20:
84:
92:
1279:
120:
to the list of permissible recreational uses. The question of stream access at bridge crossings was resolved by HB 190 in 2009. The law states that a landowner may erect fences abutting bridge structures to control livestock so long as the fence includes approved access features such as gates, stiles
103:
the
Montana Supreme Court held that "under the public trust doctrine and the 1972 Montana Constitution, any surface waters that are capable of recreational use may be so used by the public without regard to streambed ownership or navigability for nonrecreational purposes." This decision was expanded
129:
The law creates two classifications of waters capable of recreational use: Class I and Class II. Class I are waters which are capable of recreational use and have been declared navigable or which are capable of specific kinds of commercial activity including commercial outfitting with multi-person
353:- The clean flowing waters of Montana belong to the people and are held in trust by the State for a pollution-free healthful environment guaranteed by our Montana Constitution. Montana River Action's mission is to protect and restore rivers, streams and other water bodies.
66:
can be accessed by the public regardless of whether the river is navigable or who owns the streambed property. On
January 16, 2014, the Montana Supreme Court, in a lawsuit filed by the Public Land/Water Access Association over access via county bridges on the
359:- Dedicated to conservation and preservation of Montana's wildlife, lands, waters and Montana fair-chase hunting and fishing heritage; Prioritizing public access to public wildlife and public lands.
99:
The core law creating the
Montana Stream Access law began with Article IX, section 3 of the 1972 Montana Constitution, which addressed state ownership of Montana waters. In 1984 in
685:
347:- The mission of the association is to maintain, restore, and perpetuate public access to the boundaries of all Montana public land and waters.
396:
Montana Code
Annotated 2013; Title 23, Parks, Recreation, Sports and Gambling; Chapter 2, Recreation; Part 3. Recreational Use of Streams
108:. Both cases noted that streambed access did not imply that the public had a right to cross private lands to access streams. Following
550:
820:
1308:
749:
603:
412:
863:
185:
North Fork of the
Blackfoot - from highway 200 east of Ovando to its confluence with the mainstem of the Blackfoot River
130:
watercraft. Class II waters are all other rivers and streams capable of recreational use that are not Class I waters.
496:
675:
634:
843:
75:
reaffirmed the
Montana Stream Access Law and the public's right to access rivers in Montana from public easements.
1109:
710:
574:
1079:
732:
1174:
1099:
838:
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1264:
1229:
1149:
981:
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191:- from the Cedar Meadow fishing access site west of Helmville to its confluence with the Clark Fork River
1224:
1219:
1044:
1004:
989:
116:, the Montana Legislature enacted the Stream Access Law in 1985. An Attorney General's opinion added
1313:
1254:
1199:
1159:
1094:
853:
744:
680:
332:
283:
188:
87:
Camping on the
Jefferson River below the high-water mark – an example of public stream access rights
1244:
1214:
1194:
1164:
1144:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1024:
994:
695:
259:- from the Camp Baker Fishing Access site near Ft. Logan to its confluence with the Missouri River
1209:
1204:
1189:
1184:
1169:
1139:
1134:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1084:
1074:
1034:
1019:
896:
72:
223:- from Fishtrap fishing access downstream from Wisdom to its confluence with the Jefferson River
1259:
1249:
1179:
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1054:
1049:
1039:
1029:
1014:
1009:
999:
810:
303:
1239:
1234:
627:
322:
256:
200:
Rock Creek - from the confluence of the West fork to its confluence with the Clark Fork River
59:
197:- from the confluence of the East and West forks to its confluence with the Clark Fork River
1303:
1154:
1104:
1089:
911:
168:
Middle fork of the
Flathead - from Schaffer creek to its confluence with the Flathead River
8:
951:
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800:
770:
765:
737:
554:
24:
971:
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held that the streambed of any river or stream that has the capability to be used for
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876:
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599:
279:
271:- from the confluence with Big Spring Creek to its confluence with the Missouri River
19:
886:
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620:
307:
214:
194:
179:
409:
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232:
117:
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891:
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244:
226:
220:
208:
159:
142:
83:
55:
785:
148:
Lake Creek - from Chase cut-off-road to its confluence with the
Kootenai River
1297:
429:
395:
293:
238:
378:
Agricultural organization supporting interests of irrigators and landowners.
