Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Montana State Water Conservation Board records, 1898-1977
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Montana State Water Conservation Board
- Title
- Montana State Water Conservation Board records
- Dates
- 1898-1977 (inclusive)18981977
- Quantity
- 19 linear feet
- Collection Number
- RS 496 (Formerly RS 37)
- Summary
- This collection is a subgroup (Board) 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. These Montana State Water Conservation Board records (1898-1977) consist primarily of general correspondence, outgoing correspondence, court papers, employment records, financial records, hearings, legal documents, organizational charts, reports, speeches, and subject files relating to specific projects.
- 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
-
This collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
Historical NoteReturn to Top
During the early years of the New Deal in the 1930s, water conservation funds became available to the states from the federal government. To take advantage of this opportunity, a special session of the Montana Legislative Assembly convened in late 1933 and created the State Water Conservation Board to channel both state and federal money into small irrigation projects. An individual farmer who wanted to build and irrigation facility petitioned the Board and, if his proposal was accepted, the Board built the project and the farmer reimbursed the state. By 1952, the State Water Conservation Board had built 173 projects throughout the state.
In 1965, the Board assumed the functions of the State Engineer and the Carey Land Act Board. In 1967 the Montana Water Resources Board was created to assume the duties of the State Water Conservation Board, and to coordinate all water resource development programs around the state. Other duties included the administration of weather modification laws and the preparation of a comprehensive inventory of the state's water resources and a multiple use water plan for the state.
In 1971, as part of the general reorganization of state government, the Water Resources Board was abolished and its functions taken over in 1972 by the Water Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources and by the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Records consist primarily of reports by the State Water Conservation Board, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and the Army Corps of Engineers regarding existing and potential irrigation and power projects along the Yellowstone River and its Montana and Wyoming tributaries, and concerning irrigation projects statewide. In addition there is general correspondence, annual financial reports, subject files, a summary of Board activities (1934-1935), payrolls and timesheets (1934-1943), a volume recording easements granted by the Board (1963-1964), a District Court transcript (1940) for the case Allendale Irrigation Company vs the State Water Conservation Board, general ledgers for several water projects, a project register by county, and two scrapbooks of clippings (1934-1937) on the formation and work of the Board.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives 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.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by series.
Location of Collection
18:6-6Acquisition Information
Acquisition information available upon request.
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 280 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.
Additional Processing Information
Maps were separated to the Library; photographs were separated to the Photograph Archives. They can be found in LOT 29.
For minutes and resolutions of the Board, see S98-2 or State Microfiche 2. For records of the Board's successor, the Montana Water Resources Board, see former Record Series 43. See former Record Series 32 for records of the Carey Land Act Board. All collections have been integrated under the primary record series, RS 496. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation records.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
General CorrespondenceReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1 | Alberta Deptartment of Northern Affairs and National
Resources (includes overview of duties of State Water Conservation Board) |
1965 |
| 1 / 2 | Lewis and Clark County Soil Conservation District;
Liberty County Soil Conservation District |
1958, 1962 |
| 1 / 3-4 | Montana Reclamation Association |
1950-1957 |
| 1 / 5 | Montana State Soil Conservation Committee (includes
minutes) |
1961-1964 |
| 1 / 6 | The Soil Conservation Society of America |
1962 |
| 1 / 7 | United States Federal Power Commission |
1951 |
| 1 / 8-10 | United States Soil Conservation Service (re
cooperative programs) |
1956-1967 |
Outgoing CorrespondenceReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 11 | Miscellaneous |
1965 |
Court Papers Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 12 | Allendale Irrigation Company vs. State Water
Conservation Board and Flint Creek Water Users' Association brief of respondents (re
allocation of water of Flint Creek in Granite County) |
1942 |
Employment RecordsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 13-17 | Monthly time books |
1934 October-1938 March |
| 2 / 1-3 | Monthly time books |
1934 October-1938 March |
| Volume | ||
| Vol. 1-4 | Payroll distribution: claims #4-18756 |
1934 February-1943 April |
| Vol. 5 | Payroll distribution: Public Works
Administration |
1937-1940 |
Financial RecordsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 4 | Receipts for sets of plans and
specifications |
1948-1949 |
| Volume | ||
| Vol. 5 | General ledger: Daly Ditches |
1943-1947 |
| Volume | ||
| Vol. 6 | General ledger: Red Lodge-Rock Creek
Project |
1935-1950 |
| Vol. 7 | General ledger: Willow Creek, Ackley Lake, Ruby River,
Tongue River, Nevada Creek, upper Musselshell, Broadwater-Missouri, Deadman's Basin
projects |
1936-1951 |
HearingsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 5 | Statements of Governor Sam Ford, Ralph Bricker, D.P.
