LIVINGSTON, Mont. — A major agreement has been reached in a water rights dispute involving Crazy Mountain Ranch and state regulators.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation sued Crazy Mountain Ranch’s owner, LLC, and others for illegally irrigating over 35 acres of turf and the entire 112-acre golf course in Park County land that was not historically approved for such use. The ranch, which began constructing the expansive golf course in 2023, lacked the necessary water rights, permits or change authorizations required by Montana law.
A hearing was originally scheduled for July 28 but was vacated.
A court injunction immediately forbade using water for irrigation on both the golf course and the 35.25 “sodded” acres unless water is purchased or leased legally, and records are provided to the DNRC weekly.
The ranch is also banned from using Rainbow Lake to store or pump irrigation water.
All documents verifying any legally acquired water use must be produced within 24 hours upon DNRC’s written request.
DNRC may inspect the property with 24 hours notice.
If the ranch pursues and receives permits or changes to its water rights, the ban may be lifted for authorized uses. If denied, the injunction will remain.
Should the ranch violate the agreement again, they face civil penalties of $1,000 per day. The court will maintain jurisdiction to oversee and enforce the agreement.
“We apologize for getting ahead of the process on the irrigation of the golf course,” said Crazy Mountain Ranch general manager David Hardwick in a statement to NBC Montana, “With this consent decree, the DNRC is allowing us to continue to irrigate the course with purchased water while it considers our May application for a change in place of use. It’s important to know that DNRC does not dispute that CMR has only used water that it is authorized to use – this is resolution of a dispute about where we are using that water.’’