91:
833:
795:
690:
474:
see
Bitterroot Protective Ass'n v. Bitterroot Conservation Dist. (BRPA II),
287:
268:
262:
28:
805:
50:
have full use of most natural waterways between the high-water marks for
790:
780:
727:
165:
South fork of the Flathead - from Youngs creek to Hungry Horse reservoir
643:
171:
Flathead River (mainstem) - to its confluence with the Clark Fork River
151:
68:
63:
372:- Improving environmental quality through property rights and markets.
363:
327:
250:
527:
612:
247:- from Highway 431 bridge to its confluence with the Missouri River
43:
217:- from Clark Canyon Dam to its confluence with the Jefferson River
647:
538:
51:
47:
39:
338:
229:- from Taylors Fork to its confluence with the Missouri River
594:
Saving Homewaters: The Story of Montana's Streams and Rivers
253:- from Gibson Dam to its confluence with the Missouri River
241:- from Quake Lake to its confluence with the Missouri River
154:- from Yaak Falls to its confluence with the Kootenai River
58:
and other river or stream-related activities. In 1984, the
265:- from Tiber Dam to its confluence with the Missouri River
499:. Public Land and Resources Law Review Vol. 36, Article 5
516:
575:"MFBF extremely disappointed in Mitchell Ditch ruling"
497:"The Remarkable Odyssey of Stream Access in Montana"
450:
Montana Coalition for Stream Access, Inc. v. Curran,
101:
Montana Coalition for Stream Access, Inc. v. Curran,
106:
Mont. Coalition for Stream Access, Inc. v. Hildreth
591:
551:"Roundtable Discussion of Montana's Stream Access"
364:Advocates for reduced Montana public stream access
1295:
23:Favorable posted county road bridge crossing on
494:
370:Property and Environment Research Center (PERC)
405:
403:
628:
430:"Resounding Victory In Montana Supreme Court"
211:- from Three Forks to the North Dakota border
461:211 Mont. 29, 35, 684 P.2d 1088, 1091 (1984)
427:
310:to its confluence with the Yellowstone River
300:to its confluence with the Yellowstone River
182:- from Warm Spring Creek to the Idaho border
400:
235:- to its confluence with the Missouri River
124:
78:
635:
621:
452:210 Mont. 38, 53, 682 P.2d 163, 171 (1984)
339:Advocates for Montana public stream access
176:Clark Fork of the Columbia River Drainage
589:
476:2008 MT 377, 346 Mont. 507, 198 P.3d 219
469:
467:
95:Public access from a bridge right-of-way
90:
82:
18:
598:. Woodstock, VT: The Countryman Press.
432:. Public Lands/Water Access Association
1296:
616:
464:
642:
345:Public Land/Water Access Association
145:- from Libby Dam to the Idaho border
539:Montana Wildlife Federation website
13:
583:
14:
1325:
1277:
844:Regional designations of Montana
517:Public Land/Water Access website
568:
543:
532:
521:
1309:Water law in the United States
510:
488:
479:
455:
443:
421:
389:
376:Montana Farm Bureau Federation
1:
382:
528:Montana River Action website
46:and other recreationists in
7:
357:Montana Wildlife Federation
316:
276:Yellowstone River Drainage
16:Law in the State of Montana
10:
1330:
1273:
980:
862:
819:
758:
686:Congressional delegations
666:
654:
590:Sullivan, Gordon (2008).
333:List of rivers of Montana
284:Yellowstone National Park
104:upon in the same year by
54:and floating, along with
36:Montana Stream Access Law
495:Lane, Robert N. (2015).
410:Stream Access in Montana
205:Missouri River Drainage
139:Kootenai River Drainage
125:Classification of waters
79:Details of Stream Access
73:Madison County, Montana
553:. PERC. Archived from
96:
88:
31:
839:Glacier National Park
485:41 A.G. Op. 36 (1985)
323:Public trust doctrine
94:
86:
60:Montana Supreme Court
22:
351:Montana River Action
750:Tourist attractions
738:The Last Best Place
25:East Gallatin River
1284:Montana portal
428:David v. Goliath.