Fabrick, and Fred Buck before joint hearing of House and Senate Water Conservation
Committees |
1947 January |
Legal DocumentsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 6 | Application by United States Dept. of State to
International Joint Commission to build Libby Dam |
1954 |
| 2 / 7 | Memorandum of understanding with Soil Conservation
Service of Montana (re division of responsibilities between the two
agencies) |
undated |
| 2 / 8 | State of Montana water conservation revenue
bonds |
1935-1949 |
Organization (31:11-5)Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 9 | Organizational chart |
circa 1966 |
ReportsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 10-12 | Annual financial reports |
1954-1969 |
| 2 / 13 | Broadwater-Missouri Diversion Project application
(includes maps and photographs) |
1935 |
| 2 / 14-17 | Irrigation index (includes descriptions of irrigation
projects statewide and in each county, arranged by county) |
1934-1935 |
| 2 / 18 | Potential projects report |
1965 |
| 2 / 19 | Report of State Water Conservation Board outlining
work accomplished during the year |
1951 |
| 2 / 20 | Report on Montana water resources prepared for United
States Senate Select Committee on National Water Resources |
1959 |
| 2 / 21-23 | Small Reservoir Data: United States Bureau of
Reclamation Upper Missouri River Basin Investigations (arranged alphabetically by
stream, includes index) |
1940-1942 |
| 2 / 24-27 | Status of water conservation projects in Southeastern
Montana (arranged by county) |
1937-1938 |
| 2 / 28 | Yellowstone River: Wyo., Mont., and N. Dak., [by]
United States Army Corps of Engineers (Appendix 3: Existing Irrigation
Developments) |
1934 |
| 2 / 29 | Yellowstone River: Wyo., Mont., and N. Dak., [by]
United States Army Corps of Engineers (Appendix 4: Potential Irrigation
Developments) |
1934 |
| 2a / 1 | Yellowstone River: Wyo., Mont., and N. Dak., [by]
United States Army Corps of Engineers (Appendix 5: Data on Potential Power
Projects) |
1934 |
| 2a / 2 | Yellowstone River: Wyo., Mont., and N. Dak., [by]
United States Army Corps of Engineers (Appendix 6: Floods and Flood Control
Plans) |
1934 |
| 2a / 3 | Yellowstone River: Wyo., Mont., and N. Dak., [by]
United States Army Corps of Engineers (Appendix 7: Geology of Dam Sites) |
1934 |
Speeches and WritingsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2a / 4 | Miscellaneous (includes talk by unidentified person on
Montana's water resources, article by R.J. Kelly on Hysham Pumping Project, and radio
speech by G.P. Balgord on water conservation) |
1939-1951 |
Subject FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2a / 5 | Columbia River Water Congress for the
Northwest |
1966-1967 |
| 2a / 6 | International waters (includes International Joint
Commission order, 1921, re St. Mary River and Milk River waters) |
1965-1966 |
| 2a / 7 | Milk River flood relief: clippings |
1952 |
| 2a / 8 | Milk River flood relief: correspondence, press
releases, meetings) |
1952-1955 |
| 2a / 9 | Milk River flood relief: financial |
1952 |
| 2a / 10 | Milk River flood relief: cities (includes Chinook,
Dodson, Glasgow, Harlem, Havre, Malta, Nashua) |
1952 |
| 3 / 1 | Milk River flood relief: counties (includes Blaine,
Hill, Phillips, Roosevelt, Valley) |
1952 |
| 3 / 2 | Milk River flood relief: irrigation districts (Blaine
County) |
1952 |
| 3 / 3 | Milk River flood relief: reports |
