Milk River Project
The Lifeline of the Hi-Line
Ongoing Projects
Stay up-to-date as structures throughout the Milk River and St. Mary system move through the planning, design, and construction phases.
St. Mary Siphon Failure Updates
On June 17, 2024, the St. Mary Siphon failed, causing significant impacts to the Milk River Project. To stay informed click here.
Have questions about water rights or concerns about unauthorized use after the St. Mary Siphon failure?
What is the Milk River Project?
The Milk River Project is beyond remarkable. With over a century of successful operation, this engineering feat diverts water from the St. Mary River on the Blackfeet Reservation, flowing through northern Montana and Glacier National Park, and across southern Alberta, Canada. This project is a testament to the intricate canals, siphons, and diversions designed for a seamless flow of water. The Milk River Project is essential to fulfill Montana’s water demands, catering to eight irrigation districts, Reclamation pump contracts, private contracts, the Blackfeet and Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and other living communities along the Milk River. The project has created numerous recreational opportunities for the surrounding inhabitants, contributing to the ecosystem’s prosperity and wildlife habitats. With such a prominent and successful project, the Milk River Project has proven to be a symbol of limitless possibilities.
Benefits to Montana’s Economy
How the Milk River Project has been providing to Northern Montana for over 100 years.
18,000
Residents provided drinking water
1,000,000
People fed annually
140,000
Acres of irrigated lands
700+
Farms
729
River miles of wildlife habitat and recreation
From Our Social Media
Milk River Project Partners
On this not-so-good Friday, another key piece of our team is off to new adventures—congratulations to Lauri Ward on her well-deserved retirement! 🎉
Lauri may have worked more behind the scenes, but her impact on the Milk River Project—especially the St. Mary Diversion and St. Mary Siphon—has been enormous. She navigated the maze of environmental and endangered species permitting, worked with all the "alphabet soup" agencies to keep us in compliance and moving forward. Without her, we simply wouldn’t be where we are today.
Lauri, your deep knowledge, steady leadership, and behind-the-scenes magic will be greatly missed. We know you have big plans for travel, adventure, and plenty of good fishing ahead—and we couldn’t be happier for you. 🛫🎣
Wishing you blue skies, full coolers, and unforgettable adventures in this next chapter. Congratulations, Lauri! Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Milk River Project—your hard work and dedication will always be a part of its success. ... See MoreSee Less
7 CommentsComment on Facebook
Well, I know it’s Good Friday—but it sure doesn’t feel all that good around here.
Today we say goodbye (sort of) to a legend: our longtime Dam Tender at Fresno, Marvin “Mugs” Morris, is officially retiring. Mugs has been with the Milk River Project since 2007, and to say he’s left a mark would be the understatement of the year.
Whether it was late-night gate changes during a storm, early morning adjustments to keep things on track, or catching issues before anyone else even had coffee—Mugs was there. Always dependable, always sharp, and somehow always in a good mood (even when we dragged him into a ridiculous photo op wearing a hat like this).
He’s trained a fantastic “Mugs 2.0” to carry the torch, but let’s be honest—it’s hard to replicate decades of training, instinct, grit, and the kind of know-how that only comes from living and breathing this Project day in and day out.
Mugs, thank you for your service, your humor, and your unwavering commitment to keeping the system running smoothly. The dam won’t be the same without you—and neither will our crew.
You’ve earned every second of this retirement… but don’t be surprised if we still call you once in a while. Just maybe not at 5 a.m. 😉
Cheers to you, Mugs. You will be deeply missed! ... See MoreSee Less
88 CommentsComment on Facebook
Today marks 18 years for me (Jenn) with the Milk River Joint Board of Control—and what a journey it’s been.
When I started—as the first manager they could all agree on (a miracle in itself!)—I had no idea where this job would take me. I definitely didn’t picture myself helping build drop structures, replace siphons, or learning more about irrigation than I ever thought possible. And I certainly didn’t expect to be working alongside some of the most brilliant, stubborn, and incredibly dedicated people in water and ag.
We’ve seen our share of highs and lows, and we’ve lost some truly incredible people along the way. But through it all, I’ve been proud to be part of the effort to rebuild the Milk River Project and help keep agriculture strong in northern Montana.
Thank you for trusting me with such an important job (honestly—what were you thinking 18 years ago? 😉), and thank you for growing with me every step of the way. It’s truly been the honor of a lifetime.
A huge thank-you to my bosses, our partners, and everyone who’s stuck with the Joint Board through thick and thin—I know it hasn’t always been easy. Your support means everything, and I can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings for us here in Milk River. Cheers! 💧💪🌾 ... See MoreSee Less
48 CommentsComment on Facebook
It’s been a very busy week at the St. Mary Siphon project for the crews!
Sletten Construction Company is making solid progress on both the inlet and outlet structures, keeping the schedule on track. Pro-Pipe Corporation continues welding the pipe fittings across bridge crossings—key connections to bring the system online. NW Construction is moving a lot of dirt, backfilling around the structures and pipe, and wrapping up work on the River Restoration effort. HDR Engineering remains a step ahead, delivering critical designs and answers to keep everything moving smoothly.
It’s all hands-on deck as this incredible team works to bring water back to the Milk River! 💧#StMaryProject #MilkRiverProject #InfrastructureInProgress #MontanaWater@@ ... See MoreSee Less
28 CommentsComment on Facebook
We had a special visit this past week from James Rolin with MTN News, who came up to showcase the project and, more importantly, I think he captured the incredible crew making it happen. We couldn’t be prouder of the hardworking team putting in the effort every day at the St. Mary Siphon Project!
One of our dedicated pipe crew members, Dustin White Grass, shared a powerful message that truly captures the spirit of this project:
"There's nothing like it – waking up in the morning and knowing that you're going to make a difference."
And what a difference this crew is making for the Milk River project!
Huge thanks to @rolinwild for making the trip despite the unpredictable spring weather. We appreciate your commitment to sharing the story of the St. Mary’s Siphon repairs.
Check out the full story here: www.krtv.com/neighborhood-news/hi-line/rebuilding-history-and-securing-the-future-saint-marys-can...
Photo credit: @rolinwild (Instagram) - www.RolinWild.com ... See MoreSee Less
22 CommentsComment on Facebook
Mother Nature might have been a few days late with her April Fools' joke, dropping 6 inches of wet snow, but we can't complain about the much-needed moisture in the basin. As you can see, the crews are pushing through and continuing their work despite the "white rain." ❄️🌧️
#milkriverproject #stmarysiphon ... See MoreSee Less
21 CommentsComment on Facebook