Three Mile irrigation users

Say goodbye to small parcel irrigation in the Three Mile Gravity System if this Sub-District proposed by BRID passes and goes into effect.
While you are snugly sitting there thinking it is only going to cost you $10 an acre, in the BRID proposal, it says Agriculture (AG) acres will take precedence for water. Who will make the decision what is AG and what is not? BRID will. We will have no say. What about a minimum irrigation fee for everyone in the Sub District, perfectly legal everyone treated the same, let’s say $500? What about a non-AG irrigation fee?
Let’s use the current “Montana Agricultural Classification of Lands Assessment,” also known as “Greenbelt,” for determination. BRID can do this. If you do not qualify for “Greenbelt,” you could potentially be non-AG. So if you have 14 acres of water rights and just want to sit on it, you could be liable for a non-AG fee, Sub District wide, perfectly legal.
BRID will have to OK every sale and transfer of water right. This will limit who you could sell to, if you wanted to sell. Think about your property values, what will these restrictions do to them?
When you ask your BRID Commissioner about this and he says “it will never happen,” ask him why this language is in their proposal. Once we are in a Sub District there is nothing we can do if BRID decides to take this route. These are just some of the actions BRID could potentially take if this Sub District is created.
There is only one way to positively protect yourself from this happening: withdraw your name from the petition you signed for this BRID proposal. Do it for your kids and grandkids. May God help us.
It is my understanding that many people in the Three Mile area, who signed the BRID Petition to create this Sub District, were told “this issue was resolved” or “their neighbor signed it,” neither of which was true.
Bob Cress
Stevensville