The Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources maintains an extensive surface water quality monitoring network at many of South Dakota's streams. There are currently 153 active ambient monitoring stations across the state. The data from these sampling stations helps the Department identify problems, document improvements and demonstrate overall trends in the quality of South Dakota waters.
WQX
As stated above, South Dakota conducts sampling at numerous stream sites throughout the state. This information is entered into a national database called "WQX," which stands for Water Quality Exchange.
Water quality information from these sites can be obtained from the Water Quality Portal, and is used to develop Surface Water Discharge Permits and evaluate ambient stream quality. For more information, contact Aaron Leingang or by calling (605) 773-3351.
Search by Station ID# (located in the Water Quality Monitoring Station Information link)
Search by organization ID: SDDENR_WQX
For more information, contact Aaron Leingang or call (605) 773-3351.
Restoration Enhancement
Projects designed to enhance or restore the water quality, habitat, fish life propagation uses, and recreational uses of a waterbody are encouraged and promoted by various state and federal agencies. All such projects must be approved in advance by DENR.
Before submitting your plan, it is suggested you review the Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARSD) Chapter 74:51:01 including but not limited to sections 74:51:01:58, 74:51:01:59, 74:51:01:60, 74:51:01:61, and 74:51:01:62.
For additional information pertaining to restoration enhancement projects in South Dakota, don't hesitate to contact Patrick Snyder at (605) 773-3351).
Application form for Restoration Enhancement Projects View and Print
Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing
Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) testing uses fathead minnows and Ceriodaphnia dubia to measure if a discharge is or may be toxic.
The test can be either acute or chronic. Acute tests are short-term tests, usually 96 hours or less. The acute test determines if the effluent would be lethal to aquatic life and measures whether the fathead minnows and Ceriodaphnia live or die.
Chronic tests are longer term tests. The test is typically run for seven days or less. The fathead minnow test measures whether the discharge effects the growth rate of the minnow. The Ceriodaphnia dubia test measures whether the discharge effects the reproduction of the Ceriodaphnia. The chronic test also measures if the effluent would be lethal to aquatic life.
The testing protocols have strict test conditions that include a constant temperature, specific light quality and intensity, dissolved oxygen requirements, etc detailed in our Guidance Document for Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET). Additionally the Environmental Protection Agency has provided reporting forms on the whole effluent toxicity test methods at their web site.
For more information about South Dakota's whole effluent toxicity requirements, please contact Tim Flor with the Surface Water Quality Program at (605) 773-3351.
South Dakota Fish Consumption Advisories
Each year, the Departments of Health, Environment and Natural Resources, and Game, Fish & Parks cooperate to perform fish collection and sampling. The Department of Health issues consumption advisories.
The state of South Dakota has issued consumption advisories based on Mercury concentrations in fish, for: Bitter Lake, Coal Springs Reservoir, Elm Lake, Hazeldon Lake, Hurley Lake, Island Lake (North), Lake Isabel, Lake Minnewasta, Lardy Lake, Long Lake, Lynn Lake, Middle Lynn Lake, Newell Lake, Opitz Lake, Pudwell Dam, South Buffalo Lake, Swan Lake, Twin Lakes/Highway 81, Reid Lake, Roosevelt Lake, and Twin Lakes (Minnehaha). For more information please visit the Department of Health website. South Dakota fish sampling protocols and procedures can be found here: Intensive and Screening Protocols and Procedures
Amsden Dam, Day County | Lake Oahe (Cow Creek), Sully County | |
Angostura Reservoir, Fall River County | Lake Oahe (Grand River Embayment), Corson County | |
Antelope Lake, Day County | Lake Oahe (Minneconjou Bay), Stanley County | |
Bear Butte Creek, Lawrence County | Lake Oahe (Moreau River Embayment), Dewey County | |
Beaver Lake, Minnehaha County | Lake Oahe (West Whitlock), Potter County | |
Belle Fourche Reservoir, Butte County | Lake Oahe, Stanley & Sully Counties | |
Belle Fourche River, Butte County | Lake Oakwood (East Oakwood Lake), Brookings County | |
Belle Fourche River (near Vale), Butte County | Lake Pocasse, Campbell County | |
Big Sioux River, Minnehaha & Moody Counties | Lake Poinsett, Hamlin County | |
Bitter Lake, Day County | Lake Roosevelt, Tripp County | |
Blue Dog Lake, Day County | Lake Sharpe (Farm Island Area), Hughes County | |
Brakke Dam, Lyman County | Lake Sharpe (Joe Creek Area) | |
Brant Lake, Lake County | Hughes & Lyman Counties | |
