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Montana State Engineer records, 1865-1964

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana State Engineer
Title
Montana State Engineer records
Dates
1865-1964 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.75 linear feet
Collection Number
RS 496 (Formerly RS 34)
Summary
This collection is a subgroup (Predecessor Office) of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation records, RS 496. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation records. Records of the Montana State Engineer include general correspondence (1921-1923), outgoing correspondence (1939-1942, 1951-1964), and subject files (1865-1920) on water rights. Additionally, there are organizational charts and job descriptions, biennial reports (1906-1964), a report on the water supply of the Chapman Irrigation District (Oct. 1923), and miscellaneous articles (1964, undated).
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

The Montana State Engineer's Office was created in 1903 to assist, under the Carey Land Act, in the formation of irrigation districts and to survey the state's water resources. The Engineer served ex officio as secretary to the Carey Land Act Board, and later to the State Water Conservation Board. He also served on numerous water-related state boards, and was Montana's representative to inter-state water agencies, such as the Columbia River Basin Commission, the Yellowstone River Compact, and the Missouri Basin Inter-Agency Committee. Among his duties were the review of water projects proposed by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and Corps of Engineers, measurement of streams in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey, the conducting of the Water Resources Survey, and administration of the state's Ground-Water Code. Among the State Engineers were John W. Wade (1903-1911), A.W. Mahon (1911-1920), C.S. Heidel (1920-1927), John S. James (1928-1937), Fred E. Buck (1941-1963), and E.V. Darlington (1963-1965). The State Engineer's Office was abolished in 1965 and the duties transferred to the State Water Conservation Board.

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Content Description

Records include general correspondence (1921, 1923), outgoing correspondence (1939-1942, 1951-1964), and subject files (1865-1920) on water rights, filed by county and including lists of water right filings and decrees with related correspondence. In addition there are organizational charts and job descriptions; biennial reports (1906, 1910, 1918, 1920, 1964); a report (1910) of State Hydrographer C.S. Heidel; a report on the water supply of the Chapman Irrigation District (Oct. 1923); and several articles (1962, 1964, undated) about the work of the State Engineer and also concerning irrigation in Montana. [Formerly part of the Carey Land Act Board Records, former RS 32]

Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation records.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series.

Location of Collection

18:6-5

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 496, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 496. Rather than reprocessing over 300 linear feet of DNRC materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information is available upon request.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

  • General Correspondence

    • Description: Kalispell Chamber of Commerce (re proposed Flathead River dams)
      Dates: 1921
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 1
      Location: General Correspondence
    • Description: North Dakota Assistant State Engineer George E. Baker (re proposed Missouri River Compact)
      Dates: 1923
      Container: Box/Folder 1 / 2
      Location: General Correspondence

  • Outgoing Correspondence

  • Financial Records

    • Description: Balances and claims
      Dates: 1952-1954
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 5
      Location: Financial Records
    • Description: Comparative Stream gaging Program budget justification
      Dates: 1965
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 6
      Location: Financial Records

  • Minutes

    • Description: Meeting of Montana representatives to Columbia Interstate Compact Commission
      Dates: 1962 May
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 7
      Location: Minutes

  • Organization

    • Description: Organizational charts, lists of employees, description of duties
      Dates: 1952-1964
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 8
      Location: Organization

  • Reports

    • Description: Biennial reports [map, 1910, of proposed Racetrack Creek power plant in map case]
      Dates: 1906-1932, 1964
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 9
      Location: Reports
    • Description: Report of State Hydrographer C.S. Heidel
      Dates: 1910
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 10
      Location: Reports
    • Description: Report on the water supply of the Chapman Irrigation District
      Dates: 1923
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 11
      Location: Reports

  • Speeches and Writings

    • Description: "Montana water rights and water problems," by Fred E. Buck
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 12
      Location: Speeches and Writings
    • Description: Speeches and reports by E.V. Darlington to Western State Engineers Association and Missouri Basin Inter-Agency Committee
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 13
      Location: Speeches and Writings
    • Description: "State Engineer--what's that?" by E.V. Darlington
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 14
      Location: Speeches and Writings

