As the irrigation season nears its end, most reservoirs remain in “pretty good shape,” said Nick Belcourt, the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project operator.

The mild winter initially left Ronan irrigator Thane Tobol “pretty concerned” about the irrigation season, but heavy rainfall events “were basically lifesavers,” he said. 

Each growing season at Tobol Farms can be different, depending on how much irrigation water is available. But Tobol said this year couldn’t have been “any more beautiful” in terms of weather, rainfall and irrigation water availability. 

Belcourt explained that Tabor Reservoir was 70% full as of Monday, Aug. 10, and that water from the reservoir is being transferred to the project's North and South Divisions. He said the goal of the transfers is to balance all divisions, and they are targeting water to last until the first week of September. 

However, the Jocko Division is a different story because it depends on how the South Fork runs, which drops off quickly, according to Belcourt. Water stored in Jocko Lake is also used to supplement these canals, and Belcourt said they are trying to keep the Jocko irrigation going until the end of August or the start of September. 

The Flathead Indian Irrigation project includes the Camas, Jocko, North and South Divisions, and it is managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

Tobol Farms is operated by brothers Thane and Reed, who grow potatoes and alfalfa. Thane explained that both crops are highly dependent on water and require about 18 to 19 inches of combined rainfall, irrigation and groundwater during a growing season. In fact, a lack of water can cause uniformity problems, such as misshapes. 

“They’re a demanding plant, but no more demanding than alfalfa,” he said. 

At Tobol Farms, they are 100% dependent on the project's irrigation water supply. Thane explained that the best way for him to make irrigation decisions is to talk to his ditch rider pretty much daily. 

The tail ends

Belcourt explained that the project is currently struggling due to a lack of personnel and maintenance, which is making it difficult to deliver water to the tail ends of the project. He added that several irrigators aren’t receiving water because of maintenance issues or vegetation in the canals, but he has no one to operate maintenance equipment. 

“We're doing our best,” Belcourt said. 

The project is funded for 51 positions; however, Belcourt said they have only 24 federal positions and 13 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes personnel positions.

According to the United States Government Accountability Office website, an executive order from President Donald Trump in January 2025 placed the Bureau of Indian Affairs under a hiring freeze. 

Although it had funding, the project could not hire employees. Belcourt said he recently received notice that they might be able to hire again this fall. He said it wasn’t official approval to hire, but it felt like a “light at the end of the tunnel.” 

“So hopefully we'll be able to start hiring some real critical positions here at FIIP, so we can provide a better service to the irrigators,” he said.