VICKI WATSON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA
MISSOULA, MT 59812
4062435153 FAX 4062436090
Email:
EDUCATION
PhD 1981, MS 1976, Botany (Aquatic Ecosystem Ecology), University of Wisconsin-Madison
Also postdoc 1983, in University of Wisconsin Bacteriology Department
BS 1974, Biology, University of Houston
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Ecological Society of America, Montana Academy of Science, Pres. 1988-91, 19957
EXPERIENCE 1981 to 1983 – Staff scientist for Citizens for a Better Environment, Wisconsin
1976 to 1983 -- Lake Ecology Research assistant/associate, University of Wisconsin.
1983 to present Professor, Environmental Studies, University of Montana:
My research, teaching and service focus on the conservation, preservation and restoration of watersheds. My grants have included studies of the impacts of cyanide and heavy metals leaching from abandoned cyanide leach mines and the fate and effects of herbicides applied for roadside weed control. I have assisted the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in the development of a statewide water quality monitoring system and waterquality criteria & standards through studies of streams and lakes throughout Montana since 2001. The work on wadeable streams in Montana’s Northern Plains and Western Mountains appears in a 2004EPAreport. I was part of a team of scientists that helped the US Environmental Protection Agency develop nutrient criteria guidance documents for the US and another team that helped MT Dept of Environmental Quality develop nutrient criteriafor Montana streams.
Much of my work focuses on western Montana's Clark Fork River Basin which contains the largest Superfund complex in the country. I helped the state of Montana design and interpret a basin wide water quality study mandated in the 1987 reauthorization of the Clean Water Act and assisted the Tristate Water Quality Council and now the MT DEQ with monitoring and management of this basin. I’ve researched metal speciation, nutrient budgets, nuisance algae and water quality in this river basin for the US EPA and US Geological Survey, and evaluated toxic metal impacts on aquatic insects and the impacts of a phosphate detergent ban for the state of Montana. I helped the Clark Fork Coalition develop a vision document for the protection of this river ecosystem with funding from EPA and currently provide watershed planning assistance to watershed groups through the UM Watershed Health Clinic. I currently serve on the Clark Fork Basin Task Force, and we recently developed the Clark Fork/Kootenai basin part of the Montana state water plan.
While at UM I’ve taught over 20 different courses in biology, ecology, environmental science and impact assessment, pollution ecology, ecosystem/watershed conservation and restoration and a sustainability lecture series. All my classes emphasize research and community service and have contributed over 25,000 hours of service to the local community. I have directed over 70 MS theses and served on over 100 other graduate thesis or dissertation committees. I also advise about 50 undergraduates at any one time and have directed dozens of senior honors theses, independent study projects and internships. Many of my graduate students (& some undergraduates) have presented their results at professional meetings, published government reports, and/or written successful research grants.
To make my community service more visible and effective, I started the UM Watershed Health Clinic to match students with community groups who need technical help in conserving their watersheds. My students & I have conducted many watershed studies, helped write watershed plans & grant proposals, & provided education/training to community groups. I organize & edit the Clark Fork River Symposia( every 5 years (from 1985 to 2015). While serving as PI or CoPI on over $1,000,000 in grants over the past 30 years, I also provided countless hours of pro bono assistance to community groups.
Selected Publications of Vicki Watson
With others. 2014. Clark Fork and KootenaiRiver Basins Water Plan. 164 pp plus appendicesAnd associated reports. Prepared by
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation in cooperation with the Clark Fork Basin Task Force.
Suplee, M.W. and V. Watson, 2013 . Scientific and Technical Basis of the Numeric Nutrient Criteria for
Montana’s Wadeable Streams and Rivers, Update. Helena, MT: MT Department of Environmental Quality. 125 p.
Original version of report,2008,
Watson, V. 2012. Lake water quality, trophic status, & loading sources for Clearwater lakes. Report to Clearwater Resource Council. 66pp.
With others. 2012. Response of algal biomass to large-scale nutrient controls in the Clark Fork River, Montana, US.
J. American Water Resources Association: 48(5):1008-1021. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2012.00666x
Watson, V. 2011. Creation is the Creator. Essay published in This I Believe—On Love. D. Gedman (ed). Wiley
With others. 2009. How Green is too Green? Public Opinion of What Constitutes Undesirable Algae Levels in Streams? J. American Water Resources Association45:123–140. doi:10.1111/j.1752-1688.2008.00265.x
With others. 2000. Nutrient Criteria Technical GuidanceManual-Rivers and Streams. EPA-822-B-00-002.
With J. Harris (student). 2000. Watershed Restoration Assessment for Lost Creek, near Anaconda, MT.
Montana University System Water Center Tech. Report # 207, MSU, Bozeman, MT, 30 pgs.
With J. Dearment (student). 1999. A scientific critique of EPA’s guidance on sufficient, credible data &
use support criteria as used in Montana. Wildlands Hydrology. Proc. Symp. AWRA
With W. Bollman (student). 1999. Improving stream bioassessment methods for the Montana
Valleys and Foothill Prairies ecoregion. Wildlands Hydrology. Proc. Symp. AWRA.
With B. Gestring (student). 1996. Monitoring algae levels in the Clark Fork River. Intermountain J. Sciences. 2(2): 17-26.
With others. 1995. Assessing ecological risks in terrestrial systems. IN Butterworth, F. M.et al.
(eds.) Biomonitoring & Biomarkers as Indicators of Environmental. Change. Plenum.
Watson, V. J., et al. 1989. Environmental fate of picloram used for roadside weed control. J. Env. Quality.18:198205.
Watson, V. J. et al. 1979. Impacts of development on watershed hydrologic and nutrient budgets. J. WPCF 51:287685
Example government reports:
With J. McBride. 2013. A pocket guide to Aquatic Invasive Species threatening the Crown of the Continent.In collaboration with the Crown Managers Partnership.
With M. Coen. 2003.Physical, chemical & biological assessment of Stoner Creek, Flathead, MT. For Flathead Basin Commission.
With S. Sullivan. 2003. Watershed assessment of Lolo Creek. For Missoula Water Quality District.
With C. Brick. 2002. Watershed Restoration Planning Information System. For MT Natural Resource Damage Program. Online at:
Honors: Dedicated Conservationist Award, Clark Fork Coalition, 1988; Missoula YWCA Professional Woman of the Year, 1991
UM Distinguished Teaching Award, 1992; UM Service Learning Fellowship, 1998; UM Greening UM award 2006;
Arnold Bolle Conservation Professional Award, 1996; MT Natural History Center’s Environ. Educator of the year 2007;
Sustainable Business Council's Sustainability Advocate of the Year, 2011