Bozeman commissioners approved a staff plan to move forward with a Bozeman Creek master plan, a multi‑phased community visioning and technical study that will combine public engagement with updated hydrologic and structural analyses.

The process: Staff described $160,000 in preliminary funding from stormwater, parks and related funds to hire consultants this summer. The study will include community engagement led with local nonprofits, updated flood modelling that incorporates recent rain‑on‑snow scenarios, and LiDAR or tunnel scans for key downtown storm conveyances.

Why it matters: City leaders said the creek is a generational asset and that the master plan aims to increase public access, improve habitat and trail connectivity, explore flood‑resilience measures and address long‑standing infrastructure vulnerabilities. Staff cautioned that modern flood modelling shows greater frequency and scope of high‑water events, so technical findings may prompt difficult trade‑offs.

Technical findings and risks: Staff previewed findings that show more frequent intense runoff events and identified tunnels and undersized conveyances downtown that warrant further analysis. The city will continue to regulate according to existing FEMA requirements but said the updated modelling and LiDAR scans are intended to give the community better information about worst‑case scenarios so planners and residents can prioritize future projects.

Engagement and schedule: Staff said the initial community meeting (co‑hosted with the local creek group) will be held this summer, followed by a consultant‑led engagement campaign and a request‑for‑proposals to hire a consultant team. The resulting plan is intended as a long‑range road map rather than a single construction project; staff and commissioners described the effort as likely to unfold over years and to require partnerships and phased funding.

Next steps: Launch outreach and consultant procurement; present draft vision and technical report to the commission and public; use the study to prioritize projects and identify funding approaches.