Consider the groundwater use

Letter to the Editor,

Did you know that the loudest and most outspoken proponents of the CSKT Compact, who favor giving away their neighbor’s water rights, actually use more groundwater from wells than surface water they are giving away?  

Some of these Compact proponents have wells that pump more water on a per-gallon basis than the city of Polson’s wells.  

The proposed Compact calls for the regulation of all irrigation wells greater than 100 gallons per minute.  Yet Compact proponents whose irrigation wells pump more than 1,000 gallons per minute don’t seem to be worried. Why is that? Do they have one of those  Compact consensual agreements with the Tribe that doesn’t require them to follow the rules like others have to?

Does it make sense for Compact proponents who rely on unregulated groundwater withdrawal to force their neighbors to give up their surface water rights?

I guess it’s easy to give away other people’s water when you don’t have to give up your own.

— Heather Rush

St. Ignatius