A water quality advocacy group said although the state’s high precipitation this spring is good to combat drought, it is also having a negative impact on the Big Sioux River.
The Friends of the Big Sioux River released a report saying parts of the Big Sioux River have “exceedingly high” levels of E. coli in the water. The area of highest concentration starts in Sioux Falls and continues all the way down to the Missouri River.
E. coli is a bacterium that exists in human and other animal feces.
Travis Entenman is the director of the Friends of the Big Sioux River. He said higher levels of the bacteria is common when rainfall increases.
“What is occurring there, with all of the rain we’ve been getting, there is more runoff entering our water bodies. So, rain that’s flown over land, farm fields or urban streets, things like that. And that’s pulling up any excess nutrients on the land and pulling it into the river,” Entenman said.
Entenman said aside from agricultural, state, federal and other programs aiming to better the quality of the river, it boils down to individual community members collectively doing their part.
“The river and water quality isn’t just one person as the contributor to our issues. It’s kind of a death by 1,000 cuts. But when you start changing that tide, and you and your neighbors are starting to put in practices to help alleviate some of that stress, we’ll see positive change,” Entenman said.
In urban areas of South Dakota, everything that enters storm drains often ends up in the Big Sioux River unfiltered.
Entenman said being mindful about cleaning up pet waste and chemicals in driveways and lawns can have a huge impact on keeping the river clean.
