The Montana Board of Land Commissioners was authorized by the Montana Constitution of 1889 to administer the lands set aside by the federal government for the support of the state's public schools. Over 500,000 acres of land were earmarked for the support of public schools and lesser amounts to support the various segments of the University System, the State Reform School, the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and the Capitol Building. The duties of the Board were formalized by an act of the 1891 Legislature, which also established the office of the State Land Agent. The Land Agent, under the direction of the Board, was given the right to select lands "in lieu of" lands already taken for homesteads, mining claims, Indian Reservations, and railroad grants. State lands were divided into three categories: agricultural land which was to be sold to homesteaders, grazing land which could either be leased or sold to ranchers, and forest land which was to be retained by the state for protection of watersheds and for on-going income from the sale of timber. Some of these forest lands were in large blocks which became the basis for several state forests, including the Swan River State Forest and the Stillwater State Forest.
In 1895, the Register of State Lands office was created as the administrative arm of the Board to manage the state lands. After 1909, the state forest lands were administered by the State Forester and the State Board of Forestry, under the Board of Land Commissioners. The new agency was given the authority to administer the state's forest lands, to fight forest fires, and teach classes at the State University. The 1909 law also established procedures for evaluating state timber lands, administering timber sales, arranging for brush removal, protecting watersheds, and other administrative tasks. In 1927, the Twentieth Montana Legislative Assembly created the Department of State Lands and Investments. The new Department took over the functions of the Register of State Lands and was governed by the Board of Land Commissioners.
In 1971, as a result of the Executive Reorganization Act, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation was created to manage the state’s natural resources. It was and still is presently responsible for promoting the stewardship of Montana's water, soil, forest, and rangeland resources and for regulating forest practices as well as oil and gas exploration and production. As part of the 1995 government reorganization, the Department of State Lands was abolished, and its responsibilities were transferred to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
As of 2024, the Department is made up of the following Divisions: Director’s Office,
Conservation and Resource Development Division, Forestry-Trust Lands Division, and
Water Resources Division. Each Division oversees a number of Bureaus, Offices,
Programs, etc. The Energy Division’s responsibilities have been transferred to the
Department of Environmental Quality. Additionally, nine boards and commissions are
attached to the Department. Six of them—the Board of Land Commissioners, Reserved
Water Rights Compact Commission, Board of Oil and Gas Conservation, Board of Water
Well Contractors, Flathead Basin Commission, and Montana Grass Conservation
Commission—have decision-making authority. The other three—the Resource Conservation
Advisory Council, Rangeland Resources Committee, and Drought Advisory Committee—act
in an advisory capacity only. To see a current list of DNRC Divisions and staff,
please visit the
This collection contains records from various Divisions, Bureaus, and Boards within the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation records were integrated under one collection number to help facilitate access and reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog. Please note that some materials in the following groups may have originated in the Department of State Lands, the Department of State Lands and Investments, or other predecessor agencies.
To learn more detail about the records in each subgroup, please click on the links below in the arrangement section to be redirected to those finding aids.
This subgroup (1939-2007) contains records from DNRC's Director's Office and includes correspondence, subject files, and records of the Montana Governor’s Council on Natural Resources and Development (GCNRD) and Water Resources Board (previously the State Water Conservation Board), that were collected by DNRC’s Director in the course of his tenure. This subgroup also contains records from the sub-subgroup, Financial Services Office (2000-2009). These records consist of financial reports for the Environmental Contingency Account. Materials include memoranda, spreadsheets, and reports.
This subgroup (1939-2009) contains records from the Conservation and Resource Development Division and consists primarily of project files. The majority of the project files represent a variety of grant and loan programs the DNRC participated in, including Reclamation and Development Grants (RDG), Renewable Resource Grants and Loans (RRG/RRGL), Conservation District Grants (CDG), Range Improvement Loans (RIL) and Private Water Development Loans (WDL), Irrigation Development Loans (IDG), State Revolving Fund Loans (SRF), Resource Indemnity Trust Loans (RIT), and HB 223 Loans. The project files include grant or loan applications, application analysis and eligibility, correspondence, progress reports, photos, maps, diagrams, and overall project costs. Project files may also include case files related to suits, public hearings, pollution levels, site analysis related materials, etc.
This subgroup also contains records from the sub-subgroup, Conservation Districts Bureau (1940-1999), which operates within the Conservation and Resource Development Division. Materials consist of minutes of conservation district meetings, arranged alphabetically by the name of the district.
This subgroup (1913-2001) contains records from two sub-subgroups, Forest Management Bureau (1913-2001, formerly Forestry Division) and Trust Lands (1992-1999, formerly Trust Lands Management Division), both of which operate within the Forestry-Trust Lands Division.
Forest Management Bureau records consist primarily of subject files for forestry and conservation-oriented organizations, state agencies, and federal agencies, among other topics. These files include information on the broad range of Forestry's functions including forest fire protection, insect control, timber harvesting, forest research, land use, land exchanges, etc. In addition, there are legal documents, maps, and organizational materials, including administrative manuals, organization charts, work plans, and reports. It also contains materials from the Montana State Board of Forestry, including minutes; the Civilian Conservation Corps/ Emergency Conservation Work, which includes printed material and subject files on six forest CCC camps in western Montana; the Forest Lands Advisory Commission, consisting of a 1945 report to the governor and materials on which the report was based; and the Montana Rural Fire Fighters Service, consisting of correspondence, legal documents, minutes, annual and monthly reports, a subject file on cooperation with the Cooperative Extension Service, and other materials.
The second sub-subgroup, Trust Lands, is composed of subject files (1992, 1998-1999) containing documentation generated by Ethnoscience, Inc. of Billings, MT, in the course of that company’s archaeological and historical consultation on the dam restoration project.
