South Dakota
Questions raised as watershed projects merge in northeastern South Dakota
The merger of two watershed administration districts in northeastern South Dakota is elevating questions and issues. Some say the change will create a district that’s too large to deal with.
The Division of Agriculture not too long ago introduced that the Higher Large Sioux watershed undertaking would merge with the Northeast Glacial Lakes undertaking. The up to date territory could have one supervisor.
A watershed is an space of land with a standard set of waterways and streams that each one drain right into a single bigger physique of water, corresponding to a river or lake.
The state can entry federal {dollars} to fund EPA-approved conservation initiatives on a watershed.
In apply, state-paid contractors regularly request funds from the state to conduct smaller initiatives as a part of ongoing work to guard and/or restore a watershed.
Jay Gilbertson oversees the decrease Large Sioux district within the Sioux Falls space. He stated the merger is a obligatory transfer.
“Discovering a superb undertaking coordinator is hard. Discovering two is twice as robust. And though it is a good-sized space, it is modest by present requirements,” Gilbertson stated.
The Northeast Glacial Lakes watershed consists of lakes and ponds within the northeastern nook of the state. The Higher Large Sioux area focuses on the watershed main into the Large Sioux River north of Watertown.
Gilbertson stated the merger is sensible as a result of the initiatives share a big border.
Mark Roby, a board member of the Lake Kampeska Water Venture in Watertown, shouldn’t be excited with the change.
“The higher Large Sioux and Lake Kampeska, and the Metropolis of Watertown are gonna lose focus. We’ll lose,” Roby stated.
The present watershed supervisor for the Higher Large Sioux district simply retired. As well as, the supervisor for the Glacial Lakes area will retire by the tip of the yr. That has Roby and others involved in regards to the expertise degree of whoever fills the position.
In April, Roger Foote retired from the Higher Large Sioux place, after 20 years of service. He stated whoever leads the brand new, bigger undertaking will seemingly need assistance.
“For one individual to handle all that might be very tough. But when there was a staff of individuals concerned with it, properly, then it might presumably be doable,” Foote stated.
The choice to merge got here after the town of Watertown was unable to discover a alternative for Foote.
The town was accountable as a result of the state stopped funding the wage about six years in the past.
“They by no means stated something to me. They by no means put something in writing. They by no means despatched me an e-mail saying, ‘Roger you are not doing what you are speculated to be doing,’” Foote stated.
Foote stated over time, he did extra work for Watertown and fewer for the Higher Large Sioux undertaking.
As well as, Foote stated his relationship with the Division of Agriculture fell aside after he publicly expressed issues about some new dairy initiatives close to Watertown.
“I did oppose various dairies. Solely as a result of the state was not implementing their very own guidelines,” Foote stated. “I’m not in opposition to dairies. However they need to be designed to operate accurately to state requirements.”
Foote was involved about water high quality.
Brad Johnson served as chairman of the state Board of Water and Pure Sources at the moment. Johnson confirms that the state stopped funding Foote’s wage and requests for undertaking funding after he publicly expressed issues in regards to the new dairies.
“Roger principally stated it is a menace to water high quality, and he was principally stating the apparent. However the Division of Agriculture was in assist of the dairy and advocating for it and they didn’t like the truth that he spoke, as they perceived it, in opposition to it. And they also utilized strain,” Johnson stated.
Regardless of the issues, Jay Gilbertson who manages the decrease Large Sioux watershed stated the merger lets the higher Large Sioux territory entry federal watershed undertaking {dollars} as soon as once more.
The state’s agriculture and pure sources division refused a request to interview Barry McLaury, the state administrator of the Watershed Safety Program. The division is assembly with regional watershed stakeholders about future undertaking actions on the finish of the month in Watertown.