Siphons break in St. Mary Diversion

A siphon on the more-than-100-year-old system that provides much - almost all, in drought years - to the Milk River broke last Monday, shutting down the system.

The Montana Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation area manager said the bureau was waiting for the water to finish flowing out of the breached siphons on the St. Mary Diversion and Conveyance Works and is working to get a feel for impacts caused by the breach and looking at possible models for replacement or partial repair.

"We're currently in an analysis, data gathering stage and we're going to be in that posture for at least a wee...