News and Events 

Manley Ditch Rehabilitation Project 

The Manley Ditch Rehabilitation (Project) includes the restoration of the historical Manley Ditch which conveys stormwater from a 58-acre drainage basin to the Cherry Creek Fishing Access. The Ditch is degraded and, in some cases, non-existent as a result of inadequate past management. A functioning Ditch is critical in mitigating flooding and property damage.

Images from left to right: 1. Flooding upstream of the blocked Manley Ditch culvert, 2. Obstructed culvert. 3. Re-grading and shaping Manley Ditch, 4. Setting a drop structure, and 5. Completed drop structure.

2025 Pollution Reduction  & Storm Sewer Maintenance Totals

Stormwater runoff picks up pollutants such as sediment, trash, dog waste, and oils as it flows over streets, parking lots, and other hard surfaces before discharging to local waterways. Our runoff is not treated at a treatment plant before discharging to a waterway. In order to mitigate impacts from polluted stormwater discharges to our local waterbodies, the City of Bozeman has installed 29 stormwater treatment units designed to remove much of the pollution carried by runoff. The Stormwater Division monitors the amount of pollution captured by each treatment unit on an annual basis and is proud to report that 92 tons (184,000lbs) of pollution was captured in 2025!

• Bozeman Creek Watershed: 78 tons of pollution captured
• Mandeville Creek Watershed: 4 tons of pollution captured
• E. Gallatin River Watershed: 10 tons of pollution captured

The City of Bozeman’s storm sewer serves two purposes: (1) mitigate flood risk by collecting runoff from streets, parking lots, alleyways, and other hard surfaces, and (2) treat stormwater by capturing sediment, trash, and other pollutants in their sumps. The storm sewer requires regular maintenance, including vacuuming and flushing, to stay functional. Stormwater Operations Staff completed the following maintenance in 2025:

• 585 inlets and manhole sumps vacuumed
• 5.2 miles of pipes flushed
• 6.5 miles of pipe TV inspected

Regular maintenance of the storm sewer resulted in 169 TONS of pollution collected!! Between pollution captured by treatment units and regular storm sewer maintenance, a total of 261 TONS of pollution was removed in 2025!! If not for the hard work of Stormwater Division operators, this pollution would have been destined for our beloved local waterways.

Cured in Place Pipe Project

The Stormwater Division completed a major pipe rehabilitation project beneath the alleyway between Main St. and Mendenhall St. The existing pipe was a 100+ year old, 27” - 36” diameter, hand-placed clay tile pipe, conveying stormwater runoff from over 270 acres. Instead of digging up and replacing the old degraded pipe, a trenchless method was employed. Crews slipped a liner impregnated with resin through the inside of the pipe, expanded it with compressed air, and then cured it with UV light. This method of trenchless pipe rehabilitation is called Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP), and is expected to add a minimum of 50 years of life to the pipe. Construction costs totaled $481,095, a fraction of the estimated $2-3 million price tag of traditional excavation and pipe replacement. Additionally, the CIPP project had minimal disruption to downtown business and visitors compared to a traditional excavation project.

        Before CIPP Project                                             After CIPP Project