Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

Virtual Meeting by GoToMeeting

Present: Bill Milton, Facilitator; Laura Nowlin, Musselshell Watershed Coalition Coordinator; Wendy Beye, MWC Scribe; Craig Dalgarno, Upper Musselshell Water Users Association; Earl Mainwaring, Upper Musselshell Water Users Association; Leon Hammond, Deadman’s Basin Water Users Association; Diane Ahlgren, Mosby Musselshell Watershed Group; Wendy Jones, Lower Musselshell Conservation District Administrator; Shirley Parrott, Lower Musselshell Conservation District Supervisor; Bill Bergin, Jr., Lower Musselshell Conservation District Supervisor; Cheryl Miller, Upper Musselshell Conservation District Administrator; Carie Hess, Petroleum County Conservation District Administrator; Dusty Olson, Garfield County Conservation District Administrator; Mike Goffena, Musselshell County Commissioner; Kelsey Miller, Wheatland County Weed Dept. Director; Scott Graham, Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality; Michael Downey, MT Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation Water Bureau; Lindsay Volpe, MT Dept of Natural Resources and Conservation; Andy Brummond, MT Dept. of Fish Wildlife and Parks; Shannon Blackburn, MT Dept. of Fish Wildlife and Parks; Susan Lenard, MT Dept. of Transportation; Reba Ahlgren, NRCS Winnett Field Office; Ethan McJames, NRCS Harlowton Field Office; Ted Jamba, NWS Glasgow; Tory Kolkhorst, Senator Daines Office; Madeline Alpert, Senator Jon Tester Office; Wyatt Cross, Montana Water Center, MSU Bozeman; Autumn Christenson, Healthy Watershed Consortium; Tony Thatcher, DTM Consulting

Facilitator Bill Milton called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m. The roll call introductions included low temperatures experienced this week at participants’ home bases.

Musselshell Watershed Coalition Coordinator Report:

Laura Nowlin summarized MWC recent activities, which include updating the Musselshell Watershed Plan so she asked for ideas for potential projects; contacted partners in the stream gage cost share project to confirm upcoming year’s contributions; developing a strategic plan for MWS; holding a Roundup Reach Partners meeting March 2 to update ongoing projects; planning meeting for the Weed Management Area group to plan summer activities.

MSU Presentation:

Evaluating Irrigation Efficiency - Toward a Sustainable Water Future for Montana

Wyatt Cross from MSU’s Montana Water Center (www.montanawatercenter.org) said the study looks at how changing irrigation methods, especially from flood irrigation to sprinkler, affects a watershed’s hydrology, changes ranchers’ irrigation practices, has positive and negative outcomes, and how irrigation practices might play an important role in climate change adaptation.

Agricultural irrigation is the largest consumer of water in Montana - 96% in the Lower Missouri River Basin. Much of the water diverted from streams or pumped from the ground never reaches plant roots because of losses through infrastructure. Studies have shown, however, that the water lost through leaking infrastructure recharges groundwater and wetlands, eventually returning to augment later season streamflows downstream, serving downstream irrigators and uses other than irrigation.

Methods of improving irrigation efficiency include switching from flood to sprinklers; lining canals and ditches, and changing timing of water application to crops. In the Lower Missouri River Basin, 20% of flood-irrigated cropland has been converted to sprinkler irrigation. Sprinklers, especially pivot systems, save on labor, increase production, and can improve water quality by reducing the washing of field chemicals and salts into streams. Federal incentive programs may help pay for the conversions.

Improvements in irrigation efficiency influence hydrology in a watershed, i.e., the quantity and timing of flows between surface and groundwater. Lining canals reduces seepage of water intended for crops, which can result in a need for less water being diverted from streams to water the same crops. But does that improvement in efficiency really conserve water? In the Musselshell River watershed, a big percentage of water diverted is not consumed by crops. There is some loss of water due to evaporation from reservoirs and fields, but much of the excess water diverted ends up recharging groundwater and eventually returns to the river to be re-used downstream of first use. This irrigation return flow can bolster late season streamflows downstream, though the timing of these return flow effects is variable and dependent on local factors. Installation of more sprinkler irrigation equipment to replace flood irrigation may alter this water budget balance and timing of water availability.

