MTLRS443.xml Guide to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Director’s Office records 1939-2007 Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Director’s Office Records Finding aid prepared by Rachel Lilley; Updated by Lindsey Mick Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) Montana Historical Society 2012; 2024
Helena, MT
Finding aid encoded by Matt Kruse; Updated by Lindsey Mick2012; 2024 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition). Montana Historical Society Archives RS 443_RS 496 Montana. Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Director’s Office records 1939-2007 12 linear feet This collection is a subgroup (Division) 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. This collection is comprised of records of the DNRC's Director’s Office and includes correspondence, subject files, and records collected by the director on the Montana Governor’s Council on Natural Resources and Development (GCNRD) and Water Resources Board. 43: 4-7 English

"Helping to ensure that Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations" is the mission of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). First established in 1971 as a result of the Executive Reorganization Act of 1971, the DNRC provides leadership in managing the state's natural resources. It is presently responsible for promoting the stewardship of Montana's water, soil, forest, and rangeland resources; for regulating forest practices and oil and gas exploration and production.

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.

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 Director’s Office carries out the Department’s mission and statutory responsibilities by administering, managing, planning, and evaluating total agency performance. The director oversees the development of appropriate policies and procedures throughout all organizational units of the agency and makes sure the structure supports optimum efficiency, consistency and capability for planning, consultation and decision-making.

The Director’s Office includes the director’s staff, a Public Affairs Office, a centralized Legal Unit, and a centralized Human Resources Office. The Financial Services Office is an extension of the director’s responsibility, and ability to provide budgeting, accounting, procurement, and contract management. The Office of Information Technology provides agency-wide services and support for network administration, applications and website development, and customer services.

This collection is composed of one series and two sub-series.

Series I is comprised of correspondence and subject files. Correspondence is arranged by year, and then alphabetically by subject. Subject files are arranged alphabetically.

Sub-series I and II represent records of the Montana Governor’s Council on Natural Resources and Development (GCNRD) and Water Resources Board (previously the State Water Conservation Board), respectively, that were collected by DNRC’s Director in the course of his duties.

This collection is arranged by series.

Collection is open for research.

The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Library & Archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Library & Archives before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.

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.

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

Acquisition information available upon request

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.

