Honest Cattle · Roosevelt County

Water Rights

Roosevelt County, Montana

Water Rights & Land Ownership

Roosevelt County is largely the Fort Peck Indian Reservation (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes), with the Missouri River forming the southern border. Wolf Point is the county seat; Poplar is the Tribal HQ. The Poplar River drains north-to-south through the county into the Missouri. The Fort Peck-Montana Water Compact sets reserved Tribal water rights that are senior to most state-administered priority dates on reservation parcels.

3,043Active state water rights
Irrigation & StockPrimary uses
2,355 mi²County area
40Q · 40R · 40SDNRC basins

Active state-administered rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Roosevelt spans three basins: 40Q (Poplar R.), 40R (Big Muddy / NE Missouri), 40S (Lower Missouri side). Fort Peck Tribal compact rights are administered by the Tribes and are not fully reflected in WRQS.

Roosevelt County Watershed Map

Roosevelt County, Montana — Fort Peck Indian Reservation — Missouri R. (S border) → Poplar R. Big Muddy Cr. WOLF POINT Poplar (Tribal HQ) Culbertson Brockton N ~16 mi
Rivers Missouri R. Poplar R. Big Muddy Cr.

Search Roosevelt County water rights

Water right format:
40Q 12345 00 (Poplar) · 40R (Big Muddy) · 40S (Lower Missouri side).
Primary basins:
40Q Poplar R · 40R Big Muddy · 40S Lower Missouri side.
Fort Peck Compact:
Federally-reserved Tribal water rights senior to most state priorities on reservation parcels; administered by Fort Peck Tribal Water Resources, not state WRQS.
International note:
Poplar R. and Big Muddy Cr. headwaters extend into Saskatchewan — apportionment under Boundary Waters Treaty.
DNRC regional office:
Glasgow Regional Office, 406-228-2561.
Clerk & Recorder:
Roosevelt County, 406-653-6250.

Quick links

Data sources: Montana DNRC, MSL/DOR Cadastral, MBMG GWIC. Fort Peck Tribal compact rights administered separately from state. Informational only.

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