Water Rights In Montana

[Sir Henry]

I could hire an attorney to explain the water rights to me or I could ask here. Anyone feel like doing any research? I have a million things on my plate right now and feel my fellow ‘Henryions’ will steer me in the right direction.

Thanks

[BigAl52]

https://aquaoso.com/blog/montana-water-rights/. I dont know if this helps Gene but there is some good info here.

[RanchRoper]

In westerns they defend their water rights with shootin’ irons. That’s as much as I know.

[John E Davies]

I am pretty sure that water rights there deal with FARM or RANCH use of surface water (supplying a field via canals from a stream or lake). or subsurface water (a well feeding an irrigation system). This section from that link posted above by BigAl52 says:

"All claims since 1973 require an application for a permit via the Water Rights Bureau, with some water set aside for consumptive use and instream flows. Users must apply for a permit before building surface water infrastructure, and for any groundwater use above 35 gallons per minute, or a total of 10 acre-feet per year"

FYI

35 gallons per minute is huge, the typical 1/2" garden spigot flows about 3 gallons per minute depending on the water pressure.

An acre-foot is just what it implies, one acre covered by a foot of water. That is 325,851 gallons (an Olympic sized pool is 660,000 gallons). 10 acre-feet is 3.25 million gallons. It's a lot of water....

The average US household uses about 200 gallons a day. Times 365 days equals 73,000 gallons.

So the average home on a well property there is nowhere near as thirsty as a farm operation. Do you plan to irrigate that big lawn or let it grow naturally? That will determine if you use a bunch of water or just a little for your daily needs. I am not a lawyer and I got this stuff off the Internet. But I don't think you will need to worry about water rights, unless you plan to acquire more land and start growing crops.

Here is a page where you can see what the water rights are, IF ANY.

http://wrqs.dnrc.mt.gov/default.aspx

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Sir Henry]

I am pretty sure that water rights there deal with FARM or RANCH use of surface water (supplying a field via canals from a stream or lake). or subsurface water (a well feeding an irrigation system). This section from that link posted above by BigAl52 says:

"All claims since 1973 require an application for a permit via the Water Rights Bureau, with some water set aside for consumptive use and instream flows. Users must apply for a permit before building surface water infrastructure, and for any groundwater use above 35 gallons per minute, or a total of 10 acre-feet per year"

FYI

35 gallons per minute is huge, the typical 1/2" garden spigot flows about 3 gallons per minute depending on the water pressure.

An acre-foot is just what it implies, one acre covered by a foot of water. That is 325,851 gallons (an Olympic sized pool is 660,000 gallons). 10 acre-feet is 3.25 million gallons. It's a lot of water....

The average US household uses about 200 gallons a day. Times 365 days equals 73,000 gallons.

So the average home on a well property there is nowhere near as thirsty as a farm operation. Do you plan to irrigate that big lawn or let it grow naturally? That will determine if you use a bunch of water or just a little for your daily needs. I am not a lawyer and I got this stuff off the Internet. But I don't think you will need to worry about water rights, unless you plan to acquire more land and start growing crops.

Here is a page where you can see what the water rights are, IF ANY.

http://wrqs.dnrc.mt.gov/default.aspx

John Davies
Spokane WA

Currently it’s still fairly green and I only saw one sprinkler going. I suspect I’ll conserve. I do here now. I can make a lot of green on very little water.

From what I hear the big problem is in years water is scarce. First water rights have first grab. Yet the law reads everyone has a right to use part of the water that is available. They are in the process of determining who gets how much. Since I’m looking at newer the first come isn’t in my favor. From what I’m reading it would most likely benefit me.

Some areas are clear of a lot of decorations and that is how I want to blend in. I want to keep Montana just like it is and not bring Western Washington into it.