MAIN STEM ROSEBUD CREEK
Anderson Michael Ranch
Site # MY - 9
To get to these three Vigil Sites turn off U.S. Highway 212, about two miles west of Busby, onto state Highway 315. This is the road to Decker. Go south about 23.1 miles and turn west. The turnoff is the first road north of the Rosebud Battle Monument sign. Stay to the left of the farm, going up the Rosebud Valley. Stay to the right at the first fork (1.2 miles from turnoff), left at the second fork, and right at the third fork. Continue up the valley to the Anderson Michael ranch, 3.4 miles from the turnoff. Go through the yard to the stone-foundationed barn, turn left and go through two gates to the bridge.
Site #'s MY - 7, MY - 8, and MY -9 are on the North Fork, South Fork, and main stem of Rosebud Creek, respectively.
Site MY - 7 is on the North Fork about 100-200 meters upstream from the confluence. Grazing is the predominant land use. Stream banks are severely knocked down by cattle. The stream is flowing rapidly and the water is clear within this reach.
About 20 meters upstream from cross-section four (the upstream-most cross-section) water enters the channel through a broad marsh. This marsh was created by a man-made channel which was apparently dug to re-route the stream out of its original channel. As a result, the stream's natural channel is dry (north of the marsh). The new channel was not extended far enough to intersect the old channel downstream, thus causing the water to flow overland, and hence the marsh. It is delta-like in form and process, with grasses apparently growing wherever the water flows, choking the channels, and spreading the "distributaries" laterally. The water flows from the marsh into the original channel over an approximately one meter bank, creating many small waterfalls.
Within site MY - 7, the stream has sparse aquatic vegetation, and dense riparian vegetation - grasses, herbs, shrubs, and some willows. In general the channel is fairly stable.
The South Fork of Rosebud Creek is a deep (0.3-0.5 meter) stream, barely flowing (nearly stagnant). The water is clear, but contains dense aquatic and some phreatophytic vegetation. Land use is both pasture and hay cultivation. The banks are also knocked down by cattle, but not to the extent of those at site MY - 7. This channel also appears to be stable.
The main channel below the confluence receives approximately 90% of its water from the North Fork. Land uses are also grazing and hay cultivation, with a freshly plowed field on the terrace along the left bank. This reach contains a moderate amount of aquatic vegetation. The riparian vegetation is similar in density to the other two sites (i.e. it is dense right down to the water's edge). The banks are disturbed by cattle as much as those of site MY - 8, but less than those of site MY - 7.
All three reaches are incised below a terrace which is about 1.5-2.0 meters higher than the channel. A higher terrace exists between the North and South Forks, and is apparently quite extensive.
Main Stem Rosebud Creek (Site # MY - 9) was surveyed 14 August 1975.
Angles determined by a Brunton are followed by a (B), all others are derived from plane table data. Distances determined with a tape are followed by a (T), all others found using the alidade. The rod is touching the alidade side of the survey point, and is centered. Compass compensation is 15.5°. See Table 1.