HELENA — The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation is utilizing one-time-only funding from the state legislature to expand the state’s stream gauge network.
At their most basic function, these stream gauges measure water height. This data is sent to satellites and is updated every 15 minutes online.
“It’s used by a host of different agencies and individuals. At DNRC, we use it for water management of the state projects. We use it for water rights decision-making,” says Jake Mohrmann, Water Sciences Bureau Chief for the Montana DNRC.
This water level data can help trigger drought plans and warn of floods.
“There’s a series of gauges up on the Blackfoot that are used by the Blackfoot Challenge to inform their drought management and response plan. Once flows get to a certain point that triggers water conservation efforts in that area,” says Mohrmann.
Red, yellow, and black pins on the map in the DNRC offices, SHOW where in the state these gauges are or are planned to be.
“Black are our existing stream gauges. The yellow are our brand-new stream gauges. And then the red are the proposed stream gauges,” says Mohrmann.
The DNRC was given just under $1.5 million by the legislature to install 32 new gauges across Montana. Once completed by the end of June 2025, they will have a total of 76. Their goal is 100 stream gauges per the recommendation of the state water plan. They plan to ask the legislature for more money to reach that goal. Mohrmann says that installing more gauges on the east side of the state will provide important information.
“Streams that only flow for a little time of the year, we have no idea to how to estimate the amount of water there. So, by installing some of the gauges, particularly out in Eastern Montana, we’re able to take those and broaden them over the landscape as analogs,” says Mohrmann.
