Study finds water demand outpacing supply in the Black Hills Region

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) — A new study has found that water supply for the Black Hills area is not keeping up with demand.

The study at hand was carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey. South Dakota News Watch’s Bart Pfankuch, who first reported on the results of the study, tells KOTA Territory News that the study found aquifers are not refilling at the rate to support growth in the area.

“They checked the Madison aquifer that is the primary aquifer in various areas and the Minnelusa, and what they found was that its not recharging as fast as it needs to, to keep up with growth, and that happens to be, which makes sense, in basically the area from Box Elder, Box Elder, roughly Ellsworth Air Force Base, all the way up to Sturgis, so those are you know, you’ve got Box Elder, Rapid City, Summerset,” explained Pfankuch.

The Western Dakota Regional Water System commissioned the study. The water system was awarded a future use water permit to increase the amount of water to be transported from the Missouri River into western South Dakota through a future pipeline. Executive Director Kristin Conzet says she was unsurprised by the study’s findings.

“But what it did is make the case stronger that we are all interdependent for water resources in western South Dakota,” said Conzet.

Conzet pointed out that a previous study conducted by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology demonstrated a need for water security. The Western Dakota Regional Water System says any water pipeline is likely decades away. Program Manager Cory Chorne says the latest report will not affect that timeline.

“There’s a well defined process by what these types of projects work through long term. First and foremost, for us is working with the congressional delegation, working to get federal authorization for this type of project,” said Chorne.

A conceptual pipeline route has been established, but not finalized.

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