Bureau of Reclamation Holds Town Hall Meeting

Over 150 people attended the recent meeting of the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) town hall regarding the failure of the St. Mary Siphon on June 17, 2024.

The BOR has temporarily transferred the siphon project to the Joint Board under EXM process. This allows the Joint Board to manage the siphon engineering and removes 35% of the cost of the project.

The BOR had assembled a team of engineers and members of the Blackfeet Tribe to see what the next steps would be for the damaged siphon. In addition to restoring Hooks Hideaway, the BOR asked the team to see if a short-term solution to water transfer could be done with a limit of 200 cfs. After some analysis and investigation, the team decided not to peruse a short-term solution.

A temporary pump site and pipe at the St. Mary Crossing would cost $3,000,000 to $5,000,000. Pumping cost to move 200 cfs up 200 feet to the canal outlet would cost $20,000 per day. Finally, the team determined the solution would impede total removal and replacement of the St. Mary siphon. A temporary solution was abandoned.

The BOR has determined that the St. Mary and Halls Coulee Siphon will be replaced. The siphons will stay in the existing footprint. A new bridge will be required to carry the new pipes. The pipe size will remain the same, 90 inches for St. Mary and 73 inches for Halls Coulee. At the time of the meeting, it was not known if it would be plastic pipe or steel.

The cost of the siphon replacement is $70 million. EXM designation removes $24,500,000, leaving $45,500,000. The Joint Board share is about 75% of that or $34,125,000. There is $6,200,000 left from the Bonding Authority from 2007 and there is interest-only funding from the State of Montana of $26,000,000. This gives the Joint Board $32,200,000, close enough for the BOR to move forward.

It was asked what the state interest cost would be for the $26 million. Budget Director Ryan Osmundson did not know the exact interest rate. For example, if the rate is 2.5% it would cost irrigators about $5.41 per acre for the loan.

The following day, 10 irrigators met with Governor Greg Gianforte to discuss the situation. The Governor said he had sealed the deal with the feds from the state’s contribution of $26 million. It was asked it this was truly an interest loan. The Governor agreed it was interest only but did not know what the state would charge for interest.

Several irrigators pointed to the mounting cost of Fresno repairs and the siphons and was it possible to up the bonding authority to $10,000,000 like it was in 2007. The Governor thought that the Montana taxpayers were footing the bill and $26 million was enough. If the irrigators needed more money their best bet was the Fort Belknap Water Compact that has passed the senate would be the best place to look. The Governor acknowledged that Representative Rosendale is carrying the Senate bill and Representative Ryan Zinke is carrying a similar bill but requested $250,000,000 for the Blackfeet Waste Water Treatment plant. He thought there was a better way to address the needs of the Blackfeet but doing it in the Fort Belknap Comp was like reopening the Blackfeet Compact.

It was pointed out that the irrigators do pay the largest share of the cost and if they didn’t the communities of Havre, Chinook, and Harlem would require domestic water project costing close to $300,000,000, if St. Mary is not fixed. The Governor pointed to the Fort Belknap Compact to make sure it gets fixed. The House will take up the Senate Bill, H.B. 7240 on July 23, 2024. Marko Manoukian of Malta will be attending the meetings and hearings.

At this time, as per the BOR, the siphons will not be replaced until August of 2025.

Anyone who will be affected by this irrigation and water situation is urged to CALL Rep. Zinke’s phone in Washington, DC and encourage him to let the bill pass as it is. If it does not go through, the entire process will be delayed and held up. There is the possibility that funding sources will not be available at a later point and the matter needs to be addressed immediately. The phone number to call is 1-202-225-5628.

If it is not fixed, it was noted that you would not be able to make a cup of coffee or flush the toilet in Havre, Chinook, or Harlem. Even Malta and Hinsdale domestic water systems benefit from the full aquifer during the irrigation season.