Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-31-4207. Exemption for commercial irrigation ditches--improvement districts for protection from open ditches

(1) This part does not apply to ditches carrying water used for commercial irrigation purposes.

(2) However, whenever the public interest or convenience may require, a city or town is hereby authorized and empowered to create a special improvement district for the purpose of building, constructing, acquiring by purchase, and maintaining devices intended to protect the safety of the public from open ditches carrying water. Such devices or improvements shall provide access to and shall not be constructed so as to hinder the operation and maintenance of the ditch. The owner or owners of open ditches carrying irrigation or other water shall not be included in any special improvement district under this part for the purpose of assessment to support the special improvement district for the installation, repair, or maintenance of any protective devices.