The Deadman's Basin Water Users Association (DBWUA) consists of 110 irrigators on the Musselshell River encompassing nearly 200 meandering miles between Shawmut and Mosby Montana. DBWUA diverts Musselshell River water into an off-stream storage facility, Deadman's Basin Reservoir, via an 11.5 mile supply canal and delivers contract water via two outlet canals, the 2.85 mile long Barber canal and the 9.5 mile long Careless Canal. Deadman's Basin reservoir has a total capacity of 72,220 acre feet at full pool. There are currently 40,500 acre feet of water contracted for from the reservoir.

Inflows

0 CFS

Outflows

0 CFS

Water Orders

0 CFS

The Notice to Proceed was issued to the contractor for the Dam Rehabilitation on October 1st. The contractor has 90 calendar days to reach substantial completion. I am hopeful that I can start diverting into the reservoir in November. As soon as the contractor has finished the work in the toe of the dam we should be able to begin filling the reservoir.

The outlet structure in the Barber Canal 80' drop held up through the end of the season. Although it is need of further repairs, it isn't as bad as I expected it to be after running 225 cfs over it for 90 days.

 

 

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Wiley Micks has resigned as District I Board Representative. Chris Colson will be the District I representative through the remainder of the fiscal year.

 

 

DAM REHABILITATION PROJECT

The Deadman's Basin Dam will be undergoing rehabilitation construction beginning October 1st. The outlet conduit will be extended 100 feet, drains will be installed, and ballast material will be added to the downstream face of the dam to increase the safety factor and reduce the uplift pressure.

The bids were let in May and Montana Civil Contractors of Belgrade has been issued a partial notice to proceed. The bid amount was $744,033.00. The project will be funded by a RRGL grant of $100,000.00, a DBWUA loan of $400,000.00, and the remainder by DNRC funds.

It is necessary to draw down the reservoir to a safe level for the construction, as the contractor will be excavating into the toe of the dam - the most critical location. The draw down level is elevation 3896 or 27,000 acre feet. It was derived at by evaluating piezometer and seepage data that has been collected over the past decade.

For comparison purposes, I began this season with 33,000 acre feet on January 1, 2009.

It was never anticipated that the reservoir would maintain this high level throughout the irrigation season due to cool weather and higher than usual decreed flows. Under normal conditions, more than 30,000 acre feet would have been released by now to satisfy irrigation demands.

The planning for the project has been in the works for the past two years. It is imperative to complete the repairs this fall in spite of a high level of storage in order to maintain safety, obtain the dam operating permit, and to take advantage of available funding.

 

THE DELIVERY PERCENTAGE FOR 2009 HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 90% AT YOUR HEADGATE

 

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This will be the first year we will operate off of the new contracts. If your contract has not been approved by the Board of Directors, your diversion percentage will be calculated off of your original contracted amount.

 

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The water commissioner for contract and decreed water from Deadman's to Roundup (Zone 3) is John Rouane and the water commissioner for contract and decreed water from Roundup to Mosby (Zone 2) is Bob Goffena.

The MRDP Project began Monday, April 27th at 6:00 a.m.

 

Please be sure you call in your water order turn off just as you call in your water order

 

SNOW REPORTS

(updated 4/15/09 @ 10:00 a.m.) Excerpt taken from NRCS State Basin Outlook Report

March accumulated snow water was 172 percent of average. Snowpack conditions were near average and increased 14% from March 1st. Snow water content in the Musselshell Basin was 117% of average and 141% of last year.

AS OF APRIL 1, 2009...

Mountain and valley precipitation during March in the Musselshell was 139% of average and 457% of last year.

Bair reservoir storage was 62% of average and 165% of last year

Martinsdale reservoir storage was 81% of average and 1257% of last year

Deadman's Basin reservoir was 92% of average and 175% of last year

Assuming average precipitation, April thru July stream flows are forecast to average 86% to 108%

 

HISTORICAL DATA

Mid-March & Mid-April Data for 8 years:

Year	Storage For Mid-March	Inflow For Mid-March in CFS	Storage For Mid-April	Inflow For Mid-April in CFS	Diverted during the MRDP in AF	%Delivered
2009	44,401	55	47,099	80		** 90% **
2008	24,740	60	25,572	20	30,000	100%
2007	35,481	75	42,166	70	3,062	100%
2006	37,668	100	41,229	96	10,338	100%
2005	19,058	12	20,768	0	27,206	100%
2004	18,726	23	20,823	0	1,637	38%
2003	19,871	44	23,300	54	7,770	75%
2002	15,986	39	18,011	51	0	25%

 

 

** 90% ** of NEW WATER PURCHASE CONTRACTS

Construction at DB 21 wasteway by Martin Excavating

DB 21 wasteway completed in 2006

2009 O & M PROJECTS

• Realign first 435 feet of Careless Canal
• Apply canal seal to largest seep areas in Barber and Careless Canals prior to water releases
• Reshape canal bank and place fabric and rip-rap at Barber Canal headgate
• Remove Russian Olive trees at confluence of Barber and Careless Canals
• Clean sediment from lower Barber Canal
• Weed management on all canals