MILES CITY, Mont. (AP) -- The Wyoming state engineer has denied Montana's request -- based on a 50-year-old water compact -- for more water from Yellowstone River tributaries.

In a letter to Rich Moy, acting administrator of the Water Resources Division in Montana's Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Wyoming State Engineer Patrick Tyrrell said the drought in the region left Wyoming no water to release under the 1950 compact. In fact, he said, people with water rights dating to 1900 were being left dry because rights dating back to the 1880s were being filled first.

Moy said Thursday that Montana's position is that Wyoming is not entitled to any post-1950 uses that would take away from Montana's pre-1950 uses.

Tyrrell wrote that Montana's claim to additional water under the 1950 compact was based on an interpretation of the compact that Wyoming doesn't share.