TABLE 2-6 (CONT.). 



SUMMARY OF FEDERAL IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN THE BASIN 



Name, Location, 

 and 

 Operation History 



Project 

 Specifications 



Operation 



and 

 Maintenance 



BITTERROOT PROJECT 



• Located on Rock Creek, a 

 westside tributary of the 

 Bitterroot River, near 

 Darby, Montana. 



• Initially authorized in 

 1930, additional federal 

 funds requested in 1936, 

 1948, 1954, and 1956 for 

 continued rehabilitation 

 and repair. Constructed 

 with assistance from the 

 BOR. 



• Water is stored in Lake 

 Como, which has a total 

 capacity of 36,900 AF. 



• The Rock Creek Diversion 

 Dam about one mile below 

 Lake Como diverts water into 

 a 60-mile long canal. A 

 feeder canal from Lost Horse 

 Creek enters the district's 

 canal about one mile below 

 ttie diversion dam. 



• The system irrigates about 

 16,668 acres. Principal 

 crops are grain, hay, and 

 pasture. 



• The project is operated and 

 maintained by the Bitterroot 

 Irrigation District. 



FLATHEAD INDIAN IRRIGATION PROJECT 



A large irrigation and 

 power project located Mi^Ti^ri 

 the boundaries of the Flat- 

 head Indian Reservation. 



Construction of irrigation 

 facilities by the BOR began 

 in 1907. Additional con- 

 struction was performed by 

 BIA after 1922; nearly all 

 of the irrigation facilities 

 were completed before 1940. 



« Water storage and regula- 

 tion is provided by 16 

 reservoirs that have storage 

 capacities ranging from 95 

 to 27,100 AF. 



• Approximately 127,000 



acres are currently assessed 

 water delivery charges. 

 About 90-95 percent of that 

 acreage is irrigated each 

 year. Sprinkler irrigation 

 is used on approximately 

 70,000 acres. 



• The project has been 

 operated by the BIA since 

 1910. 



Sources: U.S. Department of Interior 1981; BOR and BIA 1985. 



2-8b 



