Governor Greg Gianforte continued his 56 County Tour today with a stop in Chouteau County, where he held a ceremonial bill signing for legislation aimed at strengthening Montana’s water rights system and improving water administration across the state.
Standing along the banks of the Missouri River, the governor was joined by Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Director Amanda Kaster, Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras, and bill sponsor Rep. Russ Miner, R-Great Falls, to commemorate the signing of House Bill 441.
“In Montana, water is key to our way of life – it supports our agricultural industry, our recreation, and our communities,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We have a responsibility to protect existing water uses while still ensuring reliable water supplies for growing communities and economies. This requires effective administration of our water resources.”
House Bill 441 is one of six water-related measures passed by the 2025 Legislature. It addresses long-standing issues in the water rights permitting process by converting provisional permits and change authorizations into full certificates of water right, giving them the same legal standing as adjudicated rights. The DNRC estimates the law will provide certainty for approximately 12,000 permits and 4,900 change authorizations.
The legislation was developed through the DNRC-led Comprehensive Water Review Stakeholder Working Group, which spent more than 15 months engaging with water users across the state to develop consensus-driven reforms. The process was supported by the governor’s office and facilitated by a neutral third party to ensure broad participation and productive dialogue.
“The DNRC convened a working group with stakeholders from all of the competing water users across the state to try to find common solutions,” Lt. Gov. Juras said. “Thanks to their work and legislative partners like Rep. Miner, we are signing a bill that provides certainty, finality, and due process for both the pre-1973 adjudicated water right holders and the post-1973 provisional permit holders.”
Director Kaster echoed the importance of collaboration in Montana’s often complex water debates.
“In Montana, conversations about water can be contentious and complex,” she said. “To ensure meaningful and productive conversation amongst stakeholders, DNRC engaged a neutral facilitator to support monthly stakeholder meetings. The result: creative proposals, unexpected partnerships, and inclusive solutions.”
Rep. Miner, who carried the bill through the Legislature, emphasized the importance of sound water management in Montana’s future.
“As we say in Montana, ‘whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting,’” Miner said. “We have a lot of water — but it’s something we have to manage and utilize responsibly for the citizens of Montana.”
The governor concluded the ceremony by thanking the stakeholders who made the legislation possible.
“Protecting existing water users and promoting adequate future supplies of water requires collaboration,” Gianforte said. “Today, we celebrate the hard work and dedication of the stakeholders who came together to serve current and future water needs of Montana.”
By: BSH staff