1952 |
| 3 / 4 | Milk River flood relief: State Water Conservation
Board |
1952 |
| 3 / 5 | United States Senate Select Committee on National
Water Resources |
1959-1960 |
| 3 / 6 | United States Small Reclamation Projects
Act |
1956-1963 |
| 3 / 7 | Water measurement meetings |
1960 |
| 3 / 8 | Water needs and uses: correspondence, reports,
statistics |
1965-1966 |
| 3 / 9 | Water needs and uses: Columbia River
watershed |
1965-1966 |
| 3 / 10 | Water needs and uses: Missouri River Basin |
1967-1968 |
| 3 / 11 | Water needs and uses: Yellowstone River Basin
(includes charts for average streamflow, 1889-1965) |
1967 |
| 3 / 12 | Design of transverse reinforcement for precast
reinforced concrete pressure pipe |
undated |
| 3 / 13 | Directory of soil and water conservation district
supervisors |
1966 |
| 3 / 14 | "The Libby Dam and what it means to you," KLCB radio
news [program 2 missing] |
1953 |
| 3 / 15 | Lists of project engineering and geologic reports
prepared |
1934-1937 |
| 3 / 16 | Lists of projects, locations, status, investment,
descriptions |
1937-1941 |
| 3 / 17 | Lists of Soil Conservation Service
projects |
1961-1965 |
| 3 / 18 | Lists of Works Progress Administration (WPA) and
Public Works Administration (PWA) projects |
1935-1936 |
| 3 / 19 | Lower Willow Creek Watershed brochure |
circa 1960 |
| 3 / 20 | Montana Reclamation Association draft of
pamphlet |
circa 1960 |
| 3 / 21 | Project completion lists |
1937, undated |
| Vol. 8 | Project register [includes lists of projects by
county] |
1935-1942 |
| 3 / 22 | United States Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention Act materials |
1951-1964 |
| 4 / 1-2 | Scrapbooks on formation and work of State Water
Conservation Board |
1934-1937 |
| 4 / 3 | Water supply crisis |
1965-1966 |
| 4 / 4 | Lists of maps and photographs transferred to Library
Map Collection and Photograph Archives respectively |
undated |
| 5 / 1-6 | Resolutions: Book 1-6, No. 1-No. 943 |
1934-1965 |
| 5 / 7-13 | Minute Books 1-7 |
1934-1941 |
Subject FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6 / 1-7 | Minute Books 8-14 |
1941-1974 |
| 6 / 8 | Resolutions 1-88 |
1934-1935 |
| 6 / 9-13 | Minutes |
1934-1936 |
| 6 / 10 | Irrigation District Bond Commission –
Minutes |
1921-1926 |
| 6 / 11-12 | Water Projects Referenced – Minutes, (projects
A-Z) |
1934-1949 |
| 6 / 13 | Water Projects Referenced – Minutes, (projects
A-H) |
1950-1971 |
| 7 / 1-5 | Allendale Irrigation Company v. State Water
Conservation Board/Flint Creek Water Users Association |
1940 |
| 7 / 6 | Water Projects – Minutes |
1950-1971 |
| 7 / 7 | Brady Project: Domestic Water Supply System – Bid,
Proposals, etc |
1945-1952 |
| 7 / 8 | Charlo Project: Charlo Water Users
Association |
1935-1963 |
| 7 / 9-13 | Broadwater Missouri Project: PWA Docket, Bonds,
Financial Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1946 |
| 7 / 14-18 | Columbus Irrigation Project: PWA Docket, Bonds,
Financial Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1977 |
| 7 / 19-26 | Conrad Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1943 |
| 7 / 27 | Dead Man’s Basin Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1942-1947 |
| 8 / 1-4 | Dead Man’s Basin Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1940-1942 |
| 8 / 5-19 | Flint Creek Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1938 |
