Some History.

To date (02/2024), the company has issued 16,782 shares of water and serves approximately 1,489 users and shareholders.

The water turns into the canal around April 15th of each year and is made available to eligible users until October 15th.

The Billings Bench Water A​ssociation was originally incorporated under the name of Billings Land and Irrigation or B.L. & I. in 1903. At the time, we were capitalized at $300,000.00 with 3000 shares of water with a par value of $100.00 each share. The B.L. & I. filed a water right on January 8, 1904 for 600 cu. feet of water per second of time from the Yellowstone River. The Carey Land Act Board for the State of Montana, under whose supervision the project was built, demanded that the company make certain improvements before they would accept the irrigation system. Being insolvent at the time, the company’s creditors placed the affairs of the project in the custody of the Merchants Loan Company of Billings. As settlers purchased land, they then acquired Land and Water Deeds from B.L. & I. To secure title to the lands on the Billings Bench, it became necessary to enter into agreements with the Carey Land Act Board and the N.P.R.R. each of which is controlled about an equal portion of lands lying on the Billings Bench. These water deeds entitled them to a portion of water from the association to irrigate their lands. These deeds allowed the company to levy assessments to maintain the project and provided for a lien in the event of non-payment. On September 24, 1915, the landowners of the project incorporated the Billings Bench Water Association under the laws of the State of Montana.

The irrigation system, which diverts water by gravity from the Yellowstone River at Laurel, consist of 63 miles of main canal and over 200 miles of laterals, distribution canals and two storage reservoirs. The stockholders of the corporation are the owners of the land irrigated served by the irrigation works and of the perpetual water right in the irrigation canal and its appurtenances with the water being supplied to the various stockholders at actual cost. The Billings Bench Water Association is a non-profit, private corporation. The water is used for irrigation of farm crops, recreation, City parks, golf courses and schools, and yard usage.