Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rights topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill removing sunset on certain water reservations in Upper Missouri watershed
Summary
Senate Bill 357 would remove a sunset on water reservations held by municipalities and conservation districts in the Upper Missouri watershed to allow more time to perfect rights; municipal officials said the extension aids long‑term planning and cited multi‑million‑dollar investments to secure supply.
Senator (introduced at SEG 1781) presented Senate Bill 357, which removes an upcoming sunset deadline for reserved water rights held by cities, towns and conservation districts in the Upper Missouri watershed, giving those entities additional time to perfect reserved water rights.
Why it matters: Municipal proponents said the extension is necessary to plan and secure reliable public water supplies amid growth. Ryan Leland, Helena Public Works Director, said his city has spent $23 million in recent years to locate water supplies and currently operates three production wells that will provide capacity for about 3,800 housing units; he said perfecting water rights and associated infrastructure is costly and time‑consuming.
Support: Municipalities (Bozeman, Belgrade, Helena, Great Falls), the Montana Association of Conservation Districts, Montana Trout Unlimited and the Montana League of Cities and Towns testified in favor, calling the bill a necessary planning tool for water supply reliability.
Committee action: The committee moved to concur and, by voice vote with proxies recorded, sent SB357 to the floor with Representative Seconder named carrier.
Next steps: Bill advances to the floor for further consideration; proponents said the change supports municipal planning and agriculture uses administered by conservation districts in the watershed.
