1. Complete and submit the Joint Application Form
Forms can be picked up in our office and submitted to the District Administrator, Sarah Hereim, via email or in person at the UMCD office. Applications are reviewed at UMCD Advisory Board Meetings, held the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Submit your application as soon as possible prior to the next upcoming meeting to ensure it will be placed on the agenda. All UMCD Meetings are open to the public, and applicants are strongly encouraged to attend.
2. Site Inspection
An onsite inspection date is set upon receipt of the 310 application. If the applicant is not present at the meeting, they will be contacted and given the date and time for the on-site inspection. The team consists of a District representative, a Montana FWP representative and the landowner or landowner’s representative. The team will discuss the project on site. Team members may waive participation in the on-site inspection.
After an inspection is conducted, team members make recommendations to the District at a regular meeting. You may wish to review the Team Member Report form to familiarize yourself with the criterion your project will be evaluated on. If no inspection is required, the District may proceed with the application and the applicant will be notified of its decision.
3. Decision
During the next 310-meeting, applications are approved, modified, or denied for a permit. This time period can be extended if the MCD determines it necessary to collect further information. After receiving notice of the decision, the application has 15 days to sign and return the Board’s Decision Form to indicate agreement. (Note: Permit letters may take up to two weeks to be sent out.) Unless otherwise stated on the supervisor decision form, the applicant must wait 15 days before proceeding with the project, unless waived by the Board. If the applicant does not return the signed Board’s Decision Form, the permit is automatically null and void. The UMCD has 60 Days upon receipt of an application to make a decision.
Considerations
The District considers these factors:
- The effects on soil erosion and sedimentation, considering the methods available to complete the project and the nature and economics of the various alternatives.
- The effects of stream alteration.
- The effects on stream flow, turbidity, and water quality caused by materials used or by removal of ground cover
- The effects on fish and aquatic habitat.
- Whether there are modifications or alternative solutions that are reasonably practical that would reduce the disturbance to the stream and its environment and better accomplish the purpose of the project.
- Whether the proposed project will create harmful flooding or erosion problems upstream or downstream.