An evolved  version of my first water marketing job has opened up. If you are interested in environmental water  transaction experience in Western Montana, I recommend you apply. This current project manager position is with the Clark Fork Coalition, who recently took in the Montana Water Trust. I was the first project manager for the Montana Water  Trust.  In this position, I sowed my seeds and developed my passion for water markets.  I also learned some valuable lessons and thought I’d share.

1.Focus on the goal, not the method. At the time I was executing some of the first “private” instream flow leases in the state and there was no road map for this work. As a result, we defined our specific objective for each project  and  then pursued  any option possible to achieve this objective. The finish line is what matters, not how you got there.

2.  Measure the results. In the world of conservation and ecology, successes can be difficult to measure. When you lease a water right you can physically see and measure this achievement. This makes the work fun, rewarding, and meaningful. Develop metrics and measure results.

3. Tell success stories. In one of Montana Water Trust’s first instream flow leasing meetings a skeptical rancher expressed: “This is the worst idea since the reintroduction of wolves.” Today, more than 390+ CFS has been leased instream through 50+  private transactions.  It became obvious early, the next transaction came from the success story of the previous.  Tell your success stories – again and again.

4. Trust is everything. I entered this job with a water resources degree (fly-fishing) and a desire to restore flows for fish. I soon found a love for driving down dusty roads and putting together water deals. What I learned is its not about water or fish, its about establishing relationships – thanks Delbert.  Trust is the foundation for water rights transactions.

5. Vigorously execute. It’s better to vigorously execute than to perfectly plan. The Montana Water Trust had a simple vision: restore streamflows. Rather than spending our time, energy, and resources planning the perfect deal, we  devoted these resources to putting the deals together.