Montana Carey Land Act Board records, 1897-1962

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.

The Carey Land Act Board was the successor to the State Arid Land Grant Commission [former RS 31]. The Board was set up by the 1903 Legislative Assembly, after the Commission was abolished. The bill authorized the Board to undertake projects for reclaiming land granted to the state under the federal Carey Land Act of 1894. Initially the Board was restricted to completing three projects begun by the Arid Land Grant Commission: District 1 near Billings, District 2 near Big Timber, and District 4, known as the Dearborn Canal. The 1905 Legislative Assembly expanded the objectives of the Board, allowing it to undertake new projects. Among these new projects were the Bynum Project, the Conrad-Valier Project, the Teton Project, and numerous smaller projects. The Carey Land Act Board was abolished in 1965 and its duties transferred to the State Water Conservation Board.