Honest Cattle · Deer Lodge County
Water Rights
Water Rights & Land Ownership
Deer Lodge County is anchored at Anaconda — historic smelter town at the foot of the East Pintler / Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. The upper Clark Fork runs N-NW through the county past Warm Springs. Decades of mining-era contamination drive ongoing Superfund management of upper Clark Fork sediment and water quality. About 4,800 active rights.
4,835Active water rights
Irrigation & StockPrimary uses
737 mi²County area
76G · 76GJ · 41DDNRC basins
Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Deer Lodge spans three basins: 76G (Upper Clark Fork main), 76GJ (Clark Fork tributary), 41D (Big Hole side — small SE corner).
Deer Lodge County Watershed Map
Rivers Upper Clark Fork Big Hole side Hay valley
Search Deer Lodge County water rights
DNRC WRQSOwner, priority, abstract — pre-filter on basin 76G. DNRC WaterMapperUpper Clark Fork diversions. Montana CadastralParcel boundaries & geocodes. GWIC MapperWells & aquifer data — Superfund monitoring intensive.
- Water right format:
- 76G 12345 00 (Upper Clark Fork) · 76GJ (trib.) · 41D (Big Hole side).
- Primary basins:
- 76G Upper Clark Fork · 76GJ Clark Fork trib · 41D Big Hole side.
- Superfund context:
- Upper Clark Fork Operable Unit (Anaconda Smelter NPL) affects water-quality remediation; flow rights and quality-management overlap.
- DNRC regional office:
- Bozeman Regional Office, 406-586-3136 (also served by Missoula for west-of-divide work).
- Clerk & Recorder:
- Deer Lodge County, 406-563-4015.
Quick links
Data sources: Montana DNRC, MSL/DOR Cadastral, MBMG GWIC, EPA. Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Informational only.