U.S. Representative Troy Downing of Montana met with Hi-line producers to discuss aging portions of the Milk River Project and the need for repairs to the dams and siphons near Malta. Producers say these water delivery points are a critical water lifeline for farms and communities across Northern Montana.
BRIANNA JUNEAU REPORTS FROM PHILLIPS COUNTY:
Downing toured the area as part of ongoing conversations surrounding the Northern Montana Security Act, a proposal that would invest $1.5 billion into addressing infrastructure needs of the Milk River Project if passed through the House and Senate.
During the visit, Marko Manoukian, a Phillips County producer and member of the St. Mary’s Working Group, gave Downing a firsthand look at how his operation depends on the Milk River Project.
“We've had some investment into some of the assets up at Saint Mary’s, fixing what was broke,” Manoukian said. “We still need a lot of work on the canal and some other assets to make the thing 100% new and to make sure new sections don’t break in the future.”
The Milk River project, first constructed more than a century ago, supplies irrigation water to roughly 120,000 acres of farmland across northern Montana.
A critical location of the project is the St. Mary’s siphon near Babb, Montana faced a catastrophic failure last year on June 17th. This resulted in deep erosion (30-50 feet), flooding, and a halt of water delivery into the Milk River.
While repairs have been ahead of schedule, producers say more work is needed to keep the system running and ensure the region’s economy doesn’t dry up. Manoukian said he wanted to show Downing the stakes in person. “While we’ve had some more moisture this July, things are still dry and we need the water to continue. If we don't have those irrigated crops, there's not enough moisture in the year to produce much.”
SPECIAL REPORT: MILK RIVER PROJECT
Downing echoed those concerns, noting the proposed legislation is designed to make long-term investments in rural Montana’s water security. He explained, “The Milk River Project is essential infrastructure for northern Montana. My big concern is farming production. Agriculture is a tough business, and we can't make it tougher. We need to make sure that our irrigators survive so that our ranchers and farmers can continue to do what they do.”
Supporters of the Northern Montana Water Security Act say securing the $1.5 billion in funding is vial to preventing catastrophic failures in the system and ensuring water stability for agriculture, municipalities, and tribal communities along the Milk River.
The act was introduced to the Senate and the House in January. Until it is passed, officials along the Hi-Line say they’ll keep pushing to keep the milk river flowing for generations to come. Manoukian said, “We just hope that we're successful at some point in getting this thing 100% new.”
Milk River Project Overview
The Milk River Project is a century-old trans‑basin irrigation and water supply system. It diverts water from the St. Mary River into the Milk River, serving approximately 110,000 acres of agricultural land, eight irrigation districts, municipalities, tribal reservations, and wildlife refuges in north-central Montana
St. Mary Siphon & Halls Coulee Siphon
The system includes two 90‑inch riveted steel siphon barrels passing under a valley. These taper to 84 inches during river crossing before reverting to 90 inches
The downstream barrel was built between 1912–1915, and the upstream barrel in 1925–1926
The siphons faced long-standing issues including seepage, corrosion, buckling, and instability due to shifting valley walls.
Catastrophic Failure & Response
On June 17, 2024, both siphon barrels catastrophically failed, resulting in deep erosion (30–50 feet), flooding, and a halt of water delivery into the Milk River.
The Bureau of Reclamation declared an emergency extraordinary maintenance determination and prioritized a full replacement rather than a temporary patch.
According to the Bureau of Reclamation, the total replacement cost for the St. Mary and Halls Coulee siphons is estimated at $70 million, funded in part by federal funds and Montana stakeholders.
$46.5 million was secured in a Continuing Resolution at the end of 2024 to support these repairs.
Replacement Progress
The St. Mary Siphon replacement was largely completed ahead of schedule, and water flow resumed by late June 2025 thanks to urgent, coordinated efforts. Construction on the Halls Coulee Siphon began downstream while St. Mary remained operational.
With strong partnerships between the Blackfeet Nation, Milk River Joint Board, contractors (e.g., NW Construction, Sletten Construction, Pro‑Pipe) were central to timely progress. Rehabilitation included modernizing with steel piping and reinforced concrete to combat the prior structural vulnerabilities.
Work also continues on the St. Mary Diversion Dam Rehabilitation, planned through 2027, supported by over $88 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds. Future enhancements hinge on legislation supporting the Fort Belknap Water Compact ($275 million) and potential state contributions to rehabilitate the canal for the full 850 cfs capacity (current flow is closer to 600 cfs).
