History of Dry Prairie Rural Water Authority

In 1992, the Fort Peck Tribes decided that the water problems on the reservation had to be addressed and began work on a water supply system for the southern half of the reservation.  It was soon realized that if all the people on the reservation couldn't benefit from the system, federal funding would be difficult to secure.

In 1994, the system was redesigned to include the whole reservation with a one-phase construction plan to cut costs.  It was then presented to Senator Conrad Burns who after study suggested it become a regional water system because areas outside of the reservation were experiencing similar water quality problems.

In December of 1997, a steering committee, consisting of one county commissioner, one conservation district member and one member at large, was formed for the off-reservation system.  These volunteers began the task of informing the public of the benefits.  The committee toured three similar systems in South Dakota and found that many of the challenges of combining tribal and non-tribal water systems have been resolved.

In August of 1998, an association of conservation districts was formed to govern the off-reservation system.  To receive state or federal funding, a legal entity had to be in place.  This association board, consisting of two members from each county, was the legal entity which conducted the business in the early stages of organization, under the name Dry Prairie Rural Water (DPRW).

During the 1998-99 State Legislative Session DPRW's efforts concentrated on two bills.

1) Creating a funding mechanism for regional water systems. (SB 220)

2)  The formation of water authorities.  Water authorities are an extension of water district law and are necessary in governing regional projects. (SB 302)

Both bills passed convincingly.

In January 2000, DPRW became a Regional Water Authority with it's members being the County Conservation Districts.  Becoming a water authority has enhanced the project's bonding capabilities and limit all liabilities to the Authority.

The project was first introduced in the 104th US Congress. The Montana Delegation reintroduced the project in the 106th Congress in Bill S 624 and HR 1124.  Hearings were held in both House and Senate Subcommittees on Water and Power.  After passage in Congress, President signed the authorizing bill into law on October 27th, 2000.

The authorizing language required that the project (1) have a Water Conservation Plan, (2) meet all requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, (3) submit a Final Engineering Report to Congress.

The Water Conservation Plan was approved by Reclamation in September of 2002.  The NEPA requirements were met with a finding of No Significant Impact in November of 2002, and the Final Engineering Report was approved by the Department of Interior and Congress in August of 2003.

Federal Appropriations in FY 2003 and FY 2004 allowed construction to begin October 14, 2003 on the Culbertson to Medicine Lake Mainline. On October 27, 2004 the system began to deliver water to the towns of Froid and Medicine Lake and 35 rural users along the line.

During 2006 the A Branchlines were constructed.  These branches connected to the mainline that was constructed in 2004.  The A Branches connected over 200 services to rural users in the area, and connected the Town of bainville to the system.  The above services are being supplied with water from the Town of Culbertson on a temporary basis until the regional water system is capable of delivering the water to the east side of the project.

In August of 2007 Dry Prairie began a customer sign up campaign for areas east and south of the City of Glasgow.  A temporary water supply is needed for these services and Dry Prairie is negotiating with the Boeing company to purchase water from the water plant at the old Glasgow Air Force Base.  Construction is expected to begin during 2008 on this segment of the project.