. 3 (PDF)
These two reports describe the results of a data analysis performed in support of the geomorphic scope of work associated with the Yellowstone River Cumulative Effects Study. The Work Order No. 3 report updates and expands on the initial analysis documented in the Work Order No. 1 report. The work consists of a GIS-based summary of geomorphic planform parameters of the Yellowstone River from Park County to the Missouri River confluence. Primary reach breaks and reach classification data reflect those presented in the Yellowstone River Geomorphic Reconnaissance Report. Baseline data used in this analysis include mapped channel centerlines and banklines previously digitized on historic air photos (1950, 1976, 1995, and 2001). - Maps of "Representative Study Reaches" selected for the Yellowstone River Cumulative Effects Study. The representative study reaches are selected segments of the River corridor that will be the focus areas of the Yellowstone River Cumulative Effects Study. Each segment is portrayed in a PDF file that shows color infrared imagery, river miles, and physical feature data. An alternate version of each map is available showing parcel ownership boundaries (cadastral layer).
- 2004/2007 GIS Data and Aerial Photos from the Yellowstone River Floodplain Mapping Project. Stillwater, Yellowstone and Dawson Counties were mapped in 2004 and the remainder of the river corridor below Springdale was mapped in 2007. Aerial photos, digital elevation data, and vector gis roads, water bodies, structures, and topographic contours are available. (2007 Data added May 2009)
- Historic GIS Data and Aerial Photos Aerial photos, air photo mosaics, and reconnaissance-level channel flowlines and banklines for the Yellowstone River. Bankline and flowline data were developed using 1950 and 1976 imagery, and the 1995 USGS DOQQs and 2001 NRCS color infrared photos.
- Yellowstone River Human Impacts Timeline (PDF)
This document describes the results of a Human Impacts Timeline assessment of the Yellowstone River corridor within Stillwater, Yellowstone and Dawson Counties. Determination of the approximate construction dates of physical features within the corridor, such as dikes, levees, armor and transportation encroachments, was accomplished via historic air photo analysis (1950, 1976, 1995, 2001) in a GIS.
BIOLOGY
SOCIOECONOMIC
- Yellowstone River Corridor Study Demographic and Economic Study Data Design
(Microsoft Word document)
This document details the types of economic and demographic information that should be included in the Yellowstone River Cumulative Effects Study. It is to be used by the database programmer and administer setting up, maintaining, and querying the database, as well as the analysts who will be collecting and populating the database fields with the actual data elements. - Yellowstone River Historic Events Timeline (PDF)
This document provides tabulated summaries of historic occurrences in the river corridor related to bridge construction, irrigation structure development, ice jam formation, natural grade control removal and flooding. The information is intended to support the development of a timeline that describes the progressive construction of numerous types of physical features within the stream corridor (see Yellowstone River Human Impacts Timeline), along with the timing of natural events.
Upper Yellowstone River: (Gardiner to Springdale)
- Upper Yellowstone River Physical Features Inventory, October 1998: This report (interactive pdf) summarizes a physical features inventory conducted in 1998 at the request of the Governor’s Upper Yellowstone River Task Force (UYTF). The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service was requested to organize and coordinate the inventory by the Park Conservation District, (Park CD), and the UYTF. This report includes B&W aerial photography of the corridor in the project area.
- Montana Natural Heritage Program Report: Ecologically Significant Wetlands in the Upper Yellowstone River Watershed including the Boulder, Clarks Fork Yellowstone, Shields, and Stillwater River Drainages, August 2001. Full Report
- Montana Natural Heritage Program Report: Inventory of Important Biological Resources for the Upper Yellowstone River Watershed, June 2001. Full Report
Other data about the Yellowstone corridor can be found through the NRIS TopoFinder and Thematic Mapper applications. Updated DLG data for the Greater Yellowstone Area is also available.