| 8 / 20-27 | Livingston Ditch Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1942 |
| 8 / 28-29 | Middle Creek Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1949 |
| 8 / 30-33 | Nevada Creek Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1949 |
| 8 / 34-35 | North Fork Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1945 |
| 8 / 36-37 | Park Bench Canal Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1937 |
| 8 / 38 | Big Dry Creek Storage Project: PWA Docket |
1936 |
| 9 / 1-2 | Park Bench Water Fund : PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1940 |
| 9 / 3 | Red Lodge Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1941 |
| 9 / 4-6 | Red Lodge Rock Creek Water Users Association: PWA
Docket, Bonds, Financial Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids,
etc. |
1938-1940 |
| 9 / 7-9 | Ruby River Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1936-1937 |
| 9 / 10-11 | Sidney Pump Project: PWA Docket, Bonds, Financial
Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1942 |
| 9 / 12-14 | Upper Musselshell Project: PWA Docket, Bonds,
Financial Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1946 |
| 9 / 15-16 | West Fork – Bitterroot Project: PWA Docket, Bonds,
Financial Statements, Change Orders, Correspondence, Bids, etc. |
1938-1957 |
| 9 / 17 | Hydrology and Weed Control, Daly Ditches |
1960-1962 |
| 9 / 18 | Engineering Expenses |
1937 |
| 9 / 20 | Annual Report |
1963-1964 |
| 9 / 21 | List of Water Users/Contract Holders |
1964-1965 |
| 10 / 1 | Water Users Associations: Lists of Water Sold and
Water Purchased |
1956-1966 |
| 10 / 2 | Water Users Associations – Repayments |
1963-1966 |
| 10 / 3 | Administrative Files |
1950-1953 |
| 10 / 4 | “Governor” – Administrative and
Correspondence |
1947-1955 |
| 10 / 5 | Big Creek Storage Project – PWA Docket |
1942 |
| 10 / 6 | SWCB – Minutes |
1951-1968 |
| 10 / 7 | Big Horn Canyon Irrigation and Water Company
Project |
1949 May |
| 10 / 8 | Drainage Basins – Reports |
1936-1937 |
| 10 / 9 | Moorhead Unit, Montana and Wyoming, Powder Division,
Missouri River Basin Project |
1954 |
| 10 / 11 | Irrigation Index by Counties |
1934 July |
| 10 / 12 | Projects Listings by Counties |
1940 |
| 10 / 13-14 | Resettlement Dams Reports, CCC |
1938 |
| 10 / 15 | Council of State Governors |
1956 |
| 10 / 16 | An Early Report on the Water Board and USBR Potential
Projects |
1968 |
| 10 / 17 | SWCB |
1941 January |
| 10 / 18 | SWCB Annual Report |
1970 June 30 |
| 10 / 19 | Lists of Projects/Projects Data |
1937 |
| 10 / 20 | Miscellaneous |
1947-1948 |
| 10 / 21 | PWA Applications |
1938 |
| 10 / 22-23 | Miscellaneous PWA Projects |
undated |
| 10 / 24 | PWA Project Costs |
1936-1938 |
| 10 / 25 | Franklin District |
1923-1925 |
| 10 / 26 | Board of Land Commissioners |
1935 |
| 11 / 1 | Abstracts of WPA Projects |
1938 |
| 11 / 2 | Preliminary Applications to PWA Projects |
1934 |
| 11 / 3 | WPA Worksheets |
1937 |
| 11 / 4 | Dam and Reservoir Data |
undated |
| 11 / 5 | Miscellaneous |
1935-1936 |
| 11 / 6-7 | Status of Eastern Montana WPA Projects |
1941 |
| 11 / 8 | Waterton-Belly Hearings |
1955-1955 |
| 11 / 9 | Waterton-Belly Rivers |
1950 |
| 11 / 10 | Waterton-Belly Oral Testimonies |
1955 |
| 11 / 11 | Waterton-Belly Resolution 895 |
1953 |
| 11 / 12 | Waterton-Belly Report Before International Joint
Commission |
1955 |
| 11 / 13 | Waterton-Belly Reports/Correspondence |
