WATER RIGHT SERVICES

The Montana Water Trust will provide a variety of services once a landowner agrees to work with us to transfer a water right to instream flow. These include processing the change of use application with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and using various valuation methods to determine the fair market value of a water right.

Long-Term Agreements

When a long-term (5 + years) water right agreement has been reached, MWT will provide the following water right consulting services free of charge to the landowner.   The valuable services and expertise provided by MWT will leave a landowner well-prepared as final water right adjudication proceeds across the state.

• Analysis of all historic information on the water right from DNRC, Water Court and district court decrees, historic water users, county water resources surveys, aerial photographs, and GIS mapping experts;
• Obtain actual physical measurements of the historic operation of the water right including consumptive use, crop and AUM requirements, irrigated acreage, and ditch capacities;
• Consultation with the DNRC to resolve any discrepancies between the water right record and the historic use of the water right while seeking the best result for the landowner;
• Preparation of a Water Right Assessment, including copies of all historic information;
• Preparation and filing of the DNRC applications and associated permits to change the historic point of diversion, source, or place of use of the water right, and  to change the use of the water right from consumptive to instream.