Honest Cattle · Silver Bow County

Water Rights

Silver Bow County, Montana

Water Rights & Land Ownership

Silver Bow County is anchored at Butte — historic copper-mining city sitting astride the Continental Divide. The Big Hole River drains the SW corner east of the divide; the upper Clark Fork (Silver Bow Cr.) heads in Butte and drains W toward Deer Lodge. Butte Hill / Berkeley Pit Superfund site is the largest EPA cleanup in the Upper Clark Fork system. About 5,100 active rights.

5,060Active water rights
Stock & MunicipalPrimary uses
718 mi²County area
76G · 41D · 41BDNRC basins

Active rights pulled live from DNRC WRQS on 2026-06-01. Silver Bow spans four basins: 41B/41D (Beaverhead-Big Hole side east of divide), 41G (Jefferson side), 76G (Upper Clark Fork — west of divide).

Silver Bow County Watershed Map

Silver Bow County, Montana ← W of divide E of divide → Continental Divide / Butte Hill Silver Bow Cr. → Clark Fork Big Hole R. → Boulder R. side BUTTE Rocker Ramsay Divide (S) N ~10 mi
Rivers Silver Bow Cr. (W of divide) Big Hole R. (E of divide) Boulder side

Search Silver Bow County water rights

Water right format:
76G 12345 00 (Upper Clark Fork) · 41D (Big Hole) · 41B (Beaverhead side).
Primary basins:
76G Upper Clark Fork / Silver Bow Cr. · 41B/41D Big Hole-Beaverhead side · 41G Jefferson side.
Superfund context:
Butte Hill / Berkeley Pit / Silver Bow Cr. Operable Units are the largest Superfund site in the Upper Clark Fork system — water-quality and dewatering rights interact with flow rights.
Consolidated government:
Butte-Silver Bow is a consolidated city-county government; clerk and treasurer records combine.
DNRC regional office:
Bozeman Regional Office, 406-586-3136 (W-of-divide work coordinated with Missoula).
Clerk & Recorder:
Butte-Silver Bow County, 406-497-6342.

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.

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