Just a week ago, dry fields and hot temperatures had parts of central Montana looking increasingly parched. But after several weekends of rain, the conversation has shifted from needing water to wondering how much might be too much.
For Tom Dean, owner of the Ranch at Milo Creek wedding venue along the Sun River in Cascade County, the recent rainfall has been both a relief and a new concern.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch the video here:
“We were all worried about getting enough water for all of this grass,” Dean said while standing on the property. “It’s almost like three acres of grass to water.”
After a dry start to spring, Dean said he was increasingly concerned about keeping the venue healthy and green ahead of a busy summer wedding season.
“If our weather had continued like it had been for the last month or two, how dry it was and how hot so early, it was a big concern,” Dean said.
Now, that concern has eased.
In Great Falls alone, more than two inches of rain fell over the weekend, bringing total rainfall since last month to roughly three inches. While the precipitation has offered relief from dry conditions, it has also raised flooding concerns in areas along the Sun River.
On Dean’s property, the effects are already noticeable.
What was once a small pond has grown significantly larger, and saturated ground has made parts of the property difficult to navigate.
“It was just a little tiny pond down there,” Dean said. “It’s been a while since we’ve got this kind of water.”
Dean said he has not seen water accumulation like this since 2018. Some roads on the property are now too muddy or flooded to cross, cutting off access to certain areas.
Another growing concern is debris.
“The debris field of floods can be really devastating because you don’t want tires and fiberglass and whatever else into the river system,” Dean said.
Floating debris has begun collecting in sections of the property, something Dean worries could become a larger problem if rainfall continues or water backs up further.
“If we get any more moisture like we’ve had, then the concern goes up even higher,” he said.
Still, after weeks of dry weather, Dean said most people in the area remain grateful for the moisture.
“We’ll take every drop,” he said.
For now, the recent rainfall is being welcomed across much of central Montana. But as wet conditions continue, residents near waterways like the Sun River are watching closely to see whether the much-needed moisture remains a benefit or becomes something more damaging downstream.
