Annual Meeting

We look forward to meeting with our partners in person this fall at FLBS!

Dates: October 27-29th, 2026

Location: Flathead Lake Biological Station

32125 Bio Station Ln, Polson, MT 59860

Add this to your calendar now so you don’t miss out!

Why Attend:

This meeting is a chance to connect, learn, and collaborate with partners across western Montana while learning about PSPP and shaping our future initiatives. We bring together researchers, agencies, and stakeholders to share data, strategies, and solutions. The atmosphere is efficient and focused but laid back with plenty of time to mingle, share ideas, and build relationships. Expect meaningful discussions, practical insights, and a welcoming environment that makes networking easy and enjoyable. Plus, the meeting and lodging are right on the shores of beautiful Flathead Lake!

Background: 

The MT PSPP is a collaborative effort led by Flathead Lake Biological Station with partners across Western Montana. We work to understand pesticide use and its impacts on water quality through monitoring, outreach, and implementation. Our mission is to support responsible pesticide practices that can help protect water quality, ecosystems, drinking water, communities, and more in the upper Columbia River Basin. 

More details to come in Fall 2026!

 

Past Annual Meetings

At the end of October, the PSPP hosted their 2025 Annual Meeting at the Flathead Lake Biological Station to share program updates, connect with partners and subawardees, and discuss strategies to fill gaps in outreach and monitoring in 2026. Below are some highlights from the meeting:

Day 1: October 28 – Welcome & Public Seminar 

The conference kicked off with a program overview by Dr. Rachel Malison, who introduced the PSPP team and advisory board, and provided an overview of EPA funding and priorities.

A handful of PSPP subaward recipients shared exciting updates about their respective projects, including:

  • City of Missoula's Takima Park Stormwater Bioretention Basin
  • Montana Watershed Coordination Council (MWCC)'s Education and Outreach efforts, as well as the 2026 CRB Watershed Tour
  • Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA)'s Groundwater Protection, Pesticide Waste Disposal and Pesticide Container Recycling Programs
  • Montana State University Extension's Pesticide Leaching Potential in Irrigated Agriculture Study

The day wrapped up with a dinner and public seminar including Surface Water Monitoring Highlights, Community Action Tips & Resources, and Q&A with the PSPP Team. 

Day 2: October 29 – Collaboration & Deep Dives 

The second day kicked off with a welcome back as well as introductions and re-introductions of attendees, followed by more exciting updates by PSPP subaward recipients about their respective projects, including:

  • Kootenai Tribe of Idaho (KTOI)'s Pesticide Inventory in the Kootenai River
  • Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT)'s Fish Tissue Sampling and other Monitoring Efforts
  • Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)'s Permits, Subawards, and Education and Outreach Efforts

Following subaward updates, Montana State University's Dr. Cecil Tharp (MSU Pesticide Education Program) shared the results from Pesticide Use Surveys, followed by a discussion about high risk behaviors, implications, and possible mitigation strategies.

After lunch, the PSPP team shared a "deep dive" into the 2025 Monitoring Plan, including lessons learned, data summaries and trends, and technical discussion. The team then shared ideas for the 2026 Monitoring Plan, opening the floor to partner feedback and considerations. Discussion surrounded goals of reducing drive time and engaging more volunteers via "subbasin", "regional", and longitudinal sampling site selection frameworks. 

The day wrapped up with dinner and drinks, as well as a Pesticide + Water Quality Trivia Night!

Day 3: October 30 – Outreach & Network Building 

The final day kicked off with a discussion about PSPP Outreach Goals and Key Messages, Ongoing Projects, as as well as a recap of Events, Audiences, & Materials from 2025. The floor was opened for partner feedback, with discussion surrounding program language, as well as online and audience-specific resources. Breakout groups worked to brainstorm new outreach strategies for major stakeholder groups.

Montana Watershed Coordination Council's Amy Seaman gave an in-depth introduction to the 2026 Colombia River Basin Watershed Tour. The tour will aim to highlight the work of PSPP and other local watershed groups in the CRB. Attendees participated in discussion surrounding logistics and engagement for this event.

The conference wrapped up with lunch and additional opportunities for networking.

We are grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of this conference. Your insights and collaboration are invaluable as we continue to advance the PSPP.

At the end of October, the PSPP hosted their 2024 Annual Meeting at the Flathead Lake Biological Station to share program updates and lead discussions that will shape future initiatives. The event brought together a wonderful variety of people to discuss and advance PSPP efforts. Below are some highlights from the meeting:

Day 1: October 28 

The conference kicked off with a welcome session and opportunity for attendees to connect.

Dr. Rachel Malison, PSPP Principal Investigator, provided opening remarks, outlining our Annual Meeting goals and agenda. Attendees introduced themselves, setting the stage for networking and conversations throughout the three days.

An overview of the PSPP was presented, highlighting current status and progress. PSPP subaward recipients shared their work, including the City of Missoula, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana State University Extension, and Montana Watershed Coordination Council.

Day 2: October 29

Dr. Cecil Tharp, Montana State University, led a session on pesticide use, pathways, toxicity, persistence, and more, providing valuable insights to pesticide impacts and complexities.

Janelle Groff, PSPP Research Coordinator, reviewed the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP), which is now partially approved by the EPA- a crucial step before sample collection efforts can begin.

Diane Whited, Flathead Lake Biological Station, presented a detailed overview of the site selection framework for the PSPP Monitoring Plan. This session encouraged feedback and questions, leading to productive conversation as Diane shared her work with spatial data and considerations for weighing risk among various land use types.

A key discussion focused on identifying the audiences PSPP aims to reach, how to best engage them, and how to build relationships. These insights will guide our future outreach and education efforts.

Janelle Groff reviewed details for Competitive Contracts, outlining guidelines for application and support. Attendees brainstormed ideas to be supported by contracts as well as naming organizations that are likely to have interest in this opportunity.

Dr. Rachel Malison presented on linking research to real-world impacts. She shared about research completed by intern, Chris Hyder, at the USGS Lab in Helena. Using mesocosms, they studied the impact of fungicides on algae. This research will hopefully expand to macroinvertebrates in the future.

Attendees contributed to interactive brainstorming boards on various topics, generating ideas and insights.

Day 3: October 30

Tiffany Lyden, Montana DEQ, and Amy Seaman, MWCC, presented on education and outreach relevant to PSPP. They highlighted effective strategies, messaging, and audience engagement. Discussions focused on creating uniform messaging across all efforts.

The ideas posted on the brainstorm boards were reviewed and further discussed, providing a great way to conclude the Annual Meeting and revisit key takeaways.

We are grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of this conference. Your insights and collaboration are invaluable as we continue to advance the PSPP.