At Crazy Mountain, the decadence of green grass

Since August, the City of Boulder has sold just under 1.14 million gallons of water to a contractor who has delivered it to Crazy Mountain Ranch. 

Water is the lifeblood of Montana and drought is an ever present reality, even in a good year. We walk a tightrope linking those two realities every year, trying to maintain a delicate balance between them. Water grows crops and supports ranching; water also sustains fish and wildlife and the habitat they need. It literally underpins the health and wellbeing of our communities.

At Park County Environmental Council (PCEC) we believe the health of the ecosystem is directly tied to the health of our communities. One cannot be isolated from the other. That balance was thrown off this summer in the Shields Valley when the Crazy Mountain Ranch altered its water use without going through the proper change of use application procedure with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC).