HB 52 —Ground Water Investigation Program
The 2007/2008 Water Policy Interim Committee (WPIC)
recognized that competition for water resources and the lack of detailed
information on groundwater/surface water interaction has challenged informed
water-resource management and development in Montana. The WPIC found that "continued and expanded study of groundwater
resources is vital to shaping statewide policy as well as providing the data
necessary for local decisions regarding water." HB 52 was drafted
by the WPIC in response to this finding.
The 61st Montana Legislature passed HB 52 with a
first biennium appropriation of $4.2 million; based on the program design,
this will provide funding for 6 to 8 projects lasting 1 to 3 years.
The Ground Water Investigations Program (GWIP) established
by HB 52 will add to Montana's capability to deal with important water-resource
issues including:
- stream depletion from groundwater development by subdivisions or changes
in irrigation projects,
- cumulative effects of existing and proposed water development on stream
flow,
- impacts to groundwater and surface water from changes in irrigation
practices or land use,
- implementation of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) in Montana, and
- evaluating the success of mitigation/offset plans in closed basins.