For many years, over two miles of stream in Prickly Pear Creek ran completely dry during summer months as a result of increasing irrigation needs in the Helena Valley.

This portion of the stream was listed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks as "chronically dewatered." In other words, the stream is over-appropriated, there is a big stress on fish populations, water quality degradation, and inadequate water for irrigation

The Water Quality Protection District worked collaboratively with landowners, irrigators, irrigation companies, and state agencies to protect and restore water flow in the stream. The Prickly Pear Creek Rewatering Project is a joint effort between the Lewis and Clark County Water Quality Protection District (WQPD), the Helena Valley Irrigation District (HVID), Prickly Pear Creek water users (PPWU), US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and annual funders.

How it works:

  • Montana Water Trust bought 2,000 acre-feet of water from the Bureau of Reclamation/Helena Valley Irrigation District for the Prickly Pear Water Users.

  • Helena Valley Irrigation District delivers the water to Prickly Pear Water Users' ditch system when flows in the Prickly Pear Creek hit 20 CFS (cubic feet/second) at Canyon Ferry Road.

  • When the flows hit this 20 CFS trigger, Prickly Pear Water Users turn off their diversion and move from creek water to the water provided by Helena Irrigation District and Bureau of Reclamation.

Before (8/06/2007)

Before (8/06/2007)

After (8/26/2011)

After (8/26/2011)