5/29/11 UPDATE
Last week we reported that the entire Huntley Project Irrigation District is in jeopardy, due to massive flood damage from Pryor Creek just 10 miles east of Billings.
They are assessing that damage, and Taylor Brown reports that the extent of the devastation takes your breath away.There will be a meeting this Tuesday at 1:30 in the County Commissioners boardroom, Room 403A of the County Courthouse in Billings. Also, the annual Ag Tour by the Billings Chamber Ag Committee will visit that Huntley Project area this Friday June 3rd. If you’d like to go on the tour and see it for yourself, call the Chamber at 245-4111.
This picture shows the newly enlarged Pryor Creek. Taken looking northwest from I-94 near Huntley, it shows where Pryor Creek has destroyed the Huntley Irrigation Project main canal.
For more pictures of the devastation that has taken place from the Bureau of Reclamation, CLICK HERE.
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Rain in Montana has done more than just worry producers about crop disease. Near Huntley Project, MT, the irrigation system is in jeopardy. Northern Ag Network spoke with Dan Vogel on Tuesday. Dan is on the Huntley Project Irrigation District Board of Directors.
The canal has been pushed shut again but Dan says that if a diversion dike protecting the canal is breached, Pryor Creek will once again be flowing strong into the canal. He says this will put the community, railroad tracks and the Coors elevator at risk.
Pryor Creek is currently heading towards the old Pryor Creek channel. The Creek was diverted away from that channel over 100 years ago when the irrigation canal was built. If it gets back in that channel, Dan says we could have a real serious problem again. Currently they are hoping to have everything repaired and water in the Huntley Project irrigation system by July 1.
© Northern Ag Network 2011
Haylie Shipp & Kaci Switzer