Environmental protection—Montana Water-supply Mining – Montana Montana Environmental Activism Water and Water Rights Detailed Description of the Collection Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Director’s Office Correspondence 1 / 1-3 / 4 General Correspondence 1972 January– 1976 December 3 / 5 Advisory Councils 1973-1975 3 / 6 Alternative Energy Advisory Council 1976-1977 3 / 7 Bechtel Incorporated 1971-1972 3 / 8 Bonneville Regional Advisory Council 1972-1974 3 / 9 Bonneville Power Administration 1977-1978 3 / 10 Budget and Program Planning 1976 3 / 11 Bureau of Land Management 1972-1978 3 / 12 Bureau of Reclamation 1972-1973 3 / 13 Burlington-Northern, Inc. [easement Request] 1972-1976 3 / 14 Conservation Districts 1974-1976 3 / 15 Conservation Districts Division 1977 3 / 16-17 Constituents [letters from] 2007 January – December 4 / 1 Department of State Lands 1969-1975 4 / 2 Energy Planning Division 1976 4 / 3 Environmental Defense Fund 1973 4 / 4 Environmental Protection Agency 1973 4 / 5 Department of Administration 1972-1976 4 / 6 Department of the Interior 1973-1976 4 / 7 Economic Development Association of Eastern Montana 1972 4 / 8 Energy 1975-1977 4 / 9 Federal Energy Impact Assistance 1976 4 / 10 Federal Resource Agency Reorganization 1978-1979 4 / 11 Federal of Rocky Mountain States, Inc. 1977 4 / 12 Forestry Division 1976 4 / 13 “General Correspondence on Colstrip Study” 1973-1975 4 / 14 Legal Unit 1975-1976 4 / 15 Letters [Director] 1972 4 / 16 [DNRC] Library 1978 4 / 17 Montana State University 1972-1973 4 / 18 “Nuclear Siting” [Nuclear Regulatory Reform Act] 1977 4 / 19-5 / 4 Office of the Governor 1969-1977 5 / 5 “Organization – DNRC” 1977 5 / 6 “P.L. 566 Watershed Project Planning” 1972-1974 5 / 7 Renewable, Alternative Energy Sources 1976-1977 5 / 8 Resource Development Program, Water Development Bureau 1975-1977 5 / 9 Resource Planning Act 1977 5 / 10 Rural Environmental Assistance Program 1973 5 / 11 Shoup, Richard G. [Congressman] 1973-1974 5 / 12 Special Staff Unit 1975-1976 5 / 13 “United States Canadian Border Fence” 1971-1972 5 / 14-15 Water Resources Division 1975 Subject Files 6 / 1 Atomic Energy [in obtaining water] 1967 6 / 2 [Balanced Growth Task Force Issue papers] ca. 1979 6 / 3 Bureau of Reclamation 1969-1971 6 / 4 [Cases, C.J. Dousman] 1942-1945 6 / 5 Civil Defense [re: Montana streams travel Times] 1965 6 / 6 College Water Research 1965 6 / 7 Colorado River [Colorado River Board, Colorado River Association of California] 1966-1967 6 / 8 Columbia Plateau Resources Council 1966-1968 6 / 9 Department of Agriculture 1960-1969 6 / 10 Department of Health [Montana] 1972-1973 6 / 11 Department of Intergovernmental Affairs Notice of Surplus Determination – Government Property in Columbia Falls, Whitefish] 1973 6 / 12 Department of the Interior 1966-1970 6 / 13 D’Ewart, Wesley A. 1967-1968 6 / 14 Davis, Clarence A. 1962-1968 6 / 15 Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Balanced Growth Task Force 1978 6 / 16 Energy Conservation 1976 6 / 17 EPA Grant Status [Montana Environmental Quality Council] 1971 6 / 18 Environmental Quality Council 1972-1973 6 / 19 Forest Practices Advisory Council 1973-1974 6 / 20 Gianelli, William 1967-1969 6 / 21-22 “Governor’s Forums” [Governor’s Public Forums on the Economy] 1977 6 / 23 Grass Conservation Commission 1960-1971 6 / 24 Hiplex Program 1976 6 / 25-7 / 1 Howard v. Howard [C.J. Dousman] 1942-1946 7 / 2-3 Inland Empire Waterways Association 1964-1971 7 / 4-5 Interstate Conference on Water Problems 1970-1971 7 / 6 Land and Water Conservation Fund 1968 7 / 7-11 [State Legislation/Legislature] 1950-1969 7 / 12 Libby Re-regulation Dam Project 1978 7 / 13 “Miscellaneous Meetings” 1967-1969 7 / 14 Mississippi River 1966-1969 7 / 15-16 Missouri River Basin Inter-Agency Committee 1962-1968 7 / 17 Missouri River States Committee 1964-1968 7 / 18-19 Missouri Valley Association 1964-1969 7 / 20 Montana Association of Conservation Districts 1975 7 / 21 Montana Energy Advisory Council 1974-1976 7 / 22 Montana Energy Conservation plan 1977 7 / 23 Montana Reclamation Association 1965 7 / 24 Montana State Rural Areas Development 1971 7 / 25 Montana