Montana Title 85. Water Use § 85-7-1934. Lands under irrigation--inclusion in district

(1) Any land already under irrigation from any source may be included in any irrigation district, either at the time of the organization of such district or at any time thereafter, and such land shall be entitled to receive and shall be given the same amount of water necessarily used thereon at the time of such inclusion. The canals, ditches, flumes, dams, or other works previously used to irrigate such land may be used or supplanted either wholly or in part by the district works. The owner of such land, canals, ditches, flumes, dams, or other works shall be entitled to compensation for any and all damage sustained by reason of the appropriation of the same or by the construction of said district works.

(2) Lands already under irrigation, lands having water rights appurtenant thereto, or lands which can be irrigated from sources more feasible than the district system shall not be included within such district unless the owner of such lands shall consent in writing to have such lands included in said district.

(3) Districts formed to cooperate with the United States may extend their boundaries to include such lands upon petition of the owners of two-thirds only of the acreage of the lands to be included, and the boundaries shall be susceptible of change as provided in 85-7-1808 through 85-7-1811 and 85-7-1841 through 85-7-1845.

(4) All lands having water rights appurtenant thereto which are served by a system of irrigation works supplying more than 10,000 acres of land may, in the discretion of the court, be included in the proposed district, on petition of at least a majority both in number and acreage of the holders of title or evidence of title to the land having water rights appurtenant thereto and served by the same system of irrigation works.