Montana

Montana Land Board decides to take stronger role in water decisions • Daily Montanan

Published

2 years ago

June 7, 2024

Montana Land Board decides to take stronger role in water decisions • Daily Montanan

The Montana Land Board decided to take back the authority it ceded decades ago at its May meeting, but the decision to do that, along with a recent Supreme Court ruling, has cast an uneasy tension between state leaders and the agricultural community.

As temperatures continue to rise and the threat of fire grows, ranchers and farmers continue to be concerned about their land and access to water. In Montana, water rights are notoriously complex and litigious, with some disputed claims still outliving the residents who originally brought them.

At issue is how the State of Montana claims water rights when dealing with state-owned leased lands. Like many western states, large tracts of land are held in trust by the state and money made from leasing the land goes into a fund to support public education.

However, a recent court case and the management of water rights by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the state agency in charge of the trust lands, has sparked renewed concerns that the state may try to take water rights away from property owners.

The case, Schutter vs. State Land Board, was decided in May and the state’s highest court ruled that if a resident filed a water claim, even if the source of the water was on private land, that if it has been used in part to water state land then the state owns part of that water right. That has led to an uproar from the agricultural community, which is worried that simply transferring water from private land to leased state land will create an opportunity for the state to take water rights.

From that decision and recent contentious land board meetings, the Montana Land Board, comprised of the five “constitutional” officers (the governor, attorney general, auditor, secretary of state and superintendent of public education), has revisited its policy of delegating legal challenges to the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

Because of the uproar and concern from the Schutter case, the land board decided to reverse a decades-long policy of delegating water rights decisions to agency officials, and will now require any potential future water cases go to the board for permission to proceed. In other words, the DNRC will no longer be able to litigate or challenge cases without first getting the approval of the land board, a change brought by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who had previously vowed to update the policy to bring more oversight to the elected leaders and less authority to the agency.

The proposal was supported unanimously. All members of the state’s Land Board are Republican.

Though the policy promised more oversight, farmers, ranchers, attorneys and those in agriculture seemed uncertain whether the move would help with disputes.

Many members of the agriculture community testified that they were still worried about the uncertainty they saw in the application of Montana law. Many expressed concern that during dry years if they used water they owned on state land to help, the state may try to claim a portion of it.

“We have to be assured that if we use our water on state land,” said Sen. Butch Gillespie, who gave public comment as both a rancher and Republican state senator.

Carl DeVries, a rancher from Roberts and a member of the Senior Agricultural Water Rights Alliance agreed.

“We need assurances if it is a temporary situation,” DeVries said.

For months, farmers and ranchers have said that without more protections or assurances that they would be hesitant to lease land for fear of losing water rights.

Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras worked with the DNRC to present to the Land Board an overview about how the state department works with residents who bid on and win the state leases. Juras is not only the lieutenant governor, but comes from an agricultural background and is an attorney. She pointed out that paperwork can be filed with the state to protect temporary water usage on state land.

Betsy Story, a water law attorney from Helena, said that she was still concerned about the gray areas of the law, including when the state claims part of a water right that originates completely on private land. What happens, she asked, if another person in the future wins the lease for state land? She said a situation like that raises plenty of thorny legal issues.

Knudsen said he hoped returning legal oversight to the land board will help mitigate some of the conflict.

“This means that if the DNRC wants to make a legal claim, it must get explicit approval from us,” Knudsen said. “This should be as much as it can be in the public.”

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Atmospheric river drives flooding in northwest Montana

Published

6 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Atmospheric river drives flooding in northwest Montana

Warm temperatures and an “atmospheric river” of precipitation that flowed into northwestern Montana this week have generated a state of emergency in Montana’s northwesternmost county, Lincoln, as local waterways run unseasonably high.

Around 12 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service started issuing flooding watches as area snowpack sites reported 24-hour precipitation totals that were approaching record levels. NWS meteorologist Dan Borsum told Montana Free Press Thursday that the “rain-on-snow” nature of the recent precipitation has led to widespread flooding.

Borsum called the weather pattern “unusual” for mid-December, instead likening it to a warm April.

Zach Sherbo, the public health manager for the Lincoln County Health Department, said in a Thursday afternoon phone call that additional precipitation is expected through Thursday evening, so rivers could continue rising into Friday.

The Lincoln County communities of Libby and Troy have been hit the hardest by the deluge, which prompted emergency services personnel to issue a state of emergency Thursday afternoon. Residents are cautioned against unnecessary travel and those served by the Libby city water supply are under a boil-water order as a precaution in the event of water supply contamination. School has also been canceled for students in Libby and Troy, Sherbo said.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department has identified a handful of bridges that have been compromised or are washed out as a result of flooding. It suggests residents looking for information on road closures and bridge conditions review an interactive map that is available online and linked in a press release posted to the Lincoln County Health Department’s Facebook page.

“It’s going to take a long time to recoup from this, just structurally, just with the bridges we’ve lost already and the condition that they’re in and going toward,” Sherbo said. “It’s a pretty big combined local effort right now.”

Justun Juelfs, the Kalispell-area maintenance chief with the Montana Department of Transportation said three stretches of state-managed roadways were closed or under monitoring status as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

An approximately 80-foot section of the Farm to Market Road south of Libby has washed out as Libby Creek carved a new channel. MDT is also monitoring erosion that is occurring along a U.S. Highway 2 bridge southeast of Libby and along a section of Highway 56 near Bull Lake. Juelfs encouraged motorists to review MDT’s road conditions report for up-to-date information on impacts to state highways.

