This week, the Milk River Valley has experienced an extreme 100-degree temperature swing, and water is now flowing rapidly along the Hi-Line. Water is always crucial, but this year, it’s even more vital following the loss of the St. Mary Diversion due to the St. Mary Siphon failure.
Fortunately, the Malta Irrigation District has a unique system at Dodson Dam that allows them to inflate bladders and divert water to Nelson Reservoir—and yesterday, they successfully did just that. While this is an unusually early start to the season for Malta, crews have been diligently preparing, closing the sluice gate, and opening the gates to divert water into Dodson South canal.
Are any of the creeks near you flooding right now? We’d love to see them! A big shoutout to the hardworking crew at Malta Irrigation for their dedication in making this happen. As shown in these photos, they’re keeping a close eye on ice jams and pushing through winter startup to protect their structures and ensure this extra water reaches Nelson Reservoir. 
WHAT IS NELSON?: Nelson Reservoir, located in Phillips County, Montana, is an off-stream storage reservoir for the Milk River Project. Supplied by the Milk River via the Dodson South Canal, it holds approximately 79,000 acre-feet of water for irrigation. The reservoir also supports recreation, including fishing and boating.
#milkriverproject #HiLine #TeamEffort
(post via Tami Burke, Facebook | Feature photo of Peoples Creek almost running over Hwy 2)