415:2009-03-10 at the
97:
89:
32:
1291:
1290:
605:978-0-88150-679-2
280:Yellowstone River
1321:
1314:Water in Montana
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453:
447:
441:
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407:
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308:Tongue River Dam
215:Beaverhead River
195:Bitterroot River
180:Clark Fork River
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1110:Lewis and Clark
976:
858:
849:Western Montana
829:Eastern Montana
815:
754:
723:Protected areas
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650:
641:
606:
586:
584:Further reading
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417:Wayback Machine
408:
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366:
341:
319:
233:Jefferson River
189:Blackfoot River
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12:
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897:Columbia Falls
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864:Largest cities
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745:Transportation
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681:Climate change
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298:Yellowtail Dam
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260:
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248:
245:Dearborn River
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230:
227:Gallatin River
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221:Big Hole River
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209:Missouri River
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160:Flathead River
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143:Kootenai River
134:Class I Waters
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1080:Golden Valley
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733:State symbols
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557:on 2011-09-27
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294:Bighorn River
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239:Madison River
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30:
26:
21:
1275:
1175:Powder River
1100:Judith Basin
834:The Flathead
786:Demographics
711:bibliography
656:
593:
570:
559:. Retrieved
555:the original
545:
534:
523:
512:
501:. Retrieved
490:
481:
473:
457:
449:
445:
434:. Retrieved
423:
391:
375:
369:
356:
350:
344:
304:Tongue River
288:North Dakota
269:Judith River
263:Marias River
133:
132:
128:
113:
109:
105:
100:
98:
35:
33:
29:Belgrade, MT
1304:Montana law
1265:Yellowstone
1230:Sweet Grass
1150:Musselshell
912:Great Falls
854:Yellowstone
811:LGBT rights
257:Smith River
1298:Categories
1225:Stillwater
1220:Silver Bow
1045:Deer Lodge
1005:Broadwater
990:Beaverhead
952:Miles City
947:Livingston
696:Government
561:2011-02-01
503:2018-04-10
436:2014-03-20
383:References
152:Yaak River
69:Ruby river
64:recreation
38:says that
1255:Wheatland
1200:Roosevelt
1160:Petroleum
1095:Jefferson
972:Whitefish
942:Lewistown
932:Kalispell
796:Education
701:Governors
691:Geography
661:(capital)
328:Water law
251:Sun River
162:Drainage
1245:Treasure
1215:Sheridan
1195:Richland
1165:Phillips
1145:Missoula
1070:Garfield
1065:Gallatin
1060:Flathead
1025:Chouteau
995:Big Horn
982:Counties
957:Missoula
917:Hamilton
907:Glendive
882:Billings
877:Belgrade
872:Anaconda
806:Politics
801:Gun laws
771:Cannabis
766:Abortion
413:Archived
317:See also
118:trapping
114:Hildreth
56:swimming
44:floaters
1210:Sanders
1205:Rosebud
1190:Ravalli
1185:Prairie
1170:Pondera
1140:Mineral
1135:Meagher
1125:Madison
1120:Lincoln
1115:Liberty
1085:Granite
1075:Glacier
1035:Daniels
1020:Cascade
887:Bozeman
821:Regions
791:Economy
781:Culture
759:Society
706:History
648:Montana
306:- from
296:- from
286:to the
282:- from
52:fishing
48:Montana
40:anglers
1260:Wibaux
1250:Valley
1180:Powell
1130:McCone
1055:Fergus
1050:Fallon
1040:Dawson
1030:Custer
1015:Carter
1010:Carbon
1000:Blaine
967:Sidney
962:Polson
937:Laurel
927:Helena
902:Dillon
728:Sports
718:People
668:Topics
658:Helena
602:
290:border
121:etc..
110:Curran
1240:Toole
1235:Teton
922:Havre
892:Butte
776:Crime
676:Index
644:State
27:near
1155:Park
1105:Lake
1090:Hill
600:ISBN
112:and
34:The
646:of
71:in
1300::
466:^
402:^
42:,
636:e
629:t
622:v
608:.
564:.
506:.
439:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.