The Army Corps of Engineers is assisting with sandbag-filling and distributing efforts and the Red Cross has set up a shelter for those in need at the Assembly of God Church in Libby, according to Sherbo.

The Montana Disaster and Emergency Services agency is also lending a hand with the flood response. In an email to MTFP, Anette Ordahl with DES wrote that a district field officer and a recovery coordinator are on the ground in Libby to offer assistance.

In a Thursday afternoon press release, Gov. Greg Gianforte noted that Sanders and Flathead counties have also recognized the flooding by issuing emergency or disaster declarations. Up to four inches of additional rainfall are expected across western and south-central Montana, according to a disaster declaration Gianforte’s office included in a 3 p.m. press release.

The National Weather Service reported Thursday morning that the Bear Mountain snowpack monitoring site, located just across the border in Idaho, received 6.5 inches of precipitation as of this morning, making it the third-wettest 24-hour period for the site in its 44-year monitoring history. The six-day precipitation total for Dec. 6-11 is 13 inches.

Borsum, with the National Weather Service, said the recent, unseasonable warm spell in western Montana combined with the “super strong” atmospheric river to melt early season snowpack and drive flooding. A similar rain-on-snow event in early June of 2022 led to widespread flooding in parts of south-central Montana that required extensive repairs to roadways and bridges.

Thursday, the Yaak River near Troy surpassed its official flood stage, running at more than 7,500 cubic feet per second. Its usual volume for this time of the year is about 200 cfs.

The Fisher River near Libby was also nearing flood stage. As of Thursday afternoon, it was running at nearly 4,000 cfs, more than 20 times its usual volume for mid-December.

Zeke Lloyd and Jacob Olness contributed to this reporting.

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Nestled Next To Glacier National Park Is Montana’s Charming Town With Casinos And Ethereal Mountain Views – Islands

Published

18 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Nestled Next To Glacier National Park Is Montana’s Charming Town With Casinos And Ethereal Mountain Views – Islands

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Montana’s Glacier National Park is full of beautiful destinations, from stunning waterfalls to a hidden mountain passage with breathtaking alpine views. But when you visit this legendary national park, don’t miss the hidden gems right outside the park’s limits — like the charming small town of Browning, located on the Blackfoot Reservation, which boasts magnificent mountain views as well as a casino to try your luck at. This delightful town also has a wealth of outdoor activities and cultural sites on offer — and that’s not to mention its prime location just 15 minutes away from the eastern edge of Glacier National Park.

To get to Browning, you’ll likely want to fly to Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, about 91 miles away, then rent a car and enjoy a beautiful drive the rest of the journey. Alternatively, you can grab a taxi from the airport to the nearby Whitefish Amtrak Station, before embarking on a 2.5-hour Amtrak train ride that will take you to Browning. Either way, one thing is for certain: you’ll be treated to unbeatable scenery out the window along the way.

Visiting the Glacier Peaks Casino in Browning, Montana

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Who needs the overpriced games and bad vibes at Las Vegas’ Bighorn Casino when you’ve got Browning’s Glacier Peaks Casino as an option? If you’re over 18 and in the mood to take a gamble, you won’t want to miss out on visiting this entertainment hotspot. Open all hours of the day and night, this casino wonderland contains over 500 slot machines as well as table games, a bar, and a restaurant. Keep an eye on their website to see what special events are in the pipeline, from poker tournaments to the weekly “Jersey Monday” deal, where visitors wearing football jerseys get $10 of free play.

Adjacent to the casino is the Glacier Peaks Hotel, which boasts a business center, gym, indoor heated swimming pool, and other amenities, making it a modern and comfortable accommodation whether you’re in town for fun or for work. If you’re staying in the hotel — or if you simply want a break from the casino floor — the aptly-named Jackpot Restaurant onsite serves up classic American cuisine all day. Fuel yourself for more fun and games with everything from delectable biscuits and eggs to nachos to smash burgers and pizza.

Outdoor activities in Browning, Montana

Wild Goose Island at sunrise in Glacier National Park

Weidman Photography/Shutterstock

A trip to this scenic locale wouldn’t be complete without making the most of the incredible natural views on offer. One particularly worthwhile lookout point from which to enjoy panoramic views of the area is Wild Goose Island Lookout. Park at the pullout and walk to the nearby overlook to get a view of Wild Goose Island. This tiny isle rises just 14 feet above St Mary Lake in a perfect postcard-worthy image, and is dwarfed by towering mountains.

Visitors eager to earn a mountain view with some movement can opt for one of the many trails in and around Browning. For a short (and handicap-accessible) walk, try Running Eagle Falls. While this out-and-back route clocks in at just 0.7 miles in total, it punches above its weight when it comes to payoff with a stunning waterfall. Experienced hikers in search of a challenge can consider tackling Triple Divide Pass, a difficult 14-mile hike that will take you through the less-heavily-trafficked Cutbank portion of Glacier National Park. After steep mountain uphills, you’ll find yourself overlooking Medicine Grizzly Lake. Note that if you choose to embark on this route, you’ll want to download offline maps, as cell signal in the park is extremely limited.

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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life results for Dec. 10, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 10, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 10 drawing

10-16-29-33-69, Powerball: 22, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 10 drawing

05-07-14-16-45, Lucky Ball: 11

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 10 drawing

03-13-37-42-44, Star Ball: 01, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Dec. 10 drawing

02-16-18-31, Bonus: 06

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from Dec. 10 drawing

02-12-27-29-34

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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