ARM 36.12.1902
ARM 36.12.1902. CHANGE APPLICATION - HISTORIC USE
Cite as Mont. Admin. R. 36.12.1902
(1) The description of the historic information is related to a date that is dependent on the type of water right being changed. The following dates are applicable for each type of water right:
(a) historic information for a statement of claim must be described as it was used prior to July 1, 1973, unless the Water Right Claim was subject to a previous change in which case it is the date of completion of the change;
(b) historic information for a provisional permit must be described as it was
used at the filing date of the completion notice;
(c) historic information for a certificate of water right must be described as it
was used at the filing date of the completion notice;
(d) historic information for an exempt or nonfiled water right must be
described as it was completed prior to July 1, 1973; and
(e) when a change application has been granted on or after July 1, 1973, the department may request additional historic information for a statement of claim as it was used prior to July 1, 1973.
(2) Final Water Court approved stipulations and master's reports related to the water right being changed must be referenced with the application; however, this information or an abstract of a water right from the department or the Montana Water Court by itself is not sufficient to prove the existence or extent of the historical use.
(3) The amount of water being changed for each water right cannot exceed or increase the flow rate historically diverted under the historic use, nor exceed or increase the historic volume consumptively used under the existing use.
(4) The department shall compare historical acres irrigated to acres identified as irrigated in the Water Resources Survey, if available for the place of use. If the Water Resources Survey does not support the historical irrigation alleged in the application, the applicant shall explain why. Information from irrigation journals, logs, or old aerial photographs can be submitted for consideration.
(5) For an application to change multiple irrigation water rights, the total number of acres for each water right located within the place of use must be identified.
(6) For an application to change water rights that overlap the historic place of use, an applicant shall include those water rights in the change application or shall explain how each of the water rights has been historically used and how the unchanged water rights will be used if the change authorization were granted. If water will continue to be used at the historic place of use, the applicant shall explain how the continued use will not increase the combined historic maximum diverted flow rate, the historic diverted volume, and the historic consumptive volume.
(7) The department will corroborate the historic use, including the following of each water right being changed:
(a) water right number and the priority date;
(b) most recent year the water right was used;
(c) historic point of diversion;
(d) historic period of diversion;
(e) historic means of diversion;
(f) typical historic diversion schedule and operation pattern;
(g) means of conveyance;
(h) historic ditch capacity;
(i) maximum historic flow rate diverted from each point of diversion and how the amount was determined;
(j) historic place of use for each purpose;
(k) maximum number of acres historically irrigated;
(l) typical historic period of use for each purpose;
(m) annual or monthly historic diverted volume and how this amount was determined;
(n) the annual or monthly historic consumptive volume for each purpose;
(i) for irrigation, an applicant may choose to use the methodology described in (16); and
(ii) for irrigation, an applicant who chooses not to use the methodology described in (16), shall provide the factual basis for the historic consumptive volume calculation and why the historic consumptive use is less than or greater than the methodology described in (16);
(o) the historic efficiency including the diversion, conveyance, and overall system;
(p) the legal land description of a reservoir;
(q) the maximum volume in acre-feet of stored water;
(r) evaporation loss of stored water (evaporation standards can be found in ARM 36.12.116);
(s) maximum number of times a reservoir was filled during a year; and
(t) maximum period of time when water was legally collected for storage.
(8) The following information may be used by the department to establish the requirements under (7):
(a) aerial photographs depicting irrigated land:
(i) 1979, 1997, and 2005 photos showing the irrigated land;
(b) aerial or other photographs showing diversion or conveyance structures;
(c) Water Resources Survey book information;
(d) Water Resources Survey field notes;
(e) water commissioner field notes;
(f) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) information, such as field specific soils information;
(g) affidavits from persons with first-hand knowledge of historic use;
(h) calculation of historic ditch capacities;
(i) description of irrigation equipment, field treatments, means of conveyance, control structures, and other onsite features related to water use;
(j) description of water supply availability;
(k) log books or diaries of previous irrigators or farm operations, crop yield records, or diversion records; or
(l) an evaluation of the seniority of the water right in relation to other users.
(9) The annual or monthly historic diverted volume must be based on the appropriator's typical historic operation of their diversion, irrigation, and harvest schedule throughout the period of diversion and the period of use. If applicable, in addition to the information required in 36.12.1902(7), if a secondary diversion from a ditch or reservoir exists, an applicant shall identify the diversion means and the typical operation of that secondary diversion.