Improving irrigation efficiency can lead to increased water consumption due to changes in crop species to better utilize sprinkled water, robust growth of crops under sprinklers, and irrigation of what were previously marginal crop areas.

A lawsuit filed by Montana against Wyoming in the Tongue River Basin alleged that prior to 2000, much of the irrigation water pulled from the river in Wyoming was used for flood irrigation. After many ranchers converted to sprinkler irrigation, and drought years hit, return flows from cropland diminished, reducing streamflows and impacting downstream water right holders in Montana.

In some watersheds, if upstream irrigators continue to use flood irrigation, thereby recharging aquifers and providing contribution to streamflow in late summer or early fall, and downstream irrigators switch to sprinklers, thereby reducing diversions when water is scarce in late summer and early fall, this combination can be beneficial for late season streamflow.

To determine effects of improvements in irrigation efficiency, there must be accurate measurement of water flow and usage, frequent monitoring, and purposeful management. Research is being conducted on effects of allowing streams to access historic water channels in the floodplain to serve as storage of spring runoff for recharge in late summer and fall. In the Beaverhead River watershed, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology modeled the effects of running irrigation canals one month prior to and one month after the irrigation season, in order to recharge aquifers. The model showed that this practice could increase the river’s base annual flow by 5%, and it was found that 20% of streamflow during the irrigation season was return flow from canal seepage.

Another research project in the Teton River of Idaho aimed to enhance late season streamflows and recharge aquifers. When many ranchers converted from flood to sprinkler irrigation in the 1970s, well water levels dropped noticeably, and river streamflows suffered during late summer and fall. The project allowed spring runoff to access old river oxbows and diversion canals before the irrigation season began. Ranchers were paid to participate because it took time to manage the early water. Early results show this practice has been effective in recharging aquifers and increasing late season streamflow, but the project has only been running for three years so further monitoring will be necessary.

What researchers have learned over the past few years is that changes to irrigation practices have very complex, and site-specific effects, and understanding these effects at both farm and watershed scales is important. Striking a balance among multiple water needs within a watershed takes effort and dialogue. Irrigated ag land can play an important role in mitigating water scarcity in the future.

Bill Milton said the Musselshell River watershed water users have been wrestling with the issue of sprinkler vs. flood irrigation.

Bill Bergin, Jr. commented that irrigators in the Musselshell River watershed have found that early application of flood irrigation can improve aquifer recharge and save water overall.

Leon Hammond said the Musselshell River water system is different than many others in the stat because of the three reservoirs that store water for later season release, thus improving streamflows.

Craig Dalgarno said water users in the Upper Musselshell have noticed that installation of a number of pivot machines has reduced streamflows, and ranchers us the water running through those pivots for a longer period than they used to us water for flood irrigating.

Earl Mainwaring said our reservoirs make a big difference. A flood irrigator ends up helping his down-ditch neighbors and also recharges wetlands.

Andy Brummond said sprinkler conversions are happening, and will be impossible to stop. We just need to recognize what the effect are.

Mike Goffena said he used to flood irrigate early in the spring before runoff started, but found that the water at that time of year was too salty, so he began waiting for runoff before diverting water from the river.

Diane Ahlgren noted that installation of gated pipe by ranchers downstream of Mosby has helped conserve water as it moves from the river to fields, but the overall effect is similar to flood irrigation once the water is turned onto fields.

Autumn Christenson liked the message of balance between flood and sprinkler irrigation. She saw an area on the Sun River where too much flood irrigation return water was actually damaging riparian areas.

Bill Milton asked Wyatt how the Coalition could set about measuring responses to irrigation and climate changes.

Wyatt responded that it’s not possible to measure everything. We need to identify certain areas where flows are key indicators to what the whole watershed is experiencing.

Michael Downey said Musselshell River producers are already measuring water, and have been doing so for many years. They are ahead of producers in other areas of the state in that regard.

