Honest Cattle · Richland County
Water Rights
Water Rights & Land Ownership
Richland County sits at Montana’s NE corner — Sidney is the county seat, on the Yellowstone River just upstream of its confluence with the Missouri (Fort Union NHS sits just over the North Dakota line). Bakken oil patch spans the county. The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project diverts at Intake Dam (just upstream in Dawson) and delivers water to the Sidney bench. About 4,600 active rights.
4,643Active water rights
IrrigationPrimary use
2,084 mi²County area
42M · 40S · 40PDNRC basins
Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Richland spans three basins: 42M (Yellowstone lower main), 40P (Redwater R. margin), 40S (Missouri-Yellowstone confluence).
Richland County Watershed Map
Rivers Yellowstone R. Redwater margin Lower Yellowstone Project
Search Richland County water rights
DNRC WRQSOwner, priority, abstract — pre-filter on basin 42M. DNRC WaterMapperLower Yellowstone Project canal + Yellowstone main-stem diversions. Montana CadastralParcel boundaries & geocodes. GWIC MapperWells & aquifer data — Bakken-related WQ monitoring intensive.
- Water right format:
- 42M 12345 00 (Yellowstone lower) · 40P (Redwater) · 40S (Mo-Yellowstone confluence).
- Primary basins:
- 42M Yellowstone lower main · 40P Redwater · 40S Mo-Yellowstone confluence.
- Lower Yellowstone Project:
- USBR diversion at Intake Dam (Dawson Co.) — Richland is the principal delivery county. Rights administered under federal project + state.
- DNRC regional office:
- Miles City Regional Office, 406-234-0241.
- Clerk & Recorder:
- Richland County, 406-433-1708.
Quick links
Data sources: Montana DNRC, MSL/DOR Cadastral, MBMG GWIC, USBR. Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Informational only.