This subgroup (1938-1971) contains records from the Water Resources Division and consists of survey books of various water related projects around the state, including dams, ditches, reservoirs, city water supplies, and pumping projects. The books contain statistical information charts and notes regarding project areas, such as ditch topographies and fence, post and road locations for water related projects.
This subgroup (1975-1988) consists of records from the sub-subgroup, Planning and Analysis Bureau, which operated within the Energy Division while it was still under DNRC (the Energy Division was transferred to the Department of Environmental Quality). It contains correspondence and subject files, which primarily include information on the Energy Supply Emergency Powers Act, the 1979 Fuel Shortage, and the Salem Coal-Fired Power Plant Project.
This subgroup (1968-1994) contains records of the Facility Siting Division (defunct, successor to the Energy Division). It includes correspondence, project files, the long-range plans of various utility companies required to be filed with the Division, and subject files. Please note that this collection is only preliminarily processed.
This subgroup (1985-1995) contains records from the Centralized Services Division (responsibilities now fall under Director's Office). It consists of general correspondence, the bulk of which is interdepartmental, and reports, including monthly status reports, goals and objectives, and intergovernmental reviews of the individual Bureaus.
This subgroup (1891-1937) contains records from the Board of Land Commissioners and consists of general correspondence, financial records, legal records, minutes, annual reports, subject files, and miscellany. Correspondence includes topics covering the evaluation of lands, the selection of lieu lands, negotiations with the federal government, sales of land, and management concerns; financial records include an audit of the Register of State Lands and receipts for state land selections; legal documents include applications for lieu selections, applications for purchase leases of agricultural, grazing, oil and gas, and other lands, expirations of leases, and timber permits; subject files contain materials on Capital Building bonds, forest fires of 1910, the pine bark beetle, and the Red Rock Lake Irrigation Project; miscellany consists of a testimony in a legislative investigation of the Board of Land Commissioners, land lists, plat books, and tract books.
This subgroup (1915-2003) contains records from the Board of Oil and Conservation. It consists of correspondence between state agencies, court papers, printed material consisting of an Oil and Gas statistical bulletin, reports including geological reports, well logs, oil production reports, and more, as well as subject files on topics such as oil, oil production, gasoline, petroleum, and well drilling.
This subgroup (1929-2000) contains records from the Montana Grass Conservation Commission and consists of subject files and correspondence kept by the Grass Conservation Commission and the Grazing Districts concerning grazing and rangeland management. The Cooperative Grazing District files contain grazing applications, permits, “Master Lists” of permit owners, correspondence, by-laws of the conservation district, range rules, maps, case files related to rangeland and grazing permits and use, and district organization documentation. Other subject files include incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Grass Conservation Commission, notes related to grazing district visits, meeting minutes, and other miscellaneous reports and documents related to grazing land management.
This subgroup (1898-1977) contains records from the State Water Conservation Board (defunct). It consists 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. Topics include potential and existing irrigation projects, power projects along the Yellowstone River, water conservation, Milk River flood relief, water needs and uses, and more.
This subgroup (1967-1971) contains records from the Water Resources Board (defunct). It consists of correspondence, some with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, a master list of projects, a report giving the historical background of the Board, an organizational chart, budget information, and a listing of goals.
This subgroup (1952-1996) contains records from the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation (defunct) and consists of minutes. Minutes are organized by subjects and may include case files, correspondence, reports, maps, and exhibits used during board meetings and conference calls. Minutes mostly pertain to specific districts and/or waterways.
This subgroup (1895-1903) consists of records from the Montana State Arid Land Grant Commission (defunct). This commission was formed in 1895 to help cultivate and irrigate desert lands, and it was eventually replaced with the Carey Land Act Board in 1903 (see subgroup 15). Materials consist of correspondence, minute books, financial records including a cash book and general ledger, reports, and miscellany.
This subgroup (1897-1962) contains records from the Montana Carey Land Act Board (defunct), established in 1903, to undertake projects for reclaiming land granted to the state under the federal Carey Land Act of 1894. It contains interoffice correspondence among the Carey Land Act Board, individual Board members, and the State Engineer, and general correspondence primarily with settlers and lease holders of Carey lands. Financial records include receipts for assignment fees, entry fees, and leases, a cash book, and financial reports by the Board secretary and the State Examiner. Also included are minutes, biennial reports, and subject files on irrigation projects.
This subgroup (1865-1964) contains records from the Montana State Engineer (defunct), whose office was responsible for developing state water projects. The State Engineer's responsibilities were transferred to the State Water Conservation Board in 1965. Records include correspondence, financial materials, minutes, organizational records, reports, speeches, subject files, clippings, and miscellaneous.
This subgroup (1916-1994) contains records from the Department of State Lands (defunct) and consists of subject files and correspondence. Topics primarily cover the sale of state lands, applications, costs, notifications, advertisements of land sales, etc. The Department of State Lands was abolished in 1995 and its duties were transferred to DNRC.
This collection is arranged into seventeen subgroups, represented by the Divisions, Boards, Commissions or Predecessor Agencies within or related to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Some of the Divisions contain the Bureaus, Programs, Offices, or Units that operate within the Division.
To learn more detail about the records in each subgroup, please click on the links below to be redirected to those finding aids.
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Collection open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. 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.
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 Montana Historical Society Library & Archives 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
Each of the links above will redirect the user to a specific subgroup (Division) or
sub-subgroup (Bureaus, Programs, or Offices) of the Montana Department of Natural
Resources and Conservation. There may be some overlap or inconsistencies in terms of
which records are in which subgroup or sub-subgroup, as these collections have
Please visit the finding aid for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
records,
Please visit specific subgroups' finding aids for citation information.
Acquisition information available upon request.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Research Center catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.