Upper Missouri Waterkeeper
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is a Bozeman, Montana-based nonprofit founded in 2013 that defends clean water across the 25,000-square-mile Upper Missouri River Basin through scientific monitoring, volunteer patrols, community engagement, and Clean Water Act legal advocacy, funded solely by individual donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBozeman, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Upper Missouri Waterkeeper does
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper, Inc. is a Montana-based nonprofit environmental advocacy organization founded in 2013 and headquartered at 24 S. Willson Ave Suite 6-7 in Bozeman, with an additional outreach presence in Ennis. The organization defends clean water across approximately 25,000 square miles of the Upper Missouri River Basin in Southwest and West-Central Montana, serving Montana residents, local watershed groups, and government stakeholders that depend on clean waterways for drinking, recreation, fisheries, and livelihoods.
The organization operates three core programmatic areas: Advocacy (legal action, NPDES permit review and appeals, citizen lawsuits under the Clean Water Act, and regulatory advocacy), Engagement (partnership-building with stakeholders, local watershed groups, and decision-makers), and Monitoring (on-the-water pollution patrols using kayaks, drift boats, and vehicles; volunteer water quality monitoring networks; and a 24/7 citizen pollution hotline at 406.570.2202 with an online reporting form). Underlying technology is field-science based, relying on best-available water quality science, manual data collection, and a trained volunteer network rather than software platforms or APIs. Supporting services include the pollution hotline, online pollution reporting system, and an email newsletter with action alerts.
Revenue is generated exclusively through individual donations (one-time and monthly recurring via the "River Sustainer" program on the Donorbox platform), with the organization explicitly declining corporate polluter money and government funding. Distribution channels include the website, Donorbox, Facebook, Instagram, email newsletter, community events, and the phone hotline. Leadership comprises Executive Director and Founder Guy Alsentzer (a licensed attorney with prior staff attorney experience at Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper), Outreach Director Quincey Johnson, and Board Chair John Tubbs (former Montana DNRC Director and former U.S. Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science). The organization has secured multiple legal victories including a temporary restraining order against extractive mining on the Big Hole River, denial of the Anderson Meadows subdivision, and a federal lawsuit challenging EPA approval of Montana's repeal of numeric nutrient criteria.
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upper Missouri Waterkeeper
- Legal name
- Upper Missouri Waterkeeper, Inc.
- Website
- https://uppermissouriwaterkeeper.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is a Bozeman, Montana-based nonprofit founded in 2013 that defends clean water across the 25,000-square-mile Upper Missouri River Basin through scientific monitoring, volunteer patrols, community engagement, and Clean Water Act legal advocacy, funded solely by individual donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)
- SIC
- Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Watershed/Source Water & Raw Water Quality Monitoring (intakes, reservoirs, groundwater) (EUANAJAH), Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water) (EUAHACAC), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)
Keywords
Where Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bozeman
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The organization is funded primarily through individual donations from supporters. They encourage one-time and recurring monthly donations through their Donorbox platform. The organization emphasizes that they do not take corporate polluter money and are not government funded.
- Monthly Giving (River Sustainer Program): Recurring monthly donation program called 'River Sustainer' where donors can contribute monthly amounts to provide stability for the nonprofit
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly recurring donation (River Sustainer) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper defends clean water throughout Montana's Upper Missouri River Basin through three core programs: scientific water quality monitoring via on-the-water pollution patrols, community engagement and stakeholder partnership-building, and legal advocacy including Clean Water Act citizen lawsuits and NPDES permit review. Supporting services include a 24/7 pollution hotline, an online pollution reporting form, and an email newsletter/action alert system for supporters.
Product overview
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization (not a technology product company) that operates three core programmatic areas: Advocacy (legal action, permit review, citizen lawsuits under the Clean Water Act), Engagement (community partnership and stakeholder collaboration), and Monitoring (water quality patrols and pollution detection). Supporting services include a pollution hotline, online reporting system, and newsletter subscription. The organization does not offer software products, APIs, or technology platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Advocacy Program Legal advocacy and enforcement of clean water laws, including review and appeals of NPDES permits, citizen lawsuits under the Clean Water Act, and advocacy for strong pollution regulations on behalf of Montana communities and waterways.
- Engagement Program Community engagement and partnership-building with stakeholders, local watershed groups, and decision-makers to develop science-based solutions for water resource protection across the Upper Missouri River Basin.
- Monitoring Program Water quality monitoring and pollution patrols using kayaks, drift boats, and vehicles to identify and report illegal discharges, unpermitted activities, and water quality violations to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
- Pollution Hotline 24/7 pollution reporting hotline (406.570.2202) allowing Montana citizens to report water pollution incidents, complemented by an online reporting form for submitting detailed pollution reports.
- Pollution Reporting System Online system for citizens to report pollution incidents, documenting location, waterway, pollutant details, and weather conditions for investigation and enforcement action.
- Newsletter and Action Alert System Email subscription service providing monthly newsletters, action alerts, and event information to supporters and concerned citizens throughout the Upper Missouri River Basin.
Quantifiable outcome
- Secured temporary restraining order against mining on Big Hole River
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Upper Missouri Waterkeeper
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Save Wild TroutcoreCo-hosting events to protect Montana's rivers and fisheries. Partnership focused on scientific findings from water quality monitoring showing degraded river conditions in trout fisheries.
- Local Fishing Businesses (Headhunters, Wolf Creek Angler, Montana Fishing Outfitters, Yellow Lab Outfitting)minorPartnering with local fishing businesses for event sponsorship and raffle items at community events to protect cold, clean water in Montana.
