House bill 432 would consolidate exceptions to Montanas water-rights change process and add new narrow exceptions

Representative Julie Darling (R-Helena) introduced House Bill 432, a DNRC-sponsored package measure intended to consolidate and clarify statutory exceptions to the water-right change-application process and add two new streamlined exceptions for municipal uses and stock water.

The bill would create a single new statutory section for exceptions to the change process, move three existing exceptions into that section (redundant wells for public water systems, replacement wells and replacement surface-water points of diversion), and add two new exceptions: a municipal-place-of-use exception to permit limited municipal expansions when unused, unperfected permits or reservations exist, and a streamlined process for adding stock tanks to stock-water rights. Representative Darling said the measure is a product of DNRCs comprehensive water-review stakeholder working group and urged a do-pass recommendation.

Nate Ward, bureau chief of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservations Water Rights Bureau, testified the bill…