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
From Our Social Media
Milk River Project Partners
🚨 We Need Your Help – NOW 🚨
Our area is in serious drought, and we’re at risk of being overlooked on the National Drought Monitor—which directly affects disaster declarations and financial relief for producers.
If you’re seeing dried-up crops, stressed livestock, or disappearing water sources in Hill, Glacier, Valley, Phillips, Blaine County or surrounding areas, PLEASE take a few minutes to report your conditions.
🔗 agr.mt.gov/Topics/A-D/Drought-Impact-Reporter
👉 Click “Drought Survey” and fill it out.
📸 Include 2 photos if you can:
1️⃣ A wide landscape shot
2️⃣ A close-up of affected vegetation or soil
This isn’t just paperwork. Your reports are used by the Montana DNRC, Department of Ag, and State Library to inform the national drought data—and they’re taken seriously. The more reports we submit, the better the chance we have of triggering disaster relief through the Fast Track Drought Disaster Designation process.
We know you’re busy. But this is critical!!!!
✅ Encourage your neighbors and fellow producers to report too.
💬 You can also view others’ reports under “Drought Impacts.”
🙌 If you can’t fill it out yourself, please SHARE this post. Getting the word out is just as important and could help someone else take action.
Without these reports, our drought conditions may not be recognized—and that means no assistance.
Let’s make sure our communities are seen and supported. 💔💧🌾
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The race is on to get everything up and running next week on the St. Mary Siphon Replacement! NW Construction crews are full throttle—backfilling and placing CLSM flow fill—while Pro-Pipe Corporation is hustling to install the final vents, drains, and weld the last of the complex expansion joints before coatings can be applied. Over at the structures, Sletten Construction Company is officially wrapped up on construction, with baffles installed and crews working through the final punch lists and cleanup.
It’s an exciting push, but the weather forecast is throwing in a wildcard—8 to 12 inches of snow expected in the upper elevations and a couple inches on the ground. Crews are logging long hours trying to stay ahead of it. Let’s hope Mother Nature gives us just enough of a window to cross the finish line!
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🛠️ One Year Ago Today: The St. Mary Siphon Failure 🛠️
June 17 marks one year since the unexpected failure of the St. Mary Siphon—an event that cut off irrigation deliveries, disrupted communities, and triggered an all-hands-on-deck emergency response across Montana’s Hi-Line and beyond.
What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. Contractors, crews, engineers, tribal partners, agencies, and local leaders came together with urgency, grit, and determination.
In less than a year, we’ve secured emergency funding—thanks to the State of Montana, NRCS, and the federal government—redesigned major infrastructure, and made incredible construction progress to restore and strengthen this critical system.
The failure was a stark reminder of how fragile our aging infrastructure really is—and just how essential the St. Mary system is to north central Montana. But it also showed the resilience, collaboration, and resourcefulness of this region when it matters most.
We’re not across the finish line yet—but we’re close. And we didn’t get here alone.
Thank you to everyone who showed up, rolled up their sleeves, and stayed committed every step of the way. The Milk River Project isn’t just infrastructure—it’s a lifeline.
#StMarySiphon #MilkRiverProject
Project Completion: July 2025
Fun Video Editing: Colynn Kerr ... See MoreSee Less
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📸 These photos, shared with me on June 11 by a Canadian friend, say it all — barely a trickle flowing through the Milk River near the town of Milk River, Alberta.
The failure of the St. Mary Siphon in June of 2024 has left much of the system dry. It’s a powerful reminder of how critical this infrastructure is—not just for the Hi-Line in Montana, but also for our neighbors to the north.
Without the St. Mary system delivering water, southern Alberta is facing very dry conditions. In a year like this, with limited snowpack and runoff, the importance of this St. Mary system couldn’t be clearer.
We’re working hard to get it fixed, but the impacts are real—and they cross borders. This isn’t just a local issue. It’s international. 🌎💧
#MilkRiver #StMaryProject
St. Mary Siphon Completion: July 2025 ... See MoreSee Less
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🚧 Main Boat Ramp – Fresno Reservoir Closure Alert 🚧
Heads up, folks! The Main Boat Ramp at Fresno Reservoir will be closed to the public starting Monday, June 23, 2025, for construction. If all goes as planned, the old section will reopen by Friday afternoon, June 27—just in time for the weekend! 🎣
This work also lines up perfectly with the Fresno Dam road closure scheduled for June 25–July 2, so please plan ahead if you're headed to the water.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin Ramp is still on the Fresno Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited’s to-do list for this year. It wasn’t in the original budget, but with water levels so low, now is the perfect time to get it done. If you’ve got a little spare change and want to pitch in, they’d sure appreciate the support to help make it happen!
Here’s hoping we never see the bottom of these ramps again! 💪💦
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🎉 That’s a wrap for concrete, folks! Not even a little rain could slow this crew down! 💪☔️
Sletten Construction Company has officially completed the final concrete pour on the St. Mary Siphon structures! After months of long days, tight timelines, and a whole lot of rebar—this major milestone is in the books.
Huge thanks to Jason and his crew for their hard work and determination getting us to this point—well ahead of the original schedule! There’s still a lot of cleanup and finishing touches to go, but we’re officially done with mud on this structure… and that deserves a big shoutout!!!!! 🙌
#StMarySiphon #MilkRiverProject #SlettenConstruction
Project Completion: July 2025 ... See MoreSee Less
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