Brush Lake, Brookings County | Lake Sharpe (North Shore Area), | |
Bullhead Lake, Deuel & Roberts Counties | Buffalo & Lyman Counties | |
Burke Lake, Gregory County | Lake Sharpe, Stanley & Lyman Counties | |
Cattail Lake, Marshall County | Lake Sinai, Brookings County | |
Cavour Lake, Beadle County | Lardy Lake, Day County | |
Cheyenne River (below Edgemont), | Lemmon Lake (East), Perkins County | |
Fall River County | Lewis & Clark Lake, Yankton & Bon Homme Counties | |
Cheyenne River (near Angostura Reservoir), | Lily Lake, Day County | |
Fall River County | Little Missouri River, Harding County | |
Cheyenne River, Pennington County | Little Moreau #1, Dewey County | |
Cheyenne River (near Wasta), Pennington County | Long Lake, Codington County | |
Clear Lake, Deuel & Marshall Counties | Lynn Lake, Day County | |
Cleghorn Springs Hatchery, Pennington County | Mankey Slough, Clark County | |
Clubhouse Sough, Marshall County | Marindahl Lake, Yankton County | |
Coal Springs Reservoir, Perkins County | McCook Lake, Union County | |
Cottonwood Lake, Sully County | McNenney State Fish Hatchery, Lawrency County | |
Crooked Lake, Grant County | Middle Lynn Lake, Day County | |
Curlew Lake, Meade County | Mina Lake, Edmunds County | |
Deerfield Reservoir, Pennington County | Missouri River, Yankton County | |
Diamond Lake, Minnehaha County | Murdo Lake, Jones County | |
Dog Ear, Tripp County | New Wall, Pennington County | |
Dry Lake #2, Clark County | Newell Lake, Butte County | |
Dry Lake, Codington County | North Fork Whetstone River, Grant County | |
Durkee, Meade County | North Twin Lake, Minnehaha County | |
East 81 Lake, Brookings County | Opitz Lake, Day County | |
(See Twin Lakes/Hwy 81) | Pactola, Pennington County | |
Elm Lake, Brown County | Pelican Lake, Codington County | |
Enemy Swim Lake, Day County | Pickerel Lake, Day County | |
Fate Dam, Lyman County | Piyas Lake, Marshall County | |
Faulkton Lake, Faulk County | Pott's Dam, Potter County | |
Goldsmith Lake, Brookings County | Pudwell Dam, Corson County | |
Goose Lake, Codington County | Punished Women Lake, Codington County | |
Grass, Codington County | Rapid Creek, Pennington County | |
Hayes Lake,Stanley County | Ravine Lake, Beadle County | |
Henry,Kingsbury County | Red Iron Lake (South), Marshall County | |
Horseshoe Lake, Day County | Reetz Lake, Day County | |
Hurricane Lake, Roberts County | Reid Lake, Clark County | |
Isabel Lake, Dewey County | Richland Dam, Jones County | |
Island Lake (North), Minnehaha County | Richmond Dam, Brown County | |
James River, Beadle County | Rose Hill Lake, Hand County | |
James River - below Milltown, Hutchinson County | Roy, Marshall County | |
James River - above Yankton, Yankton County | Rush Lake (North & South), Day County | |
Lake Albert, Grant County | Shadehill, Perkins County | |
Lake Alice, Deuel County | School Lake, Deuel County | |
Lake Alvin, Lincoln County | Sheridan Lake, Pennington County | |
Lake Byre, Lyman County | Sheriff Dam, Jones County | |
Lake Byron, Beadle County | Simon Dam, Potter County | |
Lake Campbell, Brookings County | Soukup Pond, Minnehaha County | |
Lake Carthage, Miner County | South Buffalo Lake, Marshall County | |
Lake Cochrane, Deuel County | South Twin Lake, Minnehaha County | |
Lake Dante, Charles Mix County | Spearfish Creek, Lawrence County | |
Lake Dimock, Hutchinson County | Staum Dam, Beadle County | |
Lake Francis Case (Between White River | Stockade Lake, Custer County | |
Confluence & Boyer) | Summit Lake, Grant County | |
Lake Francis Case (Pease Creek), | Swan Lake, Clark County | |
Gregory & Charles Mix Counties | Thompson, Kingsbury County | |
Lake Francis Case (Platte/Winner Bridge), | Twin Dam, Stanley County | |
Gregory County | Twin Lake, Sanborn County | |
Lake Francis Case, Brule & Lyman County | Twin Lakes/Hwy 81, Kingsbury County | |
Lake Henry, Bon Homme County | Twin Lakes (South Twin & North Twin), | |
Lake Herman, Lake County | Minnehaha County | |
Lake Hiddenwood, Walworth County | Vermillion Lake, McCook County | |
Lake Hurley, Potter County | Waggoner Lake, Haakon County | |
Lake Isabel, Dewey County | Wall Lake, Minnehaha County | |
Lake Kampeska, Codington County | Waubay Lake, Day County | |
Lake Louise, Hand County | West 81 Lake/Twin Lakes Complex, | |
Lake Madison, Lake County | Brookings & Kingsbury Counties | |
Lake Minnewasta, Day County | Whitewood Creek, Lawrence County | |
Lake Mitchell, Davison County | Whitewood Lake, Kingsbury County | |
Lake Oahe (Cow Creek), Sully County | Wilmarth Lake, Aurora County | |
Bitter Lake, Day County | Marindahl, Yankton County | |
Fairfax, Greagory County | Menno, Hutchinson County | |
Flat Creek Lake, Perkins County | New Underwood, Pennington County | |
Lake Dimock, Hutchinson County | North Buffalo, Marshall County | |
Lake Madison, Lake County | Pudwell Dam, Corson County | |
Little Moreau Lake #1, Dewey County | Redfield, Spink County | |
Little White River, Bennett County | Scott Lake, Minnehaha County | |
Long Lake, Codington County | Stink, Codington County |