  • Subject Files

    • Description: U.S. court decrees - Lewis and Clark County, including case No. 668
      Dates: 1891-1907, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: U.S. court decrees - Miscellaneous counties, notes re case No. 655, 703, 950
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2 / 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights: miscellaneous lists of court decrees
      Dates: 1915
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 1
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights: notes of S.T. Harding re compilations on the Yellowstone, Clark Fork and Missouri river drainages; and climatological data
      Dates: 1909-1911, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 2
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Beaverhead County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1865-1920
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 3-4
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Big Horn County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 5
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Blaine County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 6
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Broadwater County: correspondence; and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1897-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 7-9
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Carbon County: Correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 10
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Carbon County: lists of water right decrees and a copy of decree for Granite Ditch vs Wm. Anderson
      Dates: 1901-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 11
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Carter County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 12
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Cascade County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1911-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 13-14
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Chouteau County: correspondence; and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1889-1920
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Custer County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Dawson County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Deer Lodge County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1904-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 18-19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Fallon County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 20
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Fergus County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1890-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 21-22
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Flathead County: correspondence and lists of water right filings
      Dates: 1906-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 23-24
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Gallatin County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1883-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 25-26
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Garfield County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 27
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Glacier County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 28
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Granite County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1894-1914
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 29
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Hill County: correspondence and lists of water right filings
      Dates: 1913-1920
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 30
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Jefferson County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1873-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 31-32
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Lewis and Clark County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1889-1913
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 33
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Lincoln County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 34
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Madison County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1873-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 35-36
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, McCone County: correspondence and lists of water right filings
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 37
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Meagher County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1890-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 38-39
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Mineral County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 40
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Missoula County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1890-1919, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 41-42
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Musselshell County: correspondence and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1912-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 43
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Park County: correspondence and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1885-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 44-46
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Phillips County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919-1920
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 47
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Pondera County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 48
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Powder River County: correspondence and water right filings
      Dates: 1918-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 49
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Powell County: lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1890-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 50
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Ravalli County: correspondence and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1896-1920, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 51-52
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Richland County: correspondence
      Dates: 1918-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 53
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Roosevelt County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 54
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Rosebud County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 55
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Sanders County: correspondence; and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 56
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Sheridan County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 57
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Silver Bow County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 58
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Stillwater County: correspondence
      Dates: 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 59
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Sweetgrass County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1898-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 60-61
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Teton County: correspondence; and lists of water right filings and decrees
      Dates: 1907-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 62
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Toole County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 63
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Treasure County: correspondence
      Dates: 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 64
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Valley County: correspondence and lists of water right filings
      Dates: 1903, 1913-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 65
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Wheatland County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1913, 1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 66
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Wibaux County: correspondence
      Dates: 1918-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 67
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Water rights, Yellowstone County: correspondence and lists of water right decrees
      Dates: 1892-1919
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 68
      Location: Subject Files

  • Miscellany

    • Description: Abandonment or forfeiture of water rights: notes on state cases
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 69
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: "How It's Done: State Engineer's Office Water Resources Survey": including the use of the Big Horn River as an example [MAP CASE]
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / OVFD
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Montana water rights filings reported to State Engineer
      Dates: 1962
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 70
      Location: Miscellany
    • Description: Unidentified typed articles on Montana's irrigated lands
      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 71
      Location: Miscellany

  • Clippings

    • Description: Irrigation in Montana
      Dates: 1931, undated
      Container: Box/Folder 3 / 72
      Location: Clippings

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Irrigation districts--Montana
  • Irrigation--Montana
  • Water conservation--Montana
  • Water resources--Montana

Geographical Names

  • Flathead River (B.C. and Mont.)

Finding aid prepared by MTHS Staff; Updated by Lindsey Mick
2004; 2024

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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