Collapse of drop 5 structure of the St. Mary Diversion causes water transfers to cease

On Sunday May 17, the Drop 5 structure collapsed due to its significant age of 104 years old. Since being organized in 2003 by then Lt. Governor Karl Ohs, the 16-citizen member of the St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group have been regularly meeting to engage congressional and state leaders to start repairing the system before it suffered catastrophic failure. The US irrigation project irrigates 140,000 acres, serves as a water source for 18,000 people and produces enough food for 1 million people annually.

Recently, members of the Working Group had been in discussion with congressional staff as recent as May 12, 2020 discussing a funding package to address needed repairs to the diversion structure including, drop 2 and drop 5. The proposed federal cost was 75% of the total cost or $40,875,000.00. Local contributions would be $ $13,625,000.00. Currently irrigators and municipalities pay 75% of all operation, maintenance and repairs. The legislation would change the cost share to 75% federal and 25% local.

The failure of drop 5 is disappointing but it is hardly a surprise. The immediate impact is irrigation will be limited to one for the 2020 irrigation season. If we do not address reconstructing drop 5 immediately this summer, it will result in a more costly winter construction. No construction will result in water shortages for irrigators and municipalities of Havre, Chinook, Harlem and Fort Belknap Agency in 2021. By not diverting the US share of water from the St. Mary River, all the water flows into St. Mary, Canada, where they irrigate 500,000 acres.

The St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group will continue to lobby for a low-cost share for irrigators and an immediate repair of drop 5.