Water Rights & Land Ownership
McCone County is rolling prairie and Missouri Breaks country — Circle is the county seat, sitting on the Redwater River. Fort Peck Reservoir backs into the NW corner. Most ranchers depend on stockwater wells and small-creek diversions. About 5,400 active rights.
Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. McCone spans five basins: 40D/40E (Missouri Breaks / Fort Peck Lake margin), 40P (Redwater R.), 40S (Lower Missouri side), 42M (Yellowstone-side southern margin).
McCone County Watershed Map
Search McCone County water rights
- Water right format:
- 40P 12345 00 (Redwater) · 40E (Big Dry) · 42M (S margin).
- Primary basins:
- 40P Redwater R · 40D/40E Ft Peck Lake margin · 40S lower Missouri side · 42M Yellowstone-side S margin.
- DNRC regional office:
- Glasgow Regional Office, 406-228-2561.
- Clerk & Recorder:
- McCone County, 406-485-3505.
Irrigated Acres — USDA Census
McCone County reported 8,205 irrigated acres in the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, up from 7,273 in 2017 — a change of +932 acres (+12.8%). These are acres that actually received irrigation in the census year, not all land equipped for irrigation.
Source: USDA 2022 Census of Agriculture, Table 10 (irrigated land, acres). See the Measuring Montana Moisture overview →
Quick links
Data sources: Montana DNRC, MSL/DOR Cadastral, MBMG GWIC, USACE. Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Informational only.