Marko Manoukian

The Milk River Project provides drinking and irrigation water to thousands of people along the Hi-Line. After a catastrophic failure in 2024, managers say irrigation will soon be restored in part. And, a lawsuit filed by conservation groups alleges water quality violations in Big Hole River management.

When a siphon blew out on the St. Mary Canal last month the link between thousands of Montanans and an important water source was broken. Estimates from government officials and irrigators say there's enough water to get the Hi-line through the short term. But farmers fear an economic disaster for the region if a fix doesn't come next year .

The Milk River basin’s snowpack in north-central Montana sits at 250% of normal. That’s a major shot in the arm for local farmers and ranchers who have endured years of devastating drought.