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August 16 - EDWDD Board Meeting - 9:00 AM at the EDWDD Office (Brookings)
August 18 - Riverfest - 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Downtown Sioux Falls)
September 13 - Pulitzer Prize Winner Art Cullen - 7:00 PM Center for Western Studies Auditorium (Sioux Falls)
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The First National Bank in Sioux Falls has a long history of giving back to their community; stewardship is one of their FIRST Values. Whether it is sharing time or financial support, FNBSF believes there is a way for each of us to get involved. Find First National Bank at 100 S Phillips Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.
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Join Us for Riverfest
Join us on August 18th 4PM to 11PM for the annual downtown Sioux Falls Riverfest! This year, we are excited to be raffling off a Wilderness Pungo kayak and paddle (a $980 value) and a four-person kayak trip from Big Sioux River Adventures (a $200 value), a $100 Great Outdoor Store Gift Card, and a $50 Hair Essence Gift Certificate. Tickets can be purchased at our booth at Riverfest or on our website beginning August 10.
Winners will be announced on Facebook and on our website!
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Update: Agropur
Following public comments regarding Agropur’s request for a wastewater increase permit, the DENR is reevaluating the permit. A final decision is still pending.
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Art Cullen to Visit Sioux Falls
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Save the date for Thursday, September 13th as Pulitzer Prize winner Art Cullen takes the stage at Mikkelson Auditorium in the Froiland Science Complex on the Augustana campus.
Cullen, co-owner of the Storm Lake (Iowa) Times, has written extensively about nitrates and agricultural pollution in Iowa rivers and lakes. He was awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing for his focus on the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit that targeted three agricultural drainage districts in northwest Iowa. In his articles, Cullen concludes that agricultural water pollution harms many Iowans and that business interests are profiting from the perversion of Iowa’s land and watersheds.
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Cullen’s achievement demonstrates perseverance and a commitment to community. His writing stands out among the many opinion pieces published in US newspapers. Cullen unmasked the source of funding assistance provided to the legal defense for the three drainage districts and explored the labyrinth of politics surrounding Iowa water quality. Despite receiving recognition by the Pulitzer Prize, Cullen has faced challenges in his endeavor to expose the truth about Iowa water. This spring, the Iowa Senate snubbed Cullen by failing to acknowledge his accomplishment. Recognition for this kind of achievement is standard practice, but Cullen’s critiques have left his out of favor with Iowa politicians. In response, the Irish Senate honored Cullen instead.
Cullen’s perspective on these issues will certainly be relevant to South Dakotans, and we hope this event will provide a venue for a productive conversation about approaches to agriculture in our state. Cullen is reputed to be an engaging, informed and lively speaker.
The program is co-sponsored by Friends of the Big Sioux River and Augustana University’s Center for Western Studies. Mr. Cullen will speak at 7 pm on Thursday, September 13th at Mikkelson Auditorium in the Froiland Science Complex on the Augustana campus. We hope to see you there!
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Update: Buffering in Progress
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It’s that time of year when South Dakota greenery begins to morph. Grass and leaves dry at the edges, preparing for those lovely fall colors. Dormant vegetation, silent for the cool and wet beginning of summer, now thrives in the heat and aridity. At the 6th Street Restoration Site, wormwood sage, spurge, purslane, knotweed, and crabgrass dominate the landscape. This fall, the Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department will treat the area with herbicide to kill the weeds and pave the way for the native seedlings to prosper in the spring. Come spring, the east side of the bike trail and the central section will be planted with native seedlings. Soon after, flowers can be planted.
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According to the Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department, the soil fertility of the restoration site varies from north to south, presenting a bit of a challenge for restoration efforts. Poor soil and rocks constitute the middle section, making it difficult for native plants to take root. However, on the northern and southern ends where soil quality is better, short rows of grass can already be seen sprouting!
In September, Friends of the Big Sioux River will be posting signs. An educational sign about buffers will be located on the southern end of the site. A sign about native grasses will be posted on the northern site, and a sign about native flowers will be posted in the center. Two stone edgers will be placed on the side of the trail, five feet off the path and close to the LSS buildings.
Once these tasks are complete and the grasses begin to flourish, a celebration event will be held to acknowledge the significance of this project. We are incredibly grateful for the support and patience we’ve received from the City of Sioux Falls and Sioux Falls community members. We look forward to the conclusion of this project!
