Application Status and Environmental Assessments

This webpage provides public notice about certain types of water rights applications. The documents available for an application will vary based on the process steps involved and the public notice requirements for a given type of application. Navigate this page by selecting a county on the left and viewing applications available for that county, or use the Search field to search for an application number, applicant name, or other search term. Please read below for a summary of the documents that will be available on this webpage, organized by application type. Documents on this webpage reflect pending applications and do not yet constitute official digital water right records. Note that at the completion of an application process, DNRC will remove the documents from this webpage, and they will be added to the scanned water right files available through the Water Rights Query System.

Application for Beneficial Water Use Permit (Application Type = 600) or Application to Change a Water Right (Application Type = 606)

 DNRC will post a series of documents throughout the application process:

• The Notice of Receipt summarizes the details as described in the application. The details provided reflect the application as originally submitted. The notice does not reflect updates to the application made during the review process.
• The Pending Application File will be available on the website when the application is deemed correct and complete, for applications received by DNRC on or after January 1, 2024. Please note that DNRC may update the pending application file on the website to include additional documents. For example, if public comments are received, the Draft Preliminary Determination and public comments will be added to the scanned application file, so that the public can review this information during the Objection Period.
• The Draft Preliminary Determination and Notice of Public Comment Period will be available on the website at the same time the Notice is published in the newspaper and mailed to parties on the notice list. Please note that these documents will be available only for applications received on or after January 1, 2024, as these documents are new with DNRC’s implementation of HB 114. If public comments are received, the Draft Preliminary Determination will be added to the scanned application file, along with the public comments. Public comments about an application must be received by the deadline specified in the public notice. Public comments about an application must be filed on a Form 654 – Public Comment on Application. Mail the completed form to the Water Resources Division, Water Rights Bureau, PO Box 201601, Helena, MT 59620-1601.
• The Preliminary Determination and Notice of Objection Period will be available on the website at the same time the Notice is published in the newspaper and mailed to parties on the notice list. Please note that for applications received on or after January 1, 2024, these documents will only be available if a public comment is received, due to changes made to our application process in HB 114. Objections to an application must be postmarked by the objection deadline specified in the public notice. Objections to an application must be filed on a Form 611 – Objection to Application. Mail the completed form and the $50.00 filing fee to the Water Resources Division, Water Rights Bureau, PO Box 201601, Helena, MT 59620-1601.
• The Environmental Assessment will be available at the same time the Draft Preliminary Determination or Preliminary Determination is available, depending on the receipt date of the application, as explained above. The DNRC keeps environmental assessments (EAs) on this page while the application is still pending.

For more information about HB 114 and the changes to our public notice processes, please refer to the Permit and Change Process Overview document. If you are interested in receiving email alerts as permit and change applications reach key steps in DNRC's review process, consider signing up for the Water Rights Notification Tool.

Water Reservation Application for Instream Flow (Application Type = 638) for the Forest Service - Montana Compact

The only documents that will be available on this webpage are the Notice of Receipt, Notice of Objection Period, and Environmental Assessment.

Notice of Replacement Point of Diversion (Form 644)

The only documents that will be available on this webpage are the Notice of Receipt and the Environmental Assessment.

Yellowstone Controlled Groundwater Area Permit Application (Application Type = 600-YCGA) or  Permit Registration for Groundwater Use within the National Park Service Compact Area (Application Type = 645)

The only document that will be available on this webpage is the Environmental Assessment.

Direct any questions regarding an application to the Water Resources Regional Office listed on the notice.