1952-1954 |
| 11 / 14 | Waterton-Belly Memorial #12 |
1953 |
| 11 / 15 | Waterton-Belly Engineering Committee Board
Minutes |
1948-1953 |
| 11 / 16 | Waterton-Belly Statements |
1957 |
| 11 / 17 | Waterton-Belly Miscellaneous |
1948-1953 |
| 11 / 18 | Federal Power Commission Correspondence |
1944-1945 |
| 11 / 19 | Montana Power Company – Lake/River Water
Supply |
circa 1925-1945 |
| 12 / 1 | Broadwater-Missouri River Project – Maps and
Plats |
1902-1939 |
| 12 / 2 | Montana Power Company Case Files – Claims to
Water |
1942-1971 |
| 12 / 3 | Montana Power Company Case Files –
Exhibits |
1941 |
| 12 / 4 | Montana Power Company Case Files |
1898 |
| 12 / 5 | Reservoir/River – Natural Flow Curves |
undated |
| 12 / 6 | Montana Power Company Case Files |
1939-1941 |
| 12/7 | Federal Power Commission – Re: Montana Power Company
Opinion No. 120 |
undated |
| 12/8 | Federal Power Commission – Correspondence |
1940-1943 |
| 12/9 | Federal Power Commission – Correspondence,
Water/Rivers Studies |
1941-1943 |
| 12/10 | Montana Power Company – Navigability of Missouri
River |
1941 |
| 12/11-12 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Nevada
Creek |
1939-1946 |
| 12/13-14 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Red Lodge – Rock
Creek |
1938-1946 |
| 12/15-16 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Flint Creek |
1941-1946 |
| 12/17 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Westpark |
1940-1946 |
| 13/1-2 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Ackley
Lake |
1938-1946 |
| 13/3-4 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Willow
Creek |
1938-1946 |
| 13/5 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Ruby River |
1938-1946 |
| 13/6-7 | Water Sold and Stored Reports – Tongue
River |
1944 December 31 |
| 13/8 | Vananda - Richardson Reservoir |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 13/9 | Richey - Wold Reservoir |
1939 October – 1940 September |
| 13/10 | Cohagen – Phillips Creek |
1941 |
| 13/11 | Cohagen – Little Dry Creek |
1941-1942 |
| 13/12 | Van Norman - Billings Reservoir |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 13/13 | Van Norman – Big Dry Stream |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 13/14 | Hathaway – Neilson Reservoir |
1941-1942 |
| 13/15 | Rosebud – Rosebud River |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 13/16 | Jordan – Big Dry Creek |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 13/17 | Baker - Baker Lake |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 13/18 | Baker – Red Butte Reservoir |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 14/1 | Sykes - Box Elder Stream |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 14/2-3 | Baker – Red Butte Creek |
1940 October – 1941 September |
Subject FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 15/2 | Baker – Baker Lake |
1940 October – 1941 September |
| 15/1 | Cohagen – Little Dry Stream |
1940 October – 1941 September |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Dams--Montana
- Electric Power--Montana
- Floods--Montana
- Irrigation--Montana
- Missouri River--Barrages
- Water districts--Montana
- Water supply--Montana
- Yellowstone River
Geographical Names
- Broadwater County (Mont.)
- Wyoming
Finding aid prepared by Ellie Letterman; Updated by
Lindsey Mick
2012;
2024
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
