Originally Helena Irrigation District Canal #1
This Cache is part of the Helena, Montana GeoExpedition. The GeoExpedition spans the scenic Helena area from the heights of MacDonald Pass, through historic downtown gulch then south to Boulder and the Elkhorn Ghost Town. View GeoExpedition rules and DOWNLOAD a PASSPORT here.
The Helena Valley Irrigation District was formed in part to provide mitigation for the irrigated land that was inundated when Canyon Ferry Reservoir was built. Currently, 18,000 acres are irrigated through this project. The project was multi-purpose, and included building capacity for municipal water for the city of Helena. The Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir, which feeds the canal that runs clockwise around the valley, also provides a significant amount of recreation and wildlife habitat. Salmon are a favored target of fisherman, especially through the ice, and when snagging is legal in the fall.