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Reflections on a Season of Water Testing
As our second year of water testing enters the last two months, FBSR has collected several data points that speak to the quality of local lakes, rivers, and streams. Though we are not through testing local water quality, we can see the following trends:
- Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - the buffer strips that have been expanded on Skunk Creek and on the Big Sioux appear to be reducing the sediment loads. Water coming down the Big Sioux River before entering the city is achieving the safety level. At Skunk Creek the TSS levels, have had only one reading that exceeded the chronic standard for TSS. As the river flows south past Brandon, the TSS levels, unfortunately rise again. This area has not had the SRAM buffer program in place.
- E-Coli - Water entering Sioux Falls from the Big Sioux River channel has consistently achieved the chronic safety level for e-coli until the large rainfall runoff events occurred. The e-coli levels on Skunk Creek, however, have consistently been above the levels allowed. As water flows through Sioux Falls the e-coli levels are consistent with the e-coli trends from Skunk Creek, although a bit lower. As we move south of Brandon, e-coli rises again and has dramatic jumps during runoff events.
- Nitrates - The Big Sioux River nitrate level entering Sioux Falls is well within the safety range. Nitrates from Skunk Creek echo the same numbers, however, they are rising as we get farther into the summer, unlike the water from the Big Sioux. The bad news is that nitrate levels double as we move south to Canton, and more than double again after the Rock River empties into the Big Sioux.
E-Coli levels still tend to be higher than the established safe level, suggesting livestock and pet waste management is still an important challenge to tackle. However, the good news is that where buffer strips are extensively used, they are reducing TSS and e-coli!
As we reflect on our results and conclusions, it is important to remember the interconnectivity of a watershed. The Big Sioux River does not only reflect the health of the Big Sioux but also Skunk Creek, Split Rock Creek, and the other tributaries that contribute to its flow. The river is not a single entity. Rather, it is braided into tributaries, tile drains, storm sewers, and countless other sources. Different landscapes have different requirements, pose different challenges. A one-size fits all approach will never truly address all the issues suffered by the river. Instead, our approach needs to be as wide reaching and diverse as the people of eastern South Dakota. By continuing to implement buffers, fence off cattle, and practice Low Impact Development, we can see downward trends in water contaminants and an upward trend in our quality of life!
For more information on our water quality testing, visit our Water Quality Monitoring page.
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A Closer Look at State Permits and Pollution Discharge
Friends of the Big Sioux River is warning that South Dakota’s state agency charged with protecting public health and natural resources from water pollution is inadequately funded and staffed to fulfill its statutory obligations.
“A recent investigative article in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader newspaper revealed staffing inadequacies in South Dakota’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),” said Dana Loseke, FBSR chairman.
Loseke pointed out that although South Dakota’s DENR agency fell behind updating more than one hundred pollution discharge permits affecting the state’s surface waters, including the Big Sioux River, the agency testified to state legislators that it did not need additional funding for staff to review permits.
“The Secretary of the DENR testified before the Joint Appropriations Committee of the state legislature during the 2018 legislative session,” explained Loseke, “that they did not need additional funding, and they made this claim while their obligations to protect citizens and resources intensified from both urban and agricultural expansion across the state. Equally concerning is the fact that DENR appears to be proud of not asking for even minimal budget increases to stay abreast of the cost of living increases all state agencies encountered over the past decade.”
According to Loseke and Friends of the Big Sioux River, the DENR is now playing catch-up with many expired permits that are not updated to acknowledge the increase in wastewaters from growing cities and expanding businesses. Permits for pollution discharges must be renewed every five years or they continue functioning without upgrades. Upgrading expired permits and the discharges they allow into the Big Sioux and other South Dakota rivers and streams is being insufficiently addressed, said Loseke.
“Between 2012 and 2017 staff numbers of DENR remained the same, despite a pressing backlog of surface water discharge permits,” Loseke reported. “And despite the pressing need to review permits and provide protections for the public and for resources from pollution discharges, DENR requested no new funds for 2019.”
DENR’s staffing inadequacies are being revealed as concerns for Big Sioux River flows are increasing. Friends of the Big Sioux River indicates that the City of Sioux Falls currently relies on flows from the Big Sioux aquifer, an underground formation directly connected to the Big Sioux River, for over 40 percent of its water supply. It is expected that the aquifer will become even more important to Sioux Falls as the community’s population grows, adding emphasis to protecting the Big Sioux River from pollution discharges.
** This statement is in response to the 7/31 article "Dozens of companies dump waste into South Dakota waters with outdated permits" published in the Argus Leader. |
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