Light Snow Pack Underscores Importance Of Stored Water

The most glaring number that the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) provided at the March 24 St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group (SMRWG) meeting in Havre was not the $40 million construction cost for a new diversion structure. It was the fact that the current snow pack in the St. Mary/Milk River system was only at 65 percent.

This highlights the importance of a reservoir and conveyance system. Reservoirs were able to capture fall storm events and 2015 early spring runoff. This gives the irrigation project full storage for the season. Without this storage, irrigation would be based on the short early runoff of the Milk River with no summer moisture absent a storm. The 110,000 acre irrigation project has the capacity to produce enough food for one million people and drinking water to 18,000 residents annually.

In other action, Alan Mikkelsen, Coordinator for f the SMRWG provided the group a Request for Proposal (RFP) that, if funding in the State Legislature is approved, would hire an engineering firm to update engineering documents, seek a new authorization, and an appropriation from Congress for reconstruction of the project. The SMWG reviewed the RFP document and approved it with few changes. This means if funding is approved in the legislature, the SMWG can begin moving immediately with the hiring of engineering firm to fulfill the work plan.

An immediate need is a new diversion structure, located on the St. Mary River that diverts water into the 29 mile long canal system. The old diversion structure is need of repairs to operate the sluice gates but every year it becomes less operable. Additionally, the diversion entrains bull trout an Endangered Species (ESA), into the canal system. The BOR estimates it will cost $40 million to construct a new diversion structure including fish screens. Without legislation from Congress, 80 percent of this cost will fall on irrigators.

The SMRWG has provided the Montana Congress Delegation language that would direct the BOR to make all capital improvements related to ESA compliance non-reimbursable to the contract holders. There is precedence where Congress has made this authorization in the Yakima Basin River Water Enhancement Project.

With the fourth year of drought plaguing California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, hopefully our leaders can work with basin members to address this critical but aging infrastructure.