The Water Keepers chronicles the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ groundbreaking water-measurement program launched in 1982. Over four decades, tribal scientists installed and maintained a comprehensive network of stream gages across the Flathead Reservation, replacing theoretical projections with measurable data.
That scientific record ultimately laid the groundwork for the CSKT Water Compact — a landmark water rights settlement approved by the Montana Legislature, ratified by Congress, and signed into law in 2020. While the Compact became one of the most scrutinized measures in Montana legislative history, the film reveals how its success rested on decades of disciplined measurement demonstrating how water truly moves through the landscape.
Selected as one of eight finalists competing for the 2026 Big Sky Award, The Water Keepers brings forward the voices of leaders, technicians, and scientists whose sustained work shaped the future of water management in the region.
THE WATER KEEPERS
Official Selection – 2026 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival/Westland Impact Festival, Whitefish
George McLeod and Casey Ryan will take questions afterward.
Short Documentary | 21 Minutes | Not Rated
Credits
Director: Daniel Glick Producers: Robert McDonald and Casey Ryan
Featured Voices: Tom McDonald, Shane Morigeau, Vernon Finley, Bill Foust, George McLeod, Steve Ashley, Seth Makepeace, John Carter, and CSKT technicians and scientists.
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Technical Information
Runtime: 21 minutes Format: ProRes [MP4]
Sound: [Stereo] Closed Captions: [No]
Trailer: https://youtu.be/ZGDghBqhoos
For booking or press inquiries: Robert McDonald/Robert.mcdonald@cskt.org/406.249.1818<mailto:McDonald/Robert.mcdonald@cskt.org/406.249.1818>