HAVE YOU DONE A FAMILY TRANSFER OR ANY KIND OF BOUNDARY RE-ALIGNMENT ON YOUR IRRIGATED LAND?? PLEASE NOTIFY THE DISTRICT OFFICE TO SEE IF ANY ALLOCATIONS NEED TO BE APPROVED. ALSO, ANY TYPE OF SUBDIVISION REQUIRES APPROVAL AND PROPER WATER ALLOCATIONS -- ALL OF WHICH NEEDS APPROVAL FROM OUR BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. THE DISTRICT ADDS 25-50 NEW WATERUSERS ALMOST EVERY YEAR AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT BECOMES MOST DIFFICULT TO DELIVER IRRIGATION WATER TO WATERUSERS EACH YEAR. WE APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A WATERUSER ALLOWS A SMOOTH IRRIGATION SEASON FOR EVERYONE. PLEASE MAKE THE EFFORT TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE DISTRICT’S POLICIES. THE DISTRICT DELIVERS ½ MINER’S INCH OF WATER PER IRRIGATED ACRE. THIS IS EQUAL TO 5.625 GALLONS PER MINUTE, PER IRRIGATED ACRE. IF YOU IRRIGATE WITH SPRINKLERS THAT ARE CALIBRATED TO DELIVER 5 ½ GALLONS PER MINUTE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO RUN 1 SPRINKLER PER IRRIGATED ACRE. THE DISTRICT OPERATING POLICIES STATE THAT LATERAL MAINTENANCE FROM THE MAIN CANAL TO THE POINT OF DELIVERY IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE USERS OF THE LATERALS. WATER WILL NOT BE DELIVERED TO LATERALS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. MONTANA CODE ANNOTATED, 70-17-112 STATES: A PERSON WITH A CANAL OR DITCH EASEMENT HAS A SECONDARY EASEMENT TO ENTER, INSPECT, REPAIR AND MAINTAIN A CANAL OR DITCH. IT ALSO STATES THAT NO PERSON MAY ENCROACH UPON OR OTHERWISE IMPAIR ANY EASEMENT FOR A CANAL OR DITCH USED FOR IRRIGATION OR ANY OTHER LAWFUL DOMESTIC OR COMMERCIAL PURPOSE, INCLUDING CARRY RETURN WATER.

THE DISTRICT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO WITHHOLD OR STOP DELIVERY TO ANY SYSTEM OPERATING IN EXCESS OF ITS ALLOTMENT.

LAKE COMO ELEVATION IS CURRENTLY AT ABOUT 4216.0. WE WILL NEED APPROXIMATELY 25,304 ACRE FEET OF WATER TO FILL THE LAKE. WITH A SNOW PACK OF OVER 115% OF NORMAL, THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY OF RUNOFF FOR A FULL LAKE DEPENDING ON HOW THE SPRING RUNOFF OCCURS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT IRRIGATION SEASON.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT THE DISTRICT’S NEW WEBSITE AT bitterrootirrigationdistrict.net IN THE COMING YEARS, THIS NEWSLETTER WILL BE FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE. IF YOU WISH A MAILED COPY, YOU MAY CALL THE OFFICE AND REQUEST A CURRENT NEWSLETTER BE MAILED TO YOU. THE WEBSITE OFFERS YOU: OPERATING POLICIES, SNOWPACK LEVEL INFO, FAQ‘s, LIST OF CURRENT DITCHRIDERS, UP TO DATE INFO ON WATER SHUT OFFS AND ANY EMERGENCY INFO, ETC. ALSO YOU MAY SEND US YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT.

THE DISTRICT IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS WATERUSERS ABOUT WATER CONCERNS AND ISSUES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE NEED TO EDUCATE. THE DISTRICT WILL BE WORKING ON HOLDING PUBLIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS WATER ISSUES. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE IF YOU HAVE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO ASSIST IN THIS PROCESS. WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.

IRRIGATION SEASON OFFICE HOURS ARE MON-FRI 8-4. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE. THE DISTRICT PHONE# IS 961-1182.

2008 DITCHRIDERS ARE:

RIDE 1 - LAKE COMO TO WILLOW CREEK - ROD SACKS 642-3216

RIDE 2 - WILLOW CR TO ILLINOIS BENCH - SMITTY 642-3643

RIDE 3 - ILL. BENCH TO EAGLE WATCH - GREG SNEDIGAR 369-0322