Comments on: Montana Ranchers Seek to Curb Residential Wells
By dsrobins on 12-02-09
Another California phenomenon arrives in Montana. In California, farmers and ranchers were awarded water rights long before most people arrived there during and after WWII. By then, water rights were already in short supply so growing cities reached far out into the mountains to grab what was left. In the process, they destroyed irreplaceable natural resources like the Hetch Hetchy valley which was flooded to provide Los Angeles with water. Montana has escaped much of that thus far, but it’s starting to happen here especially in Western Montana. These farmers, many of whom are retiring are only to glad to sell off their land to developers for big bucks, but they want to keep their water rights which means they can profit further from supplying water to developments instead of allowing private wells. Which is fairer; the unbridled greed of the farmers/ranchers or that of the developers? Montana’s natural resources laws remain pitifully outdated. It’s obviously time for a change, but I have grave doubts that allowing farmers/ranchers to keep their water rights when they sell their land is the right solution.
By Montucky on 12-02-09
How silly of us to challenge the supreme control of the ranchers! What are we thinking.
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