Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 85. WATER USE

CHAPTER 7. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS

Part 10. Dissolution of Districts

Proceedings For Dissolution Of District

85-7-1001. Proceedings for dissolution of district. (1) Whenever an irrigation district has been organized under the provisions of parts 1 and 15, then such district may be dissolved by an order of the district court of the county in which the lands or the greater portion of the lands are situate whenever:

(a) no irrigation plant or system for the irrigation of the lands in the district has been constructed or purchased;

(b) no bonded indebtedness has been incurred; and

(c) all expenses for the organization and all other indebtedness of the district have been paid.

(2) In order that the district court may acquire jurisdiction to enter such order dissolving the district, a petition must be filed with the clerk of said district court, signed by an equal number of holders of title or evidence of title as are required to sign the original petition for the creation of the district. The district court must make an order for the hearing of said petition within 30 days from its filing, and the clerk of the court must give due notice of the hearing of such petition by posting three notices in three public places in said district and by publication of a notice of the hearing for 2 successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county. Upon the hearing of said petition, any person interested may appear and give evidence for or against the granting of said petition. If, upon said hearing, the court finds that no bonded indebtedness of the district has been created and all of the expenses of organization and all other indebtedness have been paid and that the best interests of the landowners of said district require that the district shall be dissolved, the district court shall make such order dissolving said district and shall cause a certified copy of the order to be recorded in the office of the county clerk and recorder of said county.

History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 96, L. 1919; re-en. Sec. 7253, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 7253, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 89-2001.