The following is via The Milk River Project:
Well folks, this isn’t the news we wanted to share. We experienced a minor slide on the downstream side of the St. Mary Canal Friday (7/11) afternoon, just past Spider Lake—likely compounded by increased traffic over a gravel vein while moving equipment to Halls Coulee. Crews caught it quickly and added material to stabilize it, but the slope continued to move. As a precaution, we’ve shut the system down and are currently dewatering the area to prevent it from becoming a larger issue.
Crews will be on site first thing Monday morning to make repairs, and we expect to have things back up and running within a couple of days. We’re planning to hold water in Spider Lake to help speed up the restart process once repairs are complete. Fortunately, we already have the crews and materials on site, so we’re ready to move quickly.
This is another clear example of the challenges we face in maintaining a 100-year-old canal system—and why full rehabilitation is more important than ever. The funding for a complete rehabilitation is already included in the Ft. Belknap Water Compact, and we remain committed to pushing those efforts forward in Congress. This system is vital to our communities, our farms, and our future.
Thanks for your patience and continued support.
