Honest Cattle · Daniels County

Water Rights

Daniels County, Montana

Water Rights & Land Ownership

Daniels is high northern plains country along the Saskatchewan border — Scobey is the county seat. Big Muddy Creek and Poplar River headwaters drain the county south toward the Missouri (via the Fort Peck Reservation). Wheat and small-grain ground dominates, with stock and small-irrigation rights on the creeks.

Combine the DNRC WRQS water-rights record with the Montana Cadastral using the 17-digit geocode that links them.

2,371Active water rights
Stock & IrrigationPrimary uses
1,426 mi²County area
40Q · 40RDNRC basins

Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Daniels spans two basins: 40Q (Poplar R. headwaters) and 40R (Big Muddy / NE Missouri side).

Daniels County Watershed Map

Big Muddy Creek drains the east county south toward the Missouri via Sheridan and Roosevelt; Poplar River headwaters drain the west county south through Valley and Roosevelt to the Missouri. The Canadian border runs along the north.

Daniels County, Montana — Saskatchewan border — Poplar R. (W fork) Big Muddy Cr. SCOBEY Peerless Whitetail Flaxville N ~12 mi
Creeks Poplar R. headwaters Big Muddy Cr.

Search Daniels County water rights

Water right format:
40Q 12345 00 (Poplar) · 40R (Big Muddy / NE Missouri).
Primary basins:
40Q Poplar R. headwaters · 40R Big Muddy Cr. / NE Missouri side.
International note:
North-flowing tributaries cross the Canadian border under bilateral apportionment rules.
DNRC regional office:
Glasgow Regional Office, 406-228-2561.
Clerk & Recorder:
Daniels County, 406-487-2581.

Quick links

Data sources: Montana DNRC, MSL/DOR Cadastral, MBMG GWIC. Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Informational only.

Get the Weekly Forecast in Your Inbox

Montana and Texas cattle market analysis delivered every Monday.

Free weekly report. No spam.