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FloodWise in St. Regis, Montana

Last month Kris Smith and Bridget Mitchell from our FloodWise team traveled to St. Regis, Montana to meet with partners from the St. Regis Resort Tax District, Mineral County Economic Development, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), and Great West Engineering. FloodWise helped the tax district win a $280,000 Montana Resiliency Fund grant to identify and prioritize flood mitigation strategies. The project aims to reduce widespread flood risk to the community and critical transportation infrastructure, including Interstate 90 and the railroad.

A highlight of the trip was a tour of flood-prone sites with our tax district partner, Ken Jasper, aboard the community’s trolley. During the summer, St. Regis runs the trolley as public transportation, carrying visitors from their hotels to the golf course, restaurants, and bars. Seniors call ahead to request pickups for trips to the grocery store. It’s a creative transportation solution for a small community, and it was a blast to ride.

2 hours ago
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A look into the inner-workings of Headwaters Economics.

Miles City site visit

Our FloodWise program staff were recently in Miles City, MT to present an Operations and Financial Snapshot to the City Council as they seek new funding strategies for projects that can reduce flood risks. Miles City is a historic Montana town where the Tongue River meets the Yellowstone River and well worth the visit!

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1 month ago Kris Smith, Ph.D.

Resilience at the Council of State Governments meeting

On July 10 our executive director Patty Hernandez presented to 80 state legislators at the Council of State Governments West annual meeting on a wildfire resilience panel. Her top points: smaller communities especially need resources, technical assistance, and flexibility to protect homes from wildfire; updated codes and ordinances must be prioritized to make homes wildfire-resistant; and on-the-ground risk reduction can help rebalance insurance markets in a future of more frequent, intense wildfires.

Panelists also included Tyson Bertone-Riggs from Alliance for Wildfire Resilience and Eric Horn from Megafire Action.

3 months ago Patricia Hernandez

Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Cohort

CPAW helped 25 communities adopt Colorado’s Wildfire Resiliency Code. Headwaters Economics’ Ryan Handy shares the details on this program.

4 months ago Ryan Maye Handy Brent Powell
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Headwaters Economics at the 2026 Montana Rural Summit

Kris Smith is just back from 2026 Montana Rural Summit in Townsend where about 150 funders, elected officials, and service providers gathered to discuss the state of rural Montana. Kris and Dr. Julia Haggerty of Montana State University presented a draft of their State of Rural Montana report that drew extensive feedback and participation from attendees. Thank you MSU Extension for hosting!

5 months ago Kris Smith, Ph.D.
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Measuring outdoor recreation in Vermont

Headwaters Economics partnered with the State of Vermont to build an online dashboard that highlights the impacts of outdoor recreation across the state. The CORE Data Dashboard shows visitation patterns, spending profiles, and other research to help local leaders understand trends and direct investments.

5 months ago Megan Lawson, Ph.D.
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An updated Rural Capacity Index

Our Rural Capacity Index (RCI) just got a significant update. The tool measures how well communities are equipped to compete for funding and manage long-term infrastructure projects. New features include refined data, a search bar to find any community in the country, and state-level capacity ratings. The RCI is used by agencies, funders, and local leaders as they work to distribute resources and other assistance to places that need it most.

5 months ago Bill Daigle Tara Preston
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Thousands of structures are lost to wildfire

We have just updated our webpage that tracks the number of structures lost to wildfire in the United States. The latest figures show that wildfires have destroyed more than 132,400 homes, businesses, and other structures since 2005. Explore the data by state, most destructive fires, and more.

6 months ago Scott Story Tara Preston
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Data charts of outdoor recreation economy

The Outdoor Recreation Economy by State

We have updated our webpage that tracks the size and growth of the outdoor recreation economy in every state with the latest data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Explore charts and interactive graphics that show how much this $1.3 trillion sector contributes to each state’s GDP, job growth, and more.

7 months ago Scott StoryMegan Lawson, Ph.D.
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Panel at The State of Disaster Recovery in Rural America event

The State of Disaster Recovery in Rural America

Last week, Headwaters Economics Executive Director Patty Hernandez moderated the plenary panel at The State of Disaster Recovery in Rural America: A Candid Expert Conversation, a convening hosted by Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, and Headwaters Economics.

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7 months ago Patricia HernandezBrent Powell
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Headwaters Economics presented with Montana Floodplain Program Ambassador award

Patty was at the Association of Montana Floodplain Managers annual meeting yesterday in Great Falls where she accepted the Floodplain Program Ambassador award in recognition of the work Kris, Bridget, and the rest of the FloodWise team have done supporting Glendive and Dawson County, Three Forks, Musselshell County, Livingston, Petroleum County, and Montana DNRC. Thanks to Tracy Sears, the State Community Assistance Program Coordinator, for her heartfelt words about what the partnership has meant to Montana communities. We’re proud of this program! 

8 months ago Kris Smith, Ph.D.Bridget Mitchell, PE Patricia Hernandez