water

Water watchdog groups and tribes are suing federal environmental regulators. The suit challenges the federal approval of Montana’s new water quality standards.

According to a recent report issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana’s snowpack sits below average for this time of year.

For nearly three decades a federally funded project has worked to deliver clean water to thousands in northeastern Montana. A proposed policy would extend that work.

Hydrologists are calling Montana's first snowpack report of the year “a tale of two snowpacks.” There's plenty of snowpack in the high mountain ranges, but lower elevation areas are below average.

A Montana district court ruled in favor of an environmental group that challenged the state's approval of new septic systems in the Gallatin Valley. The group argued that the state failed to assess cumulative impacts from the septic systems and how they may harm the river.

Western Montana’s drought conditions have improved significantly since late summer. North-central Montana’s drought status is changing too, but for the worse.

The town of Belt has worked with the state for decades to tackle issues left by the Anaconda Coal Mine. A new multimillion-dollar water treatment facility will finally fix that. The plant will clean the acid drainage before discharging it back into the creek.

Bull Mountain Land Alliance and Northern Plains Resource Council accuse the state of violating the Constitution by changing coal mine permits without public input. In their lawsuit, they point to more than 300 changes made to the permit for the Bull Mountains Mine in south central Montana since the early 2000s.

A handful of federally funded "circuit riders" help Montana’s small towns keep their drinking water safe. Funding for the federal program that supports them lapsed during the government shutdown.

With winter approaching, a creek restoration project is wrapping up in the Bitterroot Mountains. Crossing the finish line was hard won. The project faced mounting challenges from federal funding cuts and layoffs. Uncertainty over federal support adds more hurdles for future improvements.