Letter to the Editor - Time to move forward on St. Mary Diversion

Editor,

Congratulations to our senators, representative and governor for moving the Rocky Boy’s/North Central Regional Water Project forward. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the repair of the St. Mary Canal System.

This project, in operation since the early 1900s, is a system of canals and siphons that delivers water to the Milk River, fills both Fresno and Nelson Reservoirs and provides irrigation water to the Milk River Basin. Most of the structures have exceeded their design life, and the disrepair has been likened to that of a third-world country. The inability of the system to furnish enough water is most noticeable this year. Fresno was lowered to 13 percent of capacity and farmers had to cease irrigation far earlier than usual.

Failure of the canal system will be catastrophic for the Hi-Line. Those who represent us need to step up and make sure north-central Montana truly has the water it needs.

Carolyn Anderson

Havre