SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16
INTRODUCED BY R. HOLDEN
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE LOWER YELLOWSTONE CONSERVATION DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO OBTAIN THE PROMISED BENEFITS OF THE PICK-SLOAN MISSOURI RIVER PLAN AND RETAIN LOW-COST ENERGY FOR NEW AND EXISTING IRRIGATION AND TO ASSIST THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT IN DRAFTING AND PASSING FEDERAL LEGISLATION OUTLINING BENEFITS NEEDED TO SUSTAIN EXISTING IRRIGATION AND DEVELOP NEW IRRIGATION IN MONTANA'S YELLOWSTONE AND MISSOURI RIVER BASINS.
WHEREAS, Montana lost 590,000 acres of land to reservoir flooding under the Pick-Sloan plan, as set out in the federal Flood Control Act of 1944, and was in return promised 1,313,930 acres of new irrigation, but only 76,200 acres were ever developed for irrigation under the plan; and
WHEREAS, over 16,500,000 acre-feet of water leave Montana annually in the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers--water that is abundant but underused in this time of need for growth in Montana; and
WHEREAS, Montana's conservation districts have reserved over 853,000 acre-feet of water for new irrigation development, and the state has completed water rights compacts with several tribes that enable tribes to develop many acres of new irrigation as well; and
WHEREAS, Montana's agricultural sector continues to shrink along with the population of rural communities; and
WHEREAS, Montana consumes less than 30% of the hydropower that is generated in the state under the Pick-Sloan plan; and
WHEREAS, Montana's Vision 2005 program identified the goal of doubling the value of irrigated agriculture by the year 2005 by developing 500,000 acres of new irrigation, which is less than one-half of the number of acres promised under the Pick-Sloan plan; and
WHEREAS, costs for power may double or triple, and without low-cost power, it will become impossible to irrigate new lands and even existing irrigated lands identified in the original Pick-Sloan plan; and
WHEREAS, agriculture is Montana's largest industry, and any increase in values from irrigation would benefit the entire state and region.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
That the federal government be strongly urged to:
(1) assist the efforts of the Lower Yellowstone Conservation District Development Committee in obtaining the promised benefits of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River plan, as set out in the federal Flood Control Act of 1944; and
(2) assist the efforts of the Lower Yellowstone Conservation District Development Committee in drafting and passing the proposed federal Montana Water Resources Act, which will outline benefits promised in the Flood Control Act that are needed to sustain existing irrigation and the development of new irrigation throughout Montana's Yellowstone and Missouri River basins.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, the presiding officers of the Energy and Natural Resources Committees of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, the Montana Congressional Delegation, and the Commissioner of the federal Bureau of Reclamation.
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