Water Rights & Land Ownership
Powder River County is classic SE Montana cattle country — Broadus is the county seat, on the Powder River. The Powder enters from Wyoming in the south, drains north toward the Yellowstone (joining in Custer County). The Little Powder enters from the SE. Custer National Forest pine ridges (Ashland-Custer NF) rise in the west. Most of the 11,700 active rights are stock and small-irrigation diversions on Powder, Little Powder, and Mizpah Creek.
Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Powder River spans seven basins: 42B (Tongue), 42C (Tongue trib), 42I/42J (Powder R. tribs), 38H (Little Powder margin?), 39F (Little Missouri side), 43Q (Yellowstone side).
Powder River County Watershed Map
Search Powder River County water rights
- Water right format:
- 42J 12345 00 (Powder) · 42C (Tongue side) · 38H (Little Powder).
- Primary basins:
- 42J/42I Powder R · 42C Tongue · 42B Tongue trib · 38H/39F Little Powder/Little Missouri margins · 43Q Yellowstone-side N margin.
- Wyoming origin:
- Powder River headwaters are in Wyoming — interstate apportionment matters in dry years.
- DNRC regional office:
- Miles City Regional Office, 406-234-0241.
- Clerk & Recorder:
- Powder River County, 406-436-2657.
Irrigated Acres — USDA Census
Powder River County reported 16,192 irrigated acres in the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture, up from 15,972 in 2017 — a change of +220 acres (+1.4%). 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. Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Informational only.