Madison River Drought Management

Our operations on the Madison River

Map of Hebgen and Ennis Lakes and the Madison River

Our operations on the Madison River

Hebgen is a storage reservoir and provides many benefits, including recreation and fish habitat. It also supports irrigation and electric generation downstream.

Hebgen Dam does not produce energy. We use Hebgen Dam to manage flows downstream for the Madison River fishery and Ennis Lake elevations.

Ennis Lake elevations are controlled by Madison Dam, which produces power. Madison Dam was recently upgraded a 12-megawatt facility, up from 8 megawatts. 

Low snowpack could make for challenging water year in 2025

Map showing the snow-water equivalent for May 2025

Low snowpack could make for challenging water year in 2025

A snowpack that was looking good in late March was all for naught. We have not seen much precipitation, and above-normal temperatures in April and May have resulted in a downward trend in the snowpack. 

Currently, outflows are at 579 cfs below Hebgen and will stay lower to help fill the lake.

Snowpack

May 2025 snow water equivalent chart

Snowpack

On April 1, 2025, the four SNOTEL sites above Hebgen (Black Bear, Madison Plateau, Whiskey Creek and West Yellowstone) were at 95% of the 30-year median. As of May 14, those sites are only at 56% of the 30-year median.

Runoff Forecasts

May runoff forecasts from NRCS show May–July runoff to be 84% of normal or lower. These months are critical, as this water is the main source for filling the reservoir. The NRCS runoff forecast table shows a May–July 50% exceedance at 240 KAF (Thousand Acre-Feet), while NorthWestern Energy is forecasting these months closer to the 70% exceedance at 215 KAF. Inflows during this period could resemble recent low-runoff years such as 2021, 2016, and 2013.

Snowpack report

(As of Thursday, May 14, 2025)

Station NameSnow Water Equivalent (in)

Median Snow Water Equivalent (in) (1991-2020)

Snow Water Equivalent % of median (1991-2020)
Black Bear24.038.862
Madison Plateau11.119.657
West Yellowstone0.00.0
Whiskey Creek5.38.761

 

Weather Forecast

The short-term weather forecast indicates potential for precipitation and below-normal temperatures. However, the long-term forecast is calling for below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures.

NorthWestern Energy will continue to monitor snowpack conditions throughout the remainder of winter and spring. If current trends continue, it could be another challenging water year.

Managing water temperatures to protect the fishery

fly fisherman

Managing water temperatures to protect the fishery


In the summer, we provide pulse flows out of Hebgen Lake into the Madison River below Ennis Lake. Our pulse flow program is designed to maintain lower Madison River temperatures at or below 80 degrees in order to prevent fish mortality caused from elevated water temperatures.

The Madison Thermal Decision Support System (DSS) was developed to protect fisheries and other river resources.

Madison-Hebgen Stakeholder Engagement Process

Our Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license outlines how we manage flows in the Madison River and lake elevations at Hebgen and Ennis reservoirs. It specifies flow requirements at several locations on the river and elevation requirements for both Hebgen and Ennis reservoirs. NorthWestern’s goal for managing water in the Madison is to balance the resources relying on the water provided from Hebgen Reservoir including recreation, fisheries, water temperatures and power production downstream all while operating within our FERC license requirements.

However, in drought years, such as 2021, there are times we cannot meet the flow requirements while also maintaining minimum lake elevations. There simply isn't enough water. During these low water times, we work FERC, Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and other regulatory agencies to determine the best management for the limited amount of water we have.

In addition to consulting with FERC and the resource agencies, NorthWestern initiated the Madison Stakeholder Engagement Process in summer of 2022. The purpose of the engagement process is to gather and exchange information among those directly affected by river flows and reservoir levels, agencies responsible for fisheries and recreation management, and NorthWestern Energy. The benefit of the process will be a greater understanding of issues and challenges of operating during times of limited water availability.

Madison-Hebgen: Stakeholder Engagement Process

Download the presentation from our June 22, 2022 meeting.

Madison Drought Impact Study

NorthWestern works diligently to meet its FERC obligations and is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities at the Hebgen Development. Those responsibilities at Hebgen are numerous and complex.

How drought conditions impact our operations:

  • Forecasts and modeling are closely followed by NorthWestern Energy to manage releases to the Madison River downstream and to capture and fill Hebgen Reservoir in the spring.
  • Limited snowpack and spring precipitation create challenging conditions to fully fill Hebgen reservoir while providing required flows to the Madison River.
  • Water releases from Hebgen reservoir feed Ennis Reservoir to support pulsed flow releases out of Madison Dam.
  • The pulse flows are calculated using a model that helps determine the volume of water to be released, allowing for the conservation of water while maintaining safe water temperatures in the lower Madison River.
  • Low flows directly affect the amount of electricity generated at Madison Dam. 
  • NorthWestern Energy’s stewardship responsibilities of the river resources include balancing the many interests of multiple stakeholders.
  • The cooperation and flexibility of all help to protect and maintain the long-term health of the river system, which is our priority.