Wyatt said adaptive management is key, then monitor results.

Field Reports:

• Craig Dalgarno Upper Musselshell Water Users Association Manager said the Martinsdale Reservoir is at 14,638, or 66% full.

• Leon Hammond reported that Deadman’s reservoir is at 62,940 Acre/Feet, or 240 Acre/Feet short of winter pool. The supply canal is closed. The Barber Canal will be surveyed before water runs this spring. The Deadman’s Basin dam needs some riprap repair in a few places.

Agency/ Partner Reports:

• Lower Musselshell Conservation District -- Administrator Wendy Jones reported that LMCD is relatively quiet right now, but there are 22 more landowners who will be participating in forest fuel mitigation projects this year. The no-till drill was well-used last season. Trees are ordered for spring planting, and there were several 310 permits processed last year.

• Petroleum County Conservation District -- Carie Hess reported that her office has been working on the streamflow gage partners’ letter and invoices for their financial participation. The district is finishing up a long-range plan and planning for Weed Management Area work for the summer. The Petrolia Irrigation project will be replacing headgates this year, and has asked for permits. The DNRC grant program deadlines are coming up, so projects should be submitted now. The grant awarded for work on the Horse Coulee Project is being transferred to Dephia/Melstone Water Users Association to help design an overflow pond.

• MWC Scribe/Publicist -- Wendy Beye had nothing to report.

• Garfield County Conservation District -- Dusty Olson reported that the forest fuels mitigation crew has been working this winter, right up until the cold weather this week. She is selling tree seedlings. The MT Invasive Species Committee has been testifying at the state and national level on the issue of invasive species. Her office is gearing up for the opening of boat inspection stations.

• Upper Musselshell Conservation District -- Cheryl Miller said their office has been working on 310 permits.

• Musselshell County -- Commissioner Mike Goffena is working with Scott Graham from DEQ on perhaps a disc golf course and historic markers on reclaimed land by the river.

• NRCS -- Ethan McJames has been ranking applications for NRCS conservation projects. The deadline for 2022 projects is November 17, 2021. The next project in the Musselshell watershed is fencing of riparian areas. Long-range, he’s working on a TIP for 2024-2027

• Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks -- Shannon Blackburn is planning a meeting with landowners adjacent to the Riverside Fishing Access planned in Roundup. They are concerned about vandalism and noise. The McCleary river channel willow planting has been postponed due to weather. Fish sampling will be done this spring in the Upper Musselshell. FWP has been working on the Goffena/Sudan diversion dam plan.

• Montana Dept. of Transportation -- Susan Lenard reported that MDOT is planning three bank stabilization projects and has been working with MWC on the best approach to remedy bank erosion.

• Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation -- Michael Downey said it is very dry in the state right now. This storm, like the one that came late in winter in 2019, will help snowpack build in the mountains. Lindsey Volpe said DNRC is busy with the legislature, and is reviewing grant requests for next year.

• Montana Dept. of Environmental Quality -- Scott Graham said the Roundup project is wrapping up. Some Brownfields money will be available to help develop plans for the reclaimed site. There will be some historical markers placed on sites of interest. A bank stabilization project across the river from the mine reclamation project may be in the works. An approach other than riprap would be used. If there are more abandoned mine sites that are in need of reclamation, the department has more money available.

• National Weather Service - Ted Jamba said temperatures should rise above 0 degrees for awhile, starting Sunday, but still be below normal for mid-February. A wet winter that was forecast hasn’t happened so far because Siberian air couldn’t push into Canada earlier in the season.

• DTM Consulting -- Tony Thatcher said he and Karin Boyd will be working on identifying projects that need to be done along the river.

• Healthy Watershed Consortium -- Autumn Christensen has been talking with Laura Nowlin about a bank restoration tour in the Two Dot area. The group’s Big Sky Watershed Corps member, Colin, will be coming to the Musselshell to help with projects this summer. The group also has some grant-paid interns that can help on projects for two months over the summer.

Next Meeting:

The next MWC meeting will be Tuesday, April 13, noon (probably another virtual meeting.)