(10) The department shall calculate the historic diverted volume for water rights with the purpose of irrigation using the following equation: Historic Diverted Volume = (Volume historic consumptive use /On-farm efficiency) + Volume conveyance loss :
(a) "conveyance loss" means the portion of water diverted at the headgate that does not arrive at the irrigated place of use due to seepage and evapotranspiration from the ditch;
(b) "seepage loss" means ((flow area)*(ditch length)*(loss rate)*(days))/43,560 ft 2 /ac; and
(c) "on-farm efficiency" refers to the percent of the water delivered to the field that is used by the crop.
(11) If the applicant chooses not to use the methodology in (10), they shall provide additional information on the Historic Water Use Addendum.
(12) Historic consumptive volume must be based on the acre-feet of water used for the beneficial purpose, such as water transpired by growing vegetation, evaporated from soils or water surfaces, or incorporated into products that do not return to ground or surface water.
(13) The following may be used to calculate ditch capacity, historic available water supply, and reservoir capacity:
(a) Manning's equation;
(b) Orsborn's equation;
(c) Blaney-Criddle equation; and
(d) the department will determine the acceptability of other reports or methods on a case-by-case basis.
(14) The historic consumptive use methodology that the department shall use to determine historic consumptive use for water rights with a purpose of irrigation is based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and generated using the USDA NRCS Irrigation Water Requirements (IWR) program. If the applicant chooses not to accept the methodology used by the department, the applicant shall provide additional information on the Historic Water Use Addendum.
(15) IWR Data for Seasonal Alfalfa Evapotranspiration County Management Factor are shown in Table 1 and will be used by the department to identify the historic consumptive volume unless additional information is provided by the applicant on the Historic Water Use Addendum. If this table is used to establish the historic consumptive volume, the department will recognize that volume as a reasonable calculation, unless a valid objection is received which offers proof that the volume is inaccurate.
(16) To determine the historic consumptive volume using the table, the department will complete the following steps:
(a) determine which weather station (column B) is the most representative for the place of use (column C). The most representative weather station may not be in the county of the place of use, but must be nearby and about the same elevation and climatic conditions as the irrigated acres. A map showing the weather stations is located on the Internet at: http://dnrc.mt.gov/wrd/water_rts/default.asp;
(b) find the evapotranspiration inches based on whether the historic irrigation is flood, wheeline, handline, or center pivot, to estimate the historic IWR (columns D or E);
(c) identify the county in which the irrigated acres are located to determine the county management factor percentage (column F);
(d) multiply the IWR estimate found in column D or E by the management factor percentage in column F. The result is the number of inches used per irrigated acre;
(e) multiply the number of total acres within the historic place of use by the county adjusted inches used per irrigated acre calculated in (d) above to determine the historic consumptive inches for those acres; and
(f) divide the cumulative historic consumptive inches from (e) by 12 to determine the cumulative historic consumptive acre-feet for the total acres.
