The Bitter Root Water Forum is now the Bitterroot Water Partnership.
Please find us at bitterrootwater.org
Stream Flow & Irrigation Resources
This page is dedicated to helping you find information about local water resources. Find links about stream flow, irrigation districts, snowpack, fishing, and more.
Stream Flow
The U.S Geological Survey (USGS) provides us with a number of resources including information on what’s happing in our streams such as depth, stream flow, and temperature. Throughout the Bitterroot Valley there are four gauges that measure these subtle changes on a daily basis. On the map you can click on the different gauge locations to check out the current river conditions for your fishing, floating, agricultural, and general interest needs.
The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) has put together an interactive map of all the State's surface water information. Stay updated on water levels in the Bitterroot and elsewere with this MBMG map.
Painted Rocks Reservoir
This Reservoir and the output flow it provides is important for the Fish Wildlife and Parks Department as well as a number of irrigators throughout the Bitterroot Valley. Check out the on the map to see current Reservoir levels, outflows, and inflow from different streams.
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Stream Flow Gauge
Painted Rocks Updates
Interested in the water rights in your area? You can look them up using the DNRC Water Rights Query System.
Ravalli County has over 100,000 Acres of irrigated land that is split up into sections based on where irrigators pull their water from. These sections are headed by various ditch companies that oversee the storage and release of irrigation water to water right holding properties.
The 1958 Ravalli County Water Resource Survey was created to help people understand where ditches are located throughout the Montana. Use part II of the document to identify which organization is responsible for providing water to your area of interest.
Have a question about yours or another ditch? Contact your Ditch Rider by taking a look at the complete contact list bellow! The information provided is current as of July 2015 and will be updated as able.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) operates the system SNOTEL, short for snow telemetry. This system is designed to collect snowpack that helps develop accurate and reliable water supply forecasts. These forecasts help us prepare for the upcoming seasons on a number of fronts such as knowing how much water will be available for irrigation, drought response, and flood preparations. Check out what the snow pack looks like in the mountains surrounding our valley!