- Montana Environmental Information CentercoreCoalition partner in calling for DEQ to withdraw proposed Environmental Assessment for subsurface wastewater systems. Joint advocacy on water quality protection.
- Clark Fork CoalitioncoreCoalition partner in calling for DEQ to withdraw proposed Environmental Assessment for subsurface wastewater systems. Joint advocacy on water quality protection.
- John Tubbs (Chair of Board)coreFormer Director of Montana DNRC and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at US DOI. Currently serves as Chair of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper Board.
- Flathead LakerscoreJoint plaintiff in federal lawsuit against EPA challenging approval of Montana's repeal of numeric nutrient criteria. Collaborative legal action to defend clean water protections.
- Big Hole River FoundationcoreCollaborative partner in filing petitions for Big Hole River impairment designation. Joint advocacy efforts to protect the world-class Big Hole River from nutrient pollution and mining threats.
- Trained Volunteers and Local Watershed GroupscoreNetwork of trained volunteers and local watershed groups that collaborate on water quality monitoring and pollution patrols throughout the Basin.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Earthjustice: Earthjustice is a national nonprofit environmental law organization that litigates cases including Clean Water Act enforcement. It operates a much broader portfolio but shares the legal-advocacy mechanism central to Upper Missouri Waterkeeper's citizen-suit strategy, making it a comparable broad-incumbent peer in environmental legal advocacy.
- American Rivers: American Rivers is a national nonprofit that protects and restores rivers through advocacy, on-the-ground projects, and policy work. It operates a broader portfolio than Upper Missouri Waterkeeper but shares the river-conservation and Clean Water Act advocacy model at a national scale, making it a comparable broad-incumbent peer.
Regional players
- Clark Fork Coalition: Clark Fork Coalition is a Montana-based nonprofit focused on cleaning up the Clark Fork River basin through monitoring, advocacy, and legal action. It is one of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper's named coalition partners and operates an overlapping mission on a neighboring basin, making it a directly comparable regional peer.
- Montana Environmental Information Center: Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC) is a statewide Montana environmental advocacy nonprofit and a named coalition partner of Upper Missouri Waterkeeper. It uses a similar donor-funded model with policy advocacy, legal engagement, and coalition-building to protect Montana's environment.
- Idaho Rivers United: Idaho Rivers United is a regional nonprofit that protects and restores rivers in Idaho through grassroots advocacy, water quality monitoring, and policy work. It operates a comparable regional-scale donor-funded model focused on river conservation in a neighboring Northern Rockies state.
- Big Hole River Foundation: Big Hole River Foundation is a Montana-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Big Hole River and is a named coalition partner that co-filed the impairment petition with Upper Missouri Waterkeeper. It focuses on a single sub-watershed within the Upper Missouri Basin with similar science-based advocacy methods.
- Save Wild Trout: Save Wild Trout is a nonprofit focused on protecting wild and native trout populations in Montana and co-hosts events with Upper Missouri Waterkeeper. It shares the cold-water fisheries and water-quality advocacy overlap, particularly relevant given Upper Missouri Waterkeeper's water quality science work in trout habitat.
- Flathead Lakers: Flathead Lakers is a Montana-based lake and watershed conservation nonprofit that co-filed the federal lawsuit against the EPA alongside Upper Missouri Waterkeeper. It operates a similar donor-funded, advocacy-and-monitoring model focused on Flathead Lake, making it a directly comparable regional peer.
Direct peers
- Waterkeeper Alliance: Waterkeeper Alliance is the umbrella network for Waterkeeper organizations worldwide; Upper Missouri Waterkeeper operates as an affiliated member under this model. Both share the same Clean Water Act citizen-suit advocacy playbook, volunteer-based monitoring approach, and watershed-protection mission, making Waterkeeper Alliance the closest direct peer for organizational structure and mission.
- Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper: Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER is a small regional Waterkeeper affiliate where founder Guy Alsentzer previously served as Staff Attorney. It operates the same model of watershed-based pollution monitoring, citizen lawsuits, and community engagement on a different river system, making it a directly comparable peer in scale and operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper social profiles
Digital presenceUpper Missouri Waterkeeper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Upper Missouri Waterkeeper
What does Upper Missouri Waterkeeper do?
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper defends clean water throughout Montana's Upper Missouri River Basin through three core programs: scientific water quality monitoring via on-the-water pollution patrols, community engagement and stakeholder partnership-building, and legal advocacy including Clean Water Act citizen lawsuits and NPDES permit review. Supporting services include a 24/7 pollution hotline, an online pollution reporting form, and an email newsletter/action alert system for supporters.
Is Upper Missouri Waterkeeper a public or private company?
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Upper Missouri Waterkeeper founded?
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Upper Missouri Waterkeeper based?
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper is headquartered in Bozeman, United States, in the North America region.
How does Upper Missouri Waterkeeper make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are monthly Giving (River Sustainer Program).
Who are Upper Missouri Waterkeeper's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Earthjustice and American Rivers. Regional players are Clark Fork Coalition, Montana Environmental Information Center, Idaho Rivers United, Big Hole River Foundation, Save Wild Trout and Flathead Lakers. Direct peers are Waterkeeper Alliance and Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper.
Does Upper Missouri Waterkeeper have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upper Missouri Waterkeeper.
What industry is Upper Missouri Waterkeeper in?
Upper Missouri Waterkeeper's product category is Environmental Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAK, Water Resources & Watershed Protection, with a secondary code of EUANAAAG, Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory). Its NAICS code is 541620 and its SIC code is 4950.