2022 Stakeholder Working Groups Archive: Membership and Meeting Materials
Final Decree Transition
Changes, Mitigation, & Exceptions
2023 Session Bills
SB 72 Water Distribution & Administration After Adjudication
Senator Fitzpatrick - Bill Sponsor
Currently, there are four Water Divisions, which are collectively known as the Water Court. As the Water Court begins to issue final decrees, water stakeholders have expressed concern about water administration and a desire to clarify the role of the judiciary. This legislation was intended to provide continuity between water right adjudication and administration of the final decrees. Representing significant compromise between stakeholders in the working group, this legislation defined the roles of the Montana Water Court and District Courts, preserving the knowledge and expertise of the Water Court while also providing the opportunity for localized water distribution. The legislation aimed to preserve processes that work well, and update inefficient processes, to meet Montana’s future water challenges.
Post-session update: SB 72 was tabled in the House Judiciary Committee. The 2023-34 Stakeholder Working Group will carry forward many lessons learned as it prepares to revisit post-adjudication roles and responsibilities this biennium.
HB 114 Permit and Change Process Overhaul
Representative Vinton - Bill Sponsor
Water stakeholders frequently remark that the water permit and change process through the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Water Resources Division is not timely, transparent, streamlined, or consistent. A new permit can take several years to issue. Stakeholders have expressed that permitting inefficiencies increase costs and incentivize alternative avenues of water acquisition, including illegal water use. Responding to these concerns, the DNRC Comprehensive Water Review Stakeholder Working group recommended an overhaul to the permit and change process in this proposed legislation.
Post-session update: HB 114 was signed by the Governor on April 25, 2023 with an effective date of January 1, 2024. Rules implementing HB 114 were adopted by the DNRC on December 22, 2023. Learn more about HB 114 implementation here.
All Meetings and Materials
Archived meeting agendas, materials, and meeting recordings from the 2022 Stakeholder Working Groups.
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meetings
Date: September 27, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DNRC Headquarters - The Montana Room
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to 9.27.22 Agenda
Meeting Materials:
Final Decree Transition Working Group Meetings
Date: September 8, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DNRC Headquarters - the Montana Room
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to 9.8.22 Agenda
Meeting Materials:
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meetings
Date: August 23, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DNRC Headquarters - The Montana Room
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to 8.23.22 Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Permit and Change Process - dated 8.17.22 - We hope to solidify this draft and determine areas of consensus and dissent by voting at the meeting: Link to Document
- Adverse Effect - DNRC's response to the working group's questions: Link to Document
- Measurement - Sub Working Group's recommendations: Link to Document
- Historical Use Analysis - Sub Working Group's notes/recommendations with DNRC response/plan: Link to Document
Final Decree Transition Working Group Meetings
Date: August 16, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to 8.16.22 Agenda
Meeting Materials:
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meetings
Date: July 26, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DNRC Headquarters - The Montana Room
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to 7.26.22 Agenda (framing questions included)
Meeting Materials:
- Permit and Change Process 5.0: Link to Document
- Current Process Flow Chart - Water Right Application Process: Link to Document
- Proposed Process Flow Chart - Water Right Application Process : Link to Document
- Gallatin Example - Mitigation: Link to Document
- Adverse Effect: Link to Document
Final Decree Transition Working Group Meetings
Date: July 12, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DNRC Headquarters - The Montana Room
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to 7.12.22 Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- 6.14.22 - Draft Strawman - All SWG member comments/edits right after the last meeting
- 7.5.22 - Draft Strawman - Sub working group (Abby, Krista, Ryan) tracked changes/comments - This version attempts to address the comments/edits from the last meeting as well as the comment/edits from the 6.14.22 version. Additional comments are made by sub working group members where clarification/continued discussion is needed.
- 7.5.22 - Clean Version of Strawman - most up to date with no comments or tracked changes.
- 7.12.22 - Summary of Specific Discussion Points and Crosswalk based on Strawman
- Framing Questions - no changes have been made since the last meeting
Final Decree Transition Working Group Meetings
Date: June 16, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DEQ RES Room 111
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Framing Questions
- Water Division Court Updated Model: Link to Document
- Water Division Court Updated Presentation: Link to Presentation
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meetings
Date: June 21, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: DNRC Headquarters - The Montana Room
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Framing Questions
- Permit and Change Process Draft Recommendations 2.0: Link to Document
- KC #3 Mitigation Tools, Examples and FAQs: Link to Document
- Summary of Next Steps from 5.24.22 CME Meeting: Link to Notes
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meetings
Date: May 24, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: Montana League of Cities and Towns, 700 W. Custer, Helena, MT
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Framing Questions
- Permit and Change Application Issues-Recommendations: Link to Document
- Recommendations and Summary Notes: Link to Document
- Mitigation Process: Link to Document
- CME Challenges and Strawman Recommendations: Link to Document
- Video Recording of Meeting: Link to Video
Final Decree Transition Working Group Meetings
Date: May 10, 2022
Time: 9:00AM to 3:00PM
Location: Room 137 Capitol Building, Helena, MT
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Updated Framing Questions
- Water Division Court Model: Link to Model
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meetings
Date: April 26, 2022
Location: Montana Conference Room, DNRC HQ, 1539 11th Ave
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Updated Framing Questions
- Defining Terms: Link to Terms
Final Decree Transition Stakeholder Working Group Meeting
Date: April 12, 2022
Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: Room 172 State Capitol
Registration: Link to Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Updated Framing Questions
- Defining Terms: Link to Terms
Changes, Mitigation and Exceptions Stakeholder Working Group Meeting
Date: March 23, 2022 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: Capitol Building Room 102, Helena, MT
Registration: Zoom Registration 404 404 404
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Framing Questions
- Defining Terms: Link to Terms
Final Decree Transition Meeting
Date: March 10, 2022 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: Capitol Building, Helena, MT
Registration: Zoom Registration 404 404 404
Agenda: Link to Agenda
Meeting Materials:
- Framing Questions: Link to Framing Questions
- Meeting Recording: Link to Recording
- Meeting Summary: Link to Summary
Region 1 - Western
Date: March 30, 2022 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Registration: Zoom Registration 404 404 404
Region 2 - Southwestern
Date: March 24, 2022 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Registration: Zoom Registration 404 404 404
Regional Drought Stakeholder Meetings
Region 4 - Central
Date: March 17, 2022 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Registration: Zoom Registration 404 404 404
Regional Drought Stakeholder Meetings
Regions 3 and 6 - North Central and Northeastern
Date: March 16, 2022 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Registration: Zoom Registration
Regional Drought Stakeholder Meetings
Regions 5 and 7 - South Central and Southeastern
Date: March 15, 2022 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Registration: Zoom Registration
Drought Task Force Meeting
Date: March 9, 2022 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Registration: Zoom Registration
Agenda: Link to Agenda
DATE |
WHAT |
MATERIALS |
|
11.15.2021 |
Public meeting on the Draft Key Water Administration and Management Challenges and Proposed Action Plans |
Agenda |
|
11.01.2021 |
Water Right Application and Ownership Update Processing Factsheet |
|
|
OPEN TO 07.31.2021 |
Water Processes Stakeholder Outreach Survey |
Closed 07.31.2021 |
|
06.15.2021 |
Existing Users Meeting |
|
|
06.17.2021 |
In-Stream Flow Meeting |
|
|
06.23.2021 |
New Users Meeting |
|
|
06.30.2021 |
Water Rights Processing Factsheet |