444 



INTRODUCTION 444 



In 1989, the Montana Legislature passed HB 707, which directed the Department of Fish, Wildlife and 

 Parks (DFWP), the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the Environmental Quality 

 Council (EQC) to conduct and coordinate an instream flow water leasing study. The resulting statutes 

 were revised in 1991, 1993, and 1995. The current version specifies required components of the study and 

 pilot water leasing process, and requires that DFWP report annual leasing study progress to the EQC. 



According to the statutes, a final study report must be "adopted by the commission and department [of 

 natural resources] and submitted to the Environmental Quality Council, which shall complete the report 

 by December 1, 1998." (85-2-436(3)(b), MCA) This document is that report. 



The statutes describing this program are displayed in Figure 1 (next page). 



EQC/DFWP 1998 Water Leasing Report 



□ 



