The taps are officially turning. After 658 days of grit, heavy machinery, and a massive coordinated effort, the Milk River Project has successfully brought the St. Mary Canal back online.

The milestone follows the replacement of two major siphons—the St. Mary and Hall’s Coulee—which had been out of commission since the failure on June 17, 2024. A collaborative team of engineers, contractors, and a dedicated tribal workforce managed to complete the monumental task in just over 500 workdays. While some site reclamation and final punch-list items remain, the primary mission is accomplished: the water is moving again.

To ensure a smooth restart, operations are following a graduated ramp-up schedule through the end of the week.

The Rollout Schedule

Operations will gradually increase flows from Lake Sherburne and diversions into the canal to monitor system integrity.

Current Reservoir Conditions

Before the ramp-up began this morning, the system sat at the following levels:

• Elevation: 4785.48 feet
• Storage: 61,872 acre-feet
• Inflow: 95 cfs
• Current Diversion: 0 cfs (prior to Tuesday’s initiation)

The successful restoration marks a significant win for the region, highlighting the tireless work of the crews who pushed through challenges to restore these critical water operations.

^{Photo by The Milk River Project}