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<br />"Water rights leasing plan endorsed" (by the House). Independent Record (Helena), Feb. 22, 1989. <br /> <br />Water leasing bills concerns stockgrowers" (sic). Montana Stockgrower, March, 1989. <br /> <br />"A good bill goes 4own". Independent Record, Mar. 4 1989. <br /> <br />"Both sides threaten water-lease suits". Independent Record, Mar. 16, 1989. <br /> <br />"Water lease amendments advance". Independent Record, Mar. 21, 1989. <br /> <br />"Senate kills water leasing". Independent Record, Mar. 23, 1989. <br /> <br />"Water lease defeat makes a lawsuit, (constitutional) amendment likely". Independent Record, March 23, 1989. <br /> <br />(Representative) "Marks condemns ag lobbyists' tactics". Independent Record, April 4, 1989. <br /> <br />"Water leasing back on burner". Independent Record, April 10, 1989. <br /> <br />"No dredging up water-lease bill" . Independent Record, April 11, 1989. <br /> <br />"Water lease bill may be revived". Independent Record, April 12, 1989. <br /> <br />"Water lease bill revived". Independent Record, April 14, 1989. <br /> <br />"Senate OKs watered-down water lease". Independent Record, April 15, 1989. <br /> <br />"Water lease compromise sent togovemor". Independent Record, April 21, 1989. <br /> <br />The purpose of the leasing law is to study the feasibility of leasing existing water rights to <br />enhance streamflows for fisheries. The original bill created a four-year pilot program that <br />allowed only Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) to lease water rights from willing <br />individuals. MFWP, with the consent of the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission, provided the <br />Board of Natural Resources and Conservation (Board) with a list of specific stream reaches on <br />which leasing is desired. The Board could designate up to five stream reaches where water could <br />be leased for instream flows to enhance the fisheries. Amendments to the original bill in both <br />the 1991 and 1993 legislative sessions extended the four-year study to a lO-year study (ending <br />June 30, 1999) and gradually increased the number of eligible stream reaches from 5 to 20. Due <br />to reorganization of some state government agencies in 1995, the Board was eliminated and most <br />of its duties were taken over by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation <br />(DNRC). <br /> <br />Before a lease agreement is made, MFWP must assess the impacts of potential leases on other <br />water right holders on the stream and then seek approval for a lease from DNRC through the <br />existing water right change process. An Environmental Assessment is written for each lease and <br />distributed for public review and comment. <br /> <br />MFWP can only lease water from a willing party. If MFWP and the water rights holder cannot <br /> <br />3 <br />