University Joint Water Resources Research Center 1968 7 / 26 Montana Water Congress 1968 7 / 27 Montana Water Development Association 1967 7 / 28 Montana Water Development Council 1969 7 / 29 National Governors’ Conference [Sub- Committee reports] 1967 7 / 30 National Reclamation Association 1968 8 / 1 Non-degradation Policy 1968 8 / 2-4 National Water Commission 1968-1971 8 / 5-6 News Releases and Speeches 1974-1978 8 / 7 Northwest Electricity Task Force 1977 8 / 8 Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission [Resolution No. 11] 1969 8 / 9 Pacific Northwest Water Development 1968-1969 8 / 10-11 Pollution 1966-1969 8 / 12 Proposed Legislation [includes Colorado River Basin project] 1963-1969 8 / 13 “Public Involvement” 1979 8 / 14 Reclamation – Miscellaneous 1972 8 / 15 Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs 1964-1967 8 / 16 Soil Conservation Service 1969-1970 8 / 17-18 Special Staff, Staff Meetings 1977-1979 8 / 19 State Conservation Commission Meetings 1972 8 / 20 State Water Conservation Board, Legal Issues 1939-1940 8 / 21 State Water Conservation Board, Legal Opinions undated 9 / 1 State Water Conservation Board, Misc. 1949-1963 9 / 2 [Statement by Director Gary Wicks, re: coal] undated 9 / 3 Upper Missouri Water Users Association 1963-1968 9 / 4 “Ward, Sylvester Murder – Missoula” 1943-1944 9 / 5 Water for the West – Regional Plans” 1969 9 / 6 Water Research Center 1970 9 / 7-9 Water Resources Board 1961-1970 9 / 10-11 Water Resources Council 1967-1969 9 / 12 Water Right Act of 1968 1968 9 / 13 Water Quality Management Plan 1979-1980 9 / 14 Water and Water Courses circa 1940 9 / 15 Western Governors’ Conference 1967-1968 9 / 16 Western Governors’ Task Force 1977 9 / 17 Western Interstate Water Conference 1959-1970 9 / 18-19 Western Regional Drought Action Task Force (WDRATF) 1977-1978 9 / 20 Western States Water Augmentation Concept 1968 Montana Governor’s Council on Natural Resources and Development Minutes 10 / 1-6 Governor’s Council on Natural Resources And Development (GCNRD) 1962-1971 10 / 7-8 Interdepartmental Advisory Council on Natural Resources (IACNR) 1953-1961 Subject Files 10 / 9-11 IACNR 1960-1967 10 / 12 GCNRD 1970-1971 10 / 13 GCNRD, Annual Report 1970-1973 10 / 14 GCNRD, Blackfoot River proposals 1970 10 / 15-16 GCNRD, Buffalo Creek Area Study [reports and miscellaneous] 1968 10 / 17 GCNRD, Coal and Water report 1971 10 / 18 GCNRD, “Compound 1080” 1970 10 / 19 GCNRD, Environmental Coordinating Committee 1971 10 / 20 GCNRD, Environmental Policy 1970-1971 10 / 21 GCNRD, Financial Reports 1969-1971 10 / 22 GCNRD, Geologic Atlas 1969-1971 10 / 23 GCNRD, Landscape Architect 1970-1971 10 / 24 GCNRD, Legislative Auditor’s Committee 1971 11 / 1 GCNRD, Mined Land Reclamation 1970 11 / 2 GCNRD, Miscellaneous 1970-1971 11 / 3 GCNRD, Modern Water Code 1970 11 / 4 GCNRD, Mosquito Abatement Advisory Council 1971 11 / 5 GCNRD, Montana Wildlife Federation 1971 11 / 6 GCNRD, Newlan Creek Watershed Work Plan 1969 11 / 7 GCNRD, Nuclear Compact 1970 11 / 8 GCNRD, Pesticides 1970-1971 11 / 9 GCNRD, Pollution Control Activities 1970 11 / 10 GCNRD, Prairie Dog Town [Greycliff] 1970 11 / 11 GCNRD, Public Domain Lands Proposed Classification 1970 11 / 12 GCNRD, Rangeland Resource Plan 1970 11 / 13 GCNRD, “A Review of Montana Law as it Pertains to the Problem of Making Recreation A Beneficial Use of Water” 1970 11 / 14 GCNRD, Refuse Act of 1899 1970-1971 11 / 15 GCNRD, Road Improvement in the Fort Peck Area 1970 11 / 16 GCNRD, Smith River Planning 1970 11 / 17 GCNRD, Science and Technology 1970 11 / 18 GCNRD, Sun River Project at Great Falls 1970 11 / 19 GCNRD, Water Activities Summaries 1970-1971 11 / 20 GCNRD, Water Policy 1970 11 / 21 GCNRD, Wilderness Act 1970 11 / 22 GCNRD, Wild and Scenic Rivers 1971-1972 Water Resources Board Minutes 11 / 23-24 Water Resources Board [formerly the State Water Conservation Board], Meetings 1960-1970 Subject Files 11 / 25 WRB, Accounting Report 1969 June, 1970 11 / 26-27 WRB, Director [Douglas Smith] 1969-1971 11 / 28 WRB, Executive Reorganization 1969-1970 12 / 1-10 WRB, Meetings [packets of information gathered for meetings] 1969 December – 1971 November