(g) If the historic consumptive volume determined by this methodology exceeds the historic diverted amount, the department may request additional information in order to resolve the discrepancy. This may result in a reduction of the consumptive volume.
Table 1 - Montana County Weather Station IWR Data for Seasonal Alfalfa Evapotranspiration and Montana County Management Factor.
Column A
County
Column B
Weather Station
Column C
Elevation
Column D
IWR
Flood
Irrigation, Wheeline
&
Handline
ET
(inches)
Column E
IWR
Center
Pivot
Irrigation
ET
(inches)
Column F
Management
Factor
Percentage
1964 - 1973
Beaverhead
Dillon
5239
18.34
20.74
63.7 %
Wisdom
6060
7.34
9.29
Jackson
6480
8.35
10.30
Lakeview
6710
8.39
10.67
Lima
6583
13.75
16.01
Big Horn
Busby
3430
20.32
22.88
55.4 %
Hardin
2905
27.46
29.96
Hysham 25
3100
20.25
22.86
Wyola
3750
19.19
21.89
Yellowtail Dam
3305
28.07
31.30
Blaine
Chinook
2420
20.80
23.57
58.7 %
Harlem
2362
21.62
24.27
Broadwater
Townsend
3840
19.42
21.88
69.2 %
Trident
4040
20.64
23.31
Carbon
Joliet
3776
22.41
25.12
58.3 %
Red Lodge
5500
15.57
18.41
Carter
Ekalaka
3425
20.13
23.14
38.4 %
Ridgeway
3320
20.28
23.01
Cascade
Cascade 20
4600
14.12
16.63
57.3 %
Cascade 5
3360
17.90
20.75
Great Falls
3675
19.78
22.55
Neihart
4945
12.17
15.08
Sun River
3340
18.10
20.65
Chouteau
Big Sandy
2700
21.52
24.37
52.5 %
Fort Benton
2640
21.98
24.75
Geraldine
3130
20.30
23.27
Iliad
2950
21.55
24.27
Loma
2700
22.64
25.37
Shonkin
4300
13.32
16.70
Custer
Miles City
2628
26.68
29.55
54.5 %
Mizpah
2480
23.80
26.57
Powderville
2800
24.83
27.68
Dawson
Glendive
2076
26.01
28.99
56.8 %
Deer Lodge
No weather station
See appropriate adjacent county
Column A
County
Column B
Weather Station
Column C
Elevation
Column D
IWR
Flood
Irrigation, Wheeline
&
Handline
ET
(inches)
Column E
IWR
Center
Pivot
Irrigation
ET
(inches)
Column F
Management
Factor
Percentage
1964 - 1973
Fallon
Plevna
2780
22.48
25.34
47.6 %
Fergus
Denton
3620
15.39
18.12
48.8 %
Grass Range
3490
18.93
21.93
Lewistown
4167
15.54
18.44
Roy
3450
19.94
22.78
Winifred
3240
17.86
20.75
Flathead
Creston
2949
14.97
17.81
87.6 %
Hungry Horse Dam
3160
14.66
18.06
Kalispell
2972
16.45
19.03
Olney
3165
12.50
15.16
Polebridge
3600
10.20
12.50
West Glacier
3154
13.74
16.78
Whitefish
3100
15.74
18.61
Gallatin
Bozeman Exp Farm
4775
16.84
19.55
73.5 %
Bozeman MT State
4913
18.42
21.39
Hebgen Dam
6667
10.09
12.77
Garfield
Cohagen
2710
22.36
24.99
43.4 %
Jordan
2661
23.58
26.32
Mosby
2750
24.51
27.34
Glacier
Babb
4300
12.12
14.87
59.7 %
Cut Bank
3855
16.01
18.60
Del Bonita
4340
14.61
17.30
East Glacier
4810
10.60
13.26
St Mary
4560
13.64
16.60
Golden Valley
Ryegate
4440
17.60
20.17
62.6 %
Granite
Philipsburg Ranger Station
5270
12.90
15.26
86.5 %
Hill
Fort Assinniboine
2613
22.42
25.20
54.1 %
Guilford
2820
19.54
22.06
Havre
2585
20.94
23.46
Simpson
2815
19.67
22.13
Jefferson
Boulder
4904
17.08
19.47
61.0 %
Column A
County
Column B
Weather Station
Column C
Elevation
Column D
IWR
Flood
Irrigation, Wheeline
&
Handline
ET
(inches)
Column E
IWR
Center
Pivot
Irrigation
ET
(inches)
Column F
Management
Factor
Percentage
1964 - 1973
Judith Basin
Moccasin Exp Station
4243
16.17
19.06
49.3 %
Raynesford
4220
16.14
19.05
Stanford
4860
16.74
19.69
Lake
Bigfork
2910
17.37
20.61
55.0 %
Polson
2949
20.46
23.23
Polson Kerr Dam
2730
21.37
24.08
St Ignatius
2940
19.53
22.33
Lewis & Clark
Augusta
4070
17.51
20.13
60.1 %
Austin
4790
15.41
17.96
Helena
3828
20.23
22.69
Holter Dam
3490
23.88
26.61
Lincoln Ranger Station
4575
12.87
15.22
Liberty
Chester
3132
19.28
21.74
54.8 %
Joplin
3300
19.01
21.40
Tiber Dam
2850
22.98
25.46
Lincoln
Eureka Ranger Station
2532
20.63
23.26
47.1 %
Fortine
3000
16.09
18.69
Libby Ranger Station
2096
21.20
23.71
Libby
3600
11.06
13.36
Troy
1950
19.90
22.68
Madison
Alder
5800
14.33
16.75
65.2 %
Ennis
4953
17.19
19.71
