Boaters and anglers can now enjoy four fishing access sites near Great Falls, thanks to a joint project by PPL Montana and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks that expands public recreation along the Missouri River.
At 10 a.m. Saturday (5/15), representatives from PPL Montana and Fish, Wildlife & Parks will dedicate the Cottonwood Fishing Access Site, which features a launching area for non-motorized watercraft that can be carried by hand; walk-in access to the Missouri River for fishing; a handicapped-accessible restroom; and a parking area.
The public is invited to the dedication ceremony Saturday at 26 Woodland Estates Road, Great Falls.
The four-acre site, situated in a large grove of cottonwood trees along the river, is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
“We’re pleased to have had a hand in this project, which provides more recreational opportunities for the people of Montana and underscores PPL Montana’s values of promoting and conserving our state’s natural resources,” said David Hoffman, director of External Affairs for PPL Montana.
PPL Montana bought the property in December 2004 with the intent of turning it into a public access site as part of the company’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license for its dams on the Missouri River.
PPL Montana has turned over the site to Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and will contribute $10,000 annually to help cover operations and maintenance costs.
PPL Montana has built 32 permanent recreation sites in partnership with agencies and the public along the Missouri-Madison river corridor, where the company operates eight hydroelectric projects.
“PPL Montana, which has helped us develop many recreational sites along the Missouri River, has been a great partner in this project. It provides a beautiful public fishing area with an improved parking area and other new facilities,” said Matt Marcinek, regional parks manager for Fish, Wildlife & Parks in the Great Falls area. “It’s another great fishing access site close to town. The public has White Bear, Big Bend, Ulm Bridge and now Cottonwood.”
Directions: Take Exit 278 off Interstate 15. Then take Exit 0 off 10th Avenue South, and go to end of ramp. Turn left at light onto 14th Street Southwest, proceed 0.4 miles south to Flood Road. Follow Flood Road 4.2 miles west to Woodland Estates Road. Turn left on Woodland Estates Road and take the first right (following the Fishing Access Site signs). Follow the Fishing Access Site access road down to the river.
PPL Montana provides safe, reliable energy from coal-fired power plants at Colstrip and Billings, as well as 11 hydroelectric plants along West Rosebud Creek and the Missouri, Madison, Clark Fork and Flathead rivers. It has a combined generating capacity of nearly 1,200 megawatts and has offices in Billings, Butte and Helena. PPL Montana and its 500 employees are dedicated to Montana and its communities, supporting educational, environmental and economic development programs across the state. PPL EnergyPlus operates a trading floor in Butte that markets and sells power for PPL Montana in wholesale and retail energy markets throughout the western United States. PPL Montana and PPL EnergyPlus are subsidiaries of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL).