Big Sioux River watershed project dead, new effort won't protect local lakes: Brad Johnson
The nearly 30-year-old Upper Big Sioux River Watershed Project unceremoniously ended last week, dying a slow death that began in 2015.
That’s when state officials began undermining the coordinator.
A new project might emerge, but what is planned is so huge it will have no measurable impact on any of the lakes and streams it is designed to help.
More: As Roger Foote retires, Upper Big Sioux Watershed could see major changes that affect Kampeska
The new project was unveiled to Watertown leaders last week, and their objections were largely were ignored.
The Upper Big Sioux River Watershed Project was South Dakota’s successful effort to collaborate with producers primarily to clean up Lake Kampeska and Lake Pelican.
It was designed to reduce “nutrient and sediment loads originating from grazing and animal feeding operations, from crop ground and pasture lands caused by inappropriate application of manure or holding pond water, and from stream/riverbanks and lake shoreline erosion,” according to state documents.
Nearly $10 million was invested in the approximately 250,000-acre watershed above Watertown.
It had a noticeable effect on Lake Kampeska’s water, as the annual closing of beaches from E. coli bacteria eventually ceased. Algae blooms became less frequent.
The project went from being a model to a pariah during the week of Aug. 17, 2015. A new 3,400-head dairy had been proposed just northeast of Watertown.
“My concern is water quality, and I think that’s most people’s concern” Mayor Steve Thorson said at a city council work session that day, a Watertown Public Opinion story reported. “When there is a 2-or 3-inch rain, where does that water go?”
Watershed Coordinator Roger Foote’s career spiraled down when he truthfully replied to Thorson.
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“There are already 46 existing feeding operations in the watershed area,” he said. “The state does an annual inspection and that’s it. Unless someone files a complaint, that’s it.”
He noted that dairies generate a huge amount of manure that could potentially affect water quality.
Foote dug his hole deeper two days later when he attended a "Public Informational Meeting on Confined Mega Dairies in the Watertown/Codington County Area” at the Watertown Event Center. It was sponsored by opponents to the proposed Waverly dairy.
The speakers were Foote; Mitch Peterson, a Sioux Falls attorney; Laura Kresback from the Socially Responsible Agricultural Project; and Donna Williams, a tribal activist with the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate.
Foote told the truth, saying that large, confined animal operations could cause water pollution.
There was reason for concern. A heavy rainstorm on July 5, 2015, overwhelmed a Grant County dairy’s containment system, sending manure-laden water toward the Big Sioux and downstream lakes.
The South Dakota Department of Agriculture was livid at Foote, as was then-Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Ultimately, the childish anger and retaliation against Foote would be conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
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I was chairman of the South Dakota Board of Water and Natural Resources at the time, which annually allocated the federal money spent on watershed projects. I had a ringside seat to the retribution.
Watertown requested $511,863 to continue the project through 2019, but vindictively the state cut it to $200,000 and made clear that no money could be used to pay Foote’s salary.
Funds were restricted to programs unpopular with producers and the state then blamed Foote for not being able to spend it.
State officials continued to squeeze the project until Foote announced late last year he was retiring in April 2022. He knew the state would never forgive him and continue to sabotage the project.
His resignation didn’t matter. State officials decided to merge the project and create a new Northeast Glacial Lakes Watershed Improvement and Protection Project to encompass Hamlin, Codington, Deuel, Roberts, Grant, Day and Marshall Counties.
The new watershed contains four major river basins – the Big Sioux, James, Red and Whetstone/Minnesota rivers.
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Some of our state’s most economically important lakes like Kampeska, Poinsett, Cochrane, Pickerel, Enemy Swim, Big Stone, Blue Dog and many more are included, but none will be protected.
It is impossible for this mega-watershed project to be effective. The state knows it. Everyone knows it. But it will enable the state to spend money and pretend it actually cares about its lakes and streams.
Brad Johnson is a Watertown businessman and journalist who is active in state and local affairs.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: New watershed plan won't protect Kampeska, other lakes near Watertown
