Milk River Project
The Lifeline of the Hi-Line
Ongoing Projects
Stay up-to-date as structures throughout the Milk River and St. Mary system move through the planning, design, and construction phases.
St. Mary Siphon Failure Updates
On June 17, 2024, the St. Mary Siphon failed, causing significant impacts to the Milk River Project. To stay informed click here.
Have questions about water rights or concerns about unauthorized use after the St. Mary Siphon failure?
What is the Milk River Project?
The Milk River Project is beyond remarkable. With over a century of successful operation, this engineering feat diverts water from the St. Mary River on the Blackfeet Reservation, flowing through northern Montana and Glacier National Park, and across southern Alberta, Canada. This project is a testament to the intricate canals, siphons, and diversions designed for a seamless flow of water. The Milk River Project is essential to fulfill Montana’s water demands, catering to eight irrigation districts, Reclamation pump contracts, private contracts, the Blackfeet and Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and other living communities along the Milk River. The project has created numerous recreational opportunities for the surrounding inhabitants, contributing to the ecosystem’s prosperity and wildlife habitats. With such a prominent and successful project, the Milk River Project has proven to be a symbol of limitless possibilities.
Benefits to Montana’s Economy
How the Milk River Project has been providing to Northern Montana for over 100 years.
18,000
Residents provided drinking water
1,000,000
People fed annually
140,000
Acres of irrigated lands
700+
Farms
729
River miles of wildlife habitat and recreation
Anniversary look-backs aren’t always easy—but the Drop 5 failure taught us a lot and even opened new doors in how we approach large-scale construction projects.
Do I wish we had secured funding earlier and avoided the St. Mary siphon emergency? Absolutely. But that wasn’t our reality.
Fast forward to today: we’re less than a month from bringing the new St. Mary siphon online. The Diversion Dam is ... See MoreSee Less
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To be fully transparent: we’re on borrowed time at Halls Coulee. The integrity of that structure is at serious risk, and waiting any longer could mean a catastrophic failure. This work simply can’t wait.
That said, the time the canal is running t ... See MoreSee Less
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With all the good news about construction and getting the canal up and running soon, unfortunately, there’s also some tough news to share. That said—it’s still a far better outlook than last year, when we weren’t sure irrigation would be possible at all.
At last night’s Joint Board of Control Water Operations meeting, some difficult—but necessary—decisions were made. This flyer highlights the key ... See MoreSee Less
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It’s been a minute since we checked in on the Fresno Dam Safety of Dams project—so here’s a quick look at the progress!
NW Construction is currently removing the sacrificial cover and starting to place sand, gravel, and geotextile fabric up the face of the dam. This is a key step in strengthening the structure and improving long-term performance of this earth-filled dam.
Fresno Dam has been a corn ... See MoreSee Less
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Starting this week, the St. Mary Inlet Structure "apron" takes center stage!
According to the schedule, we’re looking at concrete pours almost every single day—inside, outside, and all around this critical structure. The weather might have other plans for us though.
Here’s a look at the St. Mary Siphon Inlet apron as crews have been busy tying rebar and getting it prepped for the next big push ... See MoreSee Less
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Hang on tight—we’re making our final approach to the St. Mary Inlet Structure!
Crews have been full throttle: backfilling, pouring concrete almost daily, tying rebar, welding pipe, and restoring the riverbanks. It’s all hands on deck as the team pushes hard to stay ahead of schedule.
Huge shoutout to the boots-on-the-ground teams from NW Construction, Sletten Construction Company, Harris Reba ... See MoreSee Less
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