Governor Gianforte Requests Federal Assistance To Repair St. Mary Siphon

Governor Greg Gianforte recently sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton requesting federal assistance in response to the St. Mary siphon failure.

“The failure of the siphons not only flooded and damaged property in the immediate area but also jeopardizes drinking water for 14,000 Montanans and irrigation for over 18,000 water users,” Gov. Gianforte wrote. “The loss of over 121,000 acres of irrigatable land will be disastrous for Montana’s farmers and ranchers as well as Montana’s economy.”

In the letter, the governor specifically requested the federal government act under existing federal law to authorize federal funds to replace the siphons. The governor noted that the Montana Legislature has previously authorized $32 million in financial assistance to replace siphons and restore water to Montanans who rely upon the Milk River.

The governor concluded, “Immediate federal response is critical to restore the lands damaged by the blowout and return water to the Milk River. Again, I encourage you to take swift action to authorize funds and engage the project beneficiaries to replace the siphons as quickly as possible.”

Below is the full letter from Governor Gianforte:

Secretary Haaland and Commissioner Touton:

On Monday, June 17, 2024, the St. Mary siphons suffered a catastrophic failure, destroying lands and flooding nearby structures on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation near Babb, Montana. The St. Mary siphons are a critical piece of the St. Mary Canal and Conveyance Works, which supplies irrigation and drinking water to communities along the Milk River including Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

The failure of the siphons not only flooded and damaged property in the immediate area but also jeopardizes drinking water for 14,000 Montanans and irrigation for over 18,000 water users. The loss of over 121,000 acres of irrigatable land will be disastrous for Montana’s farmers and ranchers as well as Montana’s economy.

For over 100 years, the St. Mary Canal and Conveyance Works has augmented the Milk River Basin water supply. The Bureau of Reclamation built this system to provide irrigation water along the Milk River, but it has evolved into a multiuse project which provides water for municipalities, recreation, and wildlife habitat. This critical water supply accounts for 70 to 95 percent of the flows in the Milk River during periods of drought.

On behalf of the State of Montana, I urge you to take immediate action to authorize federal funds to replace the siphons under the authority granted in Public Law 111-11.1 Montana’s Legislature has authorized $32 million in financial assistance to the project beneficiaries to replace the siphons and restore water to thousands of Montanans that rely on the Milk River.

Immediate federal response is critical to restore the lands damaged by the blowout and return water to the Milk River. Again, I encourage you to take swift action to authorize funds and engage the project beneficiaries to replace the siphons as quickly as possible.

Sincerely

Greg Gianforte

Governor Of Montana

CC: Milk River Joint Board of Control

Senator Jon Tester

Senator Steve Daines

Congressman Matt Rosendale

Congressman Ryan Zinke