A Social-Ecological Approach to Evaluating Short-Term Water Leasing for Streamflow Conservation in Montana, USA

Author

Logan A. Brauer, University of Montana

Year of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Resource Conservation

Department or School/College

Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Committee Chair

Dr. Brian C. Chaffin

Commitee Members

Dr. Lisa Eby, Dr. Sarah J. Halvorson

Keywords

water management, temporary leasing, deficit irrigation, Clark Fork River water conservation, split-season water right leasing, water right leasing perceptions

Subject Categories

Water Resource Management

Abstract

Streams throughout Montana are increasingly caught between increasing temperatures, decreasing summer precipitation, and heavy water demand for irrigated agriculture. Amid rapidly growing urban populations and uncertain climatic futures, many watersheds in Montana may face water shortages that impact aquatic species and habitat in the upcoming years. Conservation efforts around the state are working to mitigate water stress in these streams especially during the late summer season, when streamflow is naturally lower, and/or in times of drought. One policy solution to address low flows is a concept known as temporary leasing or split season leasing programs (SSLP), whereby an entity (e.g., state, NGO) leases portions of a seasonal agricultural water right. Thus, the lessee purchases the right to keep water in-stream, generally during the hottest and driest months of the year. Across the American West under the prior appropriation doctrine of water rights administration there are growing efforts to implement SSLPs, but there are still key challenges to understand and overcome. One of the largest obstacles to implementation is the lack of information on ecological indicators of split-season leasing success. As a solution, SSLPs need clear biophysical guidance to determine benefit to the stream, not just information for creating social and political feasibility. Through investigation of water rights data and publicly available biophysical datasets, I evaluated potential indicators of SSLP success for future voluntary leasing programs in Montana. Another barrier to utilizing SSLPs in watershed management is the understudied perceptions among potential lessor candidates. By conducting semi-structured interviews with agricultural producers that hold water rights desirable for a SSLP in the Upper Clark Fork River Basin (UCF), I shed light on potential participation limits from an irrigator and water rights holder perspective. An analysis of biophysical datasets combined with geospatial water right data in the UCF suggested 12 ideal water right owners. Semi-structured interviews with UCF water right holders, including five from the selected 12, suggested that a bottom-up, adaptive management approach is needed for successful application of the tool in the UCF, Montana, and potentially beyond.

Recommended Citation

Brauer, Logan A., "A Social-Ecological Approach to Evaluating Short-Term Water Leasing for Streamflow Conservation in Montana, USA" (2024). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 12359.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/12359