Irrigation

SUMMER GODDARD / VALLEY JOURNAL Mission Jocko Irrigation Commissioners Tim Orr and Gene Posivio discuss irrigation concerns during a Sept. 14 meeting in St. Ignatius.

Lack of irrigation water discussed at Mission Jocko meeting

By Summer Goddard / Valley Journal

ST. IGNATIUS — A lack of water, particularly for livestock, was discussed during last week’s regularly scheduled meeting of the Mission Jocko Irrigation District commissioners.

“It’s a big deal here for some of us, I’d love to go another month,” Joint Board Chairman Ray Swenson said. “I’m gonna have to start hauling water.” He added that there may be funds available for ranchers through the Farm Service Agency for hauling stock water.

Commissioner Tim Orr reminded members and attendees that Mission and Jocko have stock water rights recorded with the Montana DNRC. “We have stock water rights, very good ones,” he said. “Flathead has smaller stock water rights.”

Mismanagement, Orr says, is the cause of irrigation water shortages. “There’s water coming out of that mountain yet,” he said. “There’s 25 feet in K Canal … Big Knife’s running. You know all these creeks are still running. If they’re running it down the creeks and not bringing it to the farms, they’re failing us because they have responsibility to deliver as long as it’s there. So long as they can meet the instream flows… This project is mismanaging water for the irrigators. All year long. But there’s water out there. There’s no excuse why you folks don’t have stock water… This is getting ridiculous. It’s costing us $33 an acre and we are getting less and less and less service from this project.”

Commissioner Tracy Gardner agreed. He said he and other irrigators on Jocko Road were told to shut their water off Aug. 15, “but they continue to run the water for two weeks beyond that down Jocko Road. Right on past.”

Regarding delivery of stock water to the Jocko area, Commissioner Boone Cole read from an April 13 letter from Flathead Irrigation Project manager Larry Nelson: “After the 2021 irrigation water delivery is completed for the Jocko area, we will not be making any stock water deliveries of the Jocko division service area.” Though the letter states the reason is for rehabilitation

Charlo alum receives army promotion

CHARLO — Jonathan Gardner, a graduate of Charlo High School, was promoted to Major on May 1 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He has served nearly 12 years in the United States Army as a Signal Officer.

In addition, after attending the United States Army Command and General Staff College for the past year at Fort Leavenworth, he graduated on June 18 with a master’s degree. The 10-month graduate-level program includes instruction on leadership philosophy, military history, and the military planning and decision-making processes.

Major Gardner is now stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he lives with his wife Janelle, also a graduate of Charlo High, and the couple’s five children. He is the son of Susan and the late John Gardner, and grandson of the late Eileen and Lawrence Hodges, all of Charlo.

COURTESY PHOTO Major Jonathan Gardner displays his master’s degree in front of the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth.

Charlo school election results announced

News from the Lake County Election Office

CHARLO — An election for two open positions on the School District No. 7-J board of trustees was held Sept. 14. Out of 798 active voters, 324 cast ballots for trustees – yielding a 40.6% turnout for active voters in the district. Tracy Olsen and Jodie L. Johnson Buxbaum won majority votes and will serve on the board of trustees.

Unofficial vote tallies are as follows:

Jodie L. Johnson Buxbaum – 127

Dion Carey – 118

Shelly Cordis Frame – 58

Tracy Olsen – 155

Terrance R. Rosenbaum – 120

New DPHHS rule to ease hospital strain

News from the office of Governor Gianforte

HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte announced last week the Department of Public Health and Human Services has issued an emergency rule to ease strain on hospital capacity across the state.

The temporary emergency rule waives regulations to make it easier for hospitals to transfer certain patients to other health care facilities, freeing up needed hospital beds.

The DPHHS’ emergency rule can be found: dphhs.mt.gov/assets/ rules/37-964emg.pdf.

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Annual Harvest Fest returns to Ronan

Story and photos by Rob Zolman Valley Journal

RONAN — After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ronan Harvest Festival returned to the south lawn of Glacier Bank along U.S. Highway 93 on Saturday, and so did the crowds.

“We thought it would be something fun to do to get the kids out of the house,” said event goer Julie Thomas. “We enjoyed doing all the kid activities and checking out the vendors.”

More than a dozen years old, the annual community festival hosted by the Ronan Area Chamber of Commerce takes aim at celebrating local farmers and the return of autumn with a day of family friendly events.

Live music from various local entertainers and musicians filled the venue as festival goers strolled amongst more than 20 vendors offering homemade crafts, hand-crafted jewelry, locally sourced food products and outdoor living items.

An on-site beer keg from Ronan Co-op Brewery and a vendor selling freshly squeezed lemonade helped quench thirsts on the sunny day.

Kid friendly activities like a pumpkin bowling game, jump houses and a petting zoo were also on site. New to the festival this year, a corn hole tournament was held with prize money awaarded to the top three finishers. Proceeds from tournament entry fees were donated to the Ronan Area Chamber of Commerce for future community projects and events.