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Montana Stream Access Law

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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
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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
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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
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watercraft. Class II waters are all other rivers and streams capable of recreational use that are not Class I waters.
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reaffirmed the Montana Stream Access Law and the public's right to access rivers in Montana from public easements.
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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: 1129: 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
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Middle fork of the Flathead - from Schaffer creek to its confluence with the Flathead River
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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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Lake Creek - from Chase cut-off-road to its confluence with the Kootenai River
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Agricultural organization supporting interests of irrigators and landowners.
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see Bitterroot Protective Ass'n v. Bitterroot Conservation Dist. (BRPA II),
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have full use of most natural waterways between the high-water marks for
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South fork of the Flathead - from Youngs creek to Hungry Horse reservoir
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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
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Montana Coalition for Stream Access, Inc. v. Curran,
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Montana Coalition for Stream Access, Inc. v. Curran,
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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 1282: 1281: 1280: 637: 630: 623: 614: 613: 609: 597: 577: 572: 566: 565: 563: 562: 547: 541: 536: 530: 525: 519: 514: 508: 507: 505: 504: 492: 486: 483: 477: 471: 462: 459: 453: 447: 441: 440: 438: 437: 425: 419: 407: 398: 393: 308:Tongue River Dam 215:Beaverhead River 195:Bitterroot River 180:Clark Fork River 1329: 1328: 1324: 1323: 1322: 1320: 1319: 1318: 1294: 1293: 1292: 1287: 1278: 1276: 1269: 1110:Lewis and Clark 976: 858: 849:Western Montana 829:Eastern Montana 815: 754: 723:Protected areas 662: 650: 641: 606: 586: 584:Further reading 581: 580: 573: 569: 560: 558: 549: 548: 544: 537: 533: 526: 522: 515: 511: 502: 500: 493: 489: 484: 480: 472: 465: 460: 456: 448: 444: 435: 433: 426: 422: 417:Wayback Machine 408: 401: 394: 390: 385: 366: 341: 319: 233:Jefferson River 189:Blackfoot River 127: 81: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1327: 1317: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1289: 1288: 1274: 1271: 1270: 1268: 1267: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1187: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1162: 1157: 1152: 1147: 1142: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1122: 1117: 1112: 1107: 1102: 1097: 1092: 1087: 1082: 1077: 1072: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1037: 1032: 1027: 1022: 1017: 1012: 1007: 1002: 997: 992: 986: 984: 978: 977: 975: 974: 969: 964: 959: 954: 949: 944: 939: 934: 929: 924: 919: 914: 909: 904: 899: 897:Columbia Falls 894: 889: 884: 879: 874: 868: 866: 864:Largest cities 860: 859: 857: 856: 851: 846: 841: 836: 831: 825: 823: 817: 816: 814: 813: 808: 803: 798: 793: 788: 783: 778: 773: 768: 762: 760: 756: 755: 753: 752: 747: 745:Transportation 742: 741: 740: 730: 725: 720: 715: 714: 713: 703: 698: 693: 688: 683: 681:Climate change 678: 672: 670: 664: 663: 655: 652: 651: 640: 639: 632: 625: 617: 611: 610: 604: 585: 582: 579: 578: 567: 542: 531: 520: 509: 487: 478: 463: 454: 442: 420: 399: 387: 386: 384: 381: 380: 379: 373: 365: 362: 361: 360: 354: 348: 340: 337: 336: 335: 330: 325: 318: 315: 314: 313: 312: 311: 301: 298:Yellowtail Dam 291: 274: 273: 272: 266: 260: 254: 248: 245:Dearborn River 242: 236: 230: 227:Gallatin River 224: 221:Big Hole River 218: 212: 209:Missouri River 203: 202: 201: 198: 192: 186: 183: 174: 173: 172: 169: 166: 160:Flathead River 157: 156: 155: 149: 146: 143:Kootenai River 134:Class I Waters 126: 123: 80: 77: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1326: 1315: 1312: 1310: 1307: 1305: 1302: 1301: 1299: 1286: 1285: 1272: 1266: 1263: 1261: 1258: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1228: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1216: 1213: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1156: 1153: 1151: 1148: 1146: 1143: 1141: 1138: 1136: 1133: 1131: 1128: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1118: 1116: 1113: 1111: 1108: 1106: 1103: 1101: 1098: 1096: 1093: 1091: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1081: 1080:Golden Valley 1078: 1076: 1073: 1071: 1068: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1046: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1036: 1033: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1023: 1021: 1018: 1016: 1013: 1011: 1008: 1006: 1003: 1001: 998: 996: 993: 991: 988: 987: 985: 983: 979: 973: 970: 968: 965: 963: 960: 958: 955: 953: 950: 948: 945: 943: 940: 938: 935: 933: 930: 928: 925: 923: 920: 918: 915: 913: 910: 908: 905: 903: 900: 898: 895: 893: 890: 888: 885: 883: 880: 878: 875: 873: 870: 869: 867: 865: 861: 855: 852: 850: 847: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 826: 824: 822: 818: 812: 809: 807: 804: 802: 799: 797: 794: 792: 789: 787: 784: 782: 779: 777: 774: 772: 769: 767: 764: 763: 761: 757: 751: 748: 746: 743: 739: 736: 735: 734: 733:State symbols 731: 729: 726: 724: 721: 719: 716: 712: 709: 708: 707: 704: 702: 699: 697: 694: 692: 689: 687: 684: 682: 679: 677: 674: 673: 671: 669: 665: 660: 659: 653: 649: 645: 638: 633: 631: 626: 624: 619: 618: 615: 607: 601: 596: 595: 588: 587: 576: 571: 557:on 2011-09-27 556: 552: 546: 540: 535: 529: 524: 518: 513: 498: 491: 482: 475: 470: 468: 458: 451: 446: 431: 424: 418: 414: 411: 406: 404: 397: 392: 388: 377: 374: 371: 368: 367: 358: 355: 352: 349: 346: 343: 342: 334: 331: 329: 326: 324: 321: 320: 309: 305: 302: 299: 295: 294:Bighorn River 292: 289: 285: 281: 278: 277: 275: 270: 267: 264: 261: 258: 255: 252: 249: 246: 243: 240: 239:Madison River 237: 234: 231: 228: 225: 222: 219: 216: 213: 210: 207: 206: 204: 199: 196: 193: 190: 187: 184: 181: 178: 177: 175: 170: 167: 164: 163: 161: 158: 153: 150: 147: 144: 141: 140: 138: 137: 136: 135: 131: 122: 119: 115: 111: 107: 102: 93: 85: 76: 74: 70: 65: 61: 57: 53: 49: 45: 41: 37: 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:.

Index


East Gallatin River
Belgrade, MT
anglers
floaters
Montana
fishing
swimming
Montana Supreme Court
recreation
Ruby river
Madison County, Montana


trapping
Kootenai River
Yaak River
Flathead River
Clark Fork River
Blackfoot River
Bitterroot River
Missouri River
Beaverhead River
Big Hole River
Gallatin River
Jefferson River
Madison River
Dearborn River
Sun River
Smith River

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