Glen
5050
17.81
20.01
Norris
4750
20.88
23.97
Twin Bridges
4777
16.98
19.22
Virginia City
5770
15.57
18.13
McCone
Brockway
2630
20.74
23.35
43.7 %
Circle
2480
22.23
25.01
Fort Peck Power Plant
2070
25.37
28.16
Vida
2400
21.74
24.65
Meagher
Lennep
5880
11.93
14.38
57.3 %
Martinsdale
4800
15.19
17.73
White Sulpher Spr
5060
16.41
18.89
Column A
County
Column B
Weather Station
Column C
Elevation
Column D
IWR
Flood
Irrigation, Wheeline
&
Handline
ET
(inches)
Column E
IWR
Center
Pivot
Irrigation
ET
(inches)
Column F
Management
Factor
Percentage
1964 - 1973
Mineral
St Regis Ranger Stn
2680
17.61
20.05
56.1 %
Superior
2710
21.94
24.54
Missoula
Lindbergh Lake
4320
14.63
17.22
69.5 %
Missoula
3420
18.85
21.49
Missoula WSO AP
3199
19.45
21.89
Potomac
3620
14.05
16.26
Seeley Lake Ranger Station
4100
14.86
17.31
Musselshell
Melstone
2920
24.22
27.17
50.0 %
Roundup
3386
23.98
26.79
Park
Cooke City
7460
8.68
11.63
56.9 %
Gardiner
5275
22.46
24.70
Livingston
4870
16.59
19.41
Livingston FAA AP
4656
18.63
21.39
Wilsall
5840
13.20
16.01
Petroleum
Flatwillow
3133
22.27
25.01
44.0 %
Phillips
Content
2340
21.15
23.97
54.7 %
Malta 35
2650
20.28
22.99
Malta 7
2262
21.61
24.39
Port of Morgan
2830
20.15
22.72
Saco
2180
20.13
22.70
Zortman
4660
14.38
17.40
Pondera
Conrad
3550
16.93
19.42
71.4 %
Valier
3810
18.31
20.96
Powder River
Biddle
3597
21.87
24.66
38.5 %
Broadus
3032
23.03
25.69
Moorhead
3220
23.72
26.42
Sonnette
3900
18.32
20.96
Powell
Deer Lodge
4678
13.14
15.32
77.6 %
Ovando
4109
12.28
14.43
Prairie
Mildred
2510
22.92
25.58
59.6 %
Terry
2248
22.82
25.47
Terry 21
3260
18.65
21.34
Column A
County
Column B
Weather Station
Column C
Elevation
Column D
IWR
Flood
Irrigation, Wheeline
&
Handline
ET
(inches)
Column E
IWR
Center
Pivot
Irrigation
ET
(inches)
Column F
Management
Factor
Percentage
1964 - 1973
Ravalli
Darby
3880
18.91
21.44
79.5 %
Hamilton
3529
19.93
22.34
Stevensville
3380
19.19
21.44
Sula
4475
12.09
14.42
Western Ag Research
3600
19.82
22.15
Richland
Savage
1990
23.61
26.59
56.0 %
Sidney
1931
22.49
25.45
Roosevelt
Bredette
2638
19.99
22.86
46.5 %
Culbertson
1942
20.84
23.73
Wolf Point
1985
24.16
27.03
Rosebud
Birney
3160
24.57
27.29
47.7 %
Brandenberg
2770
23.83
26.52
Colstrip
3218
23.32
26.10
Forsythe
2520
25.17
28.04
Ingomar
2780
23.18
25.83
Rock Springs
3020
21.35
23.93
Sanders
Heron
2240
14.82
17.76
58.8 %
Thompson Falls Power
2380
22.49
25.36
Trout Cr Ranger Station
2356
16.60
19.40
Sheridan
Medicine Lake
1975
21.64
24.49
44.8 %
Plentywood
2063
20.64
23.48
Raymond Border Station
2384
19.13
22.04
Redstone
2300
17.86
20.58
Westby
2120
18.10
21.03
Silverbow
Butte FAA AP
5545
14.73
17.06
68.8 %
Divide
5350
15.25
17.58
Stillwater
Columbus
3602
22.31
25.09
46.5 %
Mystic Lake
6544
13.57
16.57
Nye
4840
15.00
17.93
Rapelje
4125
20.35
23.07
Sweet Grass
Big Timber
4100
20.60
23.47
44.7 %
Melville
5370
12.83
15.49
Column A
County
Column B
Weather Station
Column C
Elevation
Column D
IWR
Flood
Irrigation, Wheeline
&
Handline
ET
(inches)
Column E
IWR
Center
Pivot
Irrigation
ET
(inches)
Column F
Management
Factor
Percentage
1964 - 1973
Teton
Blackleaf
4240
14.74
17.34
68.8 %
Choteau Airport
3845
20.53
23.07
Fairfield
3980
19.10
21.76
Gibson Dam
4724
13.57
16.22
Toole
Goldbutte
3498
16.30
18.96
51.8 %
Sunburst
3610
18.74
21.46
Sweetgrass
3466
18.22
21.22
Treasure
Hysham
2660
25.01
27.78
53.4 %
Valley
Glasgow WSO AP
2293
23.48
26.12
57.9 %
Hinsdale
2670
22.18
25.25
Opheim 10
2878
16.19
18.86
Opheim 16
3258
16.73
19.34
Wheatland
Harlowton
4162
17.83
20.56
46.6 %
Judith Gap
4573
13.77
16.40
Wibaux
Carlyle
3030
19.87
22.75
See appropriate adjacent county
Wibaux
2696
18.69
21.50
Yellowstone
Billings Water Plant
3097
26.16
28.92
59.5 %
Billings WSO
3648
25.49
28.22
Huntley Exp Station
3034
21.92
24.61