Drought leads power company to store more water behind dam

BILLINGS (AP) — NorthWestern Energy is reducing the amount of water it releases from Hebgen Dam into the Madison River in southwestern Montana for nearly three weeks, starting Monday, in order to store additional water for use this summer.

The utility must balance the use of water to allow for recreation at Hebgen Reservoir, cool water for fish in the river along with irrigation and electricity generation at hydroelectric dams farther downstream — all while a drought continues...