Bozeman is drought-prone. Whether or not we are in a declared drought stage, conserving our water supplies is necessary to ensure a reliable water supply for the future. 

If the summer drought of 2021 taught us anything, it’s that we can all do our part to reduce water use! The City continues to monitor drought conditions throughout the year and reminds residents to be water efficient on their lawns and landscapes as hot summer temperatures set in. 

Permanent watering restrictions are in place. Please visit our Permanent Watering Restrictions Webpage to learn more!

For more information about the drought equation check out the City's Drought Equation Info Sheet!

Click on the documents below for information on how to do your part to save.

• The Ways to Save document lists ways you can reduce indoor and outdoor water use
• The Generalized Watering Schedule document provides a watering schedule guide that will help you reduce water usage if Bozeman is in a stage 2 drought.
• Visit our ‘Do Your Part Water-Smart’ webpage for helpful water-saving tips.  

• Check out the City’s Rebate Program and get cash back for upgrading inefficient fixtures! Visit the links below to explore available rebates and free product information:

• The City’s Rebate Webpage
• The City’s Free Product Webpage

Bozeman's Water Supply and Drought

Bozeman relies on snowpack for its water supply, with about 80% coming from the Gallatin Range, feeding Bozeman Creek and Hyalite Creek. The other 20% comes from a spring at the headwaters of Lyman Creek in the Bridger Range.

While Bozeman is fortunate to have high-quality water, supplies are limited. With an average of 16 inches of precipitation each year, Bozeman is considered semi-arid and drought prone. Shifting climate patterns make these challenges more acute: more of our precipitation falls as rain instead of snow and warmer temperatures cause snow to melt earlier, meaning we are left with less snow to slowly feed our rivers during the late spring and summer--when we need it most. All of these environmental factors may lead to a drought event here in Bozeman. Drought means, 'below normal water supplies such as streamflow, snowpack and reservoir levels, that result from a prolonged reduction in precipitation'. 

Drought conditions could result in insufficient water supplies for the City. In 2017, the City of Bozeman adopted a Drought Management Plan (updated in 2022) to serve as a guide to maximize available water supplies to maintain quality of life in the community during periods of declared drought.

Bozeman's Drought Monitoring and Stages

The City of Bozeman evaluates local water supply data, such as Hyalite Reservoir volume, area streamflow, and snowpack--as well as national climate indices, to evaluate Bozeman’s drought conditions throughout the year. If water supplies are stressed, the City may declare a drought stage with corresponding response measures that community members would be required to take in order to maximize available supplies for essential uses.

Overview of Drought Stages

Drought Rates Explained

There are two types of rates associated with a declared drought stage that you may see on your water bill; the drought reserve rate and drought surcharges. Both of these were adopted by the City Commission and went into effect in September 2019. Drought surcharge rates were updated in August 2024. 

• The drought reserve rate is a $0.10 charge per hundred cubic feet of water use (HCF) that is applied to all utility statements for all Bozeman water customers throughout the year, regardless of whether a drought stage is declared.
  • This rate will slowly build a revenue reserve to be made available only when needed in order to maintain water system operations during a drought event. By collecting this monthly, the City can avoid extreme rate increases during a future drought event.

• Drought surcharges go into effect when a drought stage is declared by the City.
  • Drought surcharges are aligned with water availability.  When water supplies are scarce, the true cost of water for non-essential usage such as outdoor watering, increases. 
  • Drought surcharges match the severity of the drought stage and drought response measures.  They are intended to support water system operations and deter excessive outdoor water use when the City enters lawn watering restrictions.
  • Drought surcharges are intended to replace lost revenue as a result of lawn watering restrictions in order to maintain water system operations during a drought event.
  • Drought surcharges vary by water customer class. For single family customers, the surcharge rate will also vary based on the water use tier. For example, the first 6 HCF used during a billing cycle will be billed at the Tier 1 rate. Once 6 HCF is used, the water used after this point will be billed at the Tier 2 rate until the next tier threshold is reached. 

See the chart below for percentage increases that can be expected for each customer category and declared drought stage.