Intermontane Pothole
Intermontane Pothole Description:
Intermontane potholes are depressional wetlands found along the Rocky Mountain Front, Blackfoot River and the Flathead Valley. Included in this classification are the relatively permanent high alpine lakes, found through out the mountainous regions of Western Montana. These wetland types were generally formed by disintegration glaciers at the end of the latter Pleistocene Era. Intermontane potholes receive the majority of its water from snowmelt and rainfall, and lose most water to evotranspiration and ground water. In general only during high water is there a visible surface connection between Intermontane potholes. 1,2
Function and Value:
Intermontane pothole wetlands provide a variety of functions and values within a watershed. These include the surface water storage, nutrient cycling and provide breeding and feeding habitat for a variety of different species.
Photos of Intermontane Potholes:
Photo by: Lynda Saul
"High alpine lakes, considered as intermontane
pothole (depressional) wetlands in Beaverhead-Deerlodge
National Forest."
Photo by Tom Hinz
Widgeon Marsh Intermontane pothole, Blackfoot Valley, Montana
Photo by Lynda Saul
Intermontane pothole wetland on the Ninepipes
Wildlife Management Area, Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana.
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Photo by Jim Stutzman
Kleinschmidt Lake Wetlands Complex, Blackfoot Valley, Montana.
Photo by Jim Stutzman
Intermontane pothole complex in the Sweetgrass
Hills, North Central Montana.
Photo by: MT NHP
"Intermontane Pothole Wetlands"
Photo by Lynda Saul
Intermontane pothole complex on the Bandy Ranch,
Blackfoot Valley, Montana
Distribution Map of Intermontane Potholes
Potential Stressors:
Grazing:
Photo by: Bryce Maxell
"The effects of cattle grazing on pothole wetlands."
Photo by: Bryce Maxell
"Cattle hummocking in a wetland ware livestock were
allowed to graze and water."
Photo by: Bryce Maxell
"Another example of cattle hummocking in an Intermontane
prairie pothole wetland."
Agricultural:
Photo by: Unknown
"Pothole wetland surrounded by agricultural fields."
Photo by: Lynda Saul
"Intermontane pothole on the Ninepipes WMA,
surrounded by agricultural stubble."
Pollution: "Pollution can become a problem in intermontane pothole wetlands and high mountain lakes from rain deposition resulting form pollution generated many miles away."
Invasive Species:
Photo By: Lynda Saul
"Reed Canarygrass infestation of a small wetland
in Lewis and Clark County, Montana."
Ditching and Draining:
Photo by: Larry Urban
"An example of an wetland that has been drained via piping."
Reference:
1. Cook B. J. 2001. Temporary hydrologic connections make "isolated" wetlands function at the landscape scale. Ph. D. Dissertation. University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
2. Cooper S. V. and W. M. Jones. 2003. Site descriptions of high-quality wetlands derived from existing literature sources. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Montana State Library.
