Rural
Total 163 Posts
Truck crash sends Roundup and other herbicides into Big Sioux River
As much as 900 gallons of agricultural chemicals – including the primary component of the weed-killer Roundup – flowed into the Big Sioux River after a truck rolled over and spilled its load near Estelline in eastern South Dakota in late June, South Dakota News Watch has confirmed.
The liquid herbicides that
Cheese plant violates pollution limits
LAKE NORDEN, S.D. – The newly expanded Agropur cheese plant in Lake Norden faces a possible fine from state regulators after tests showed the plant’s wastewater that is dumped directly into the Big Sioux River violated state pollution limits in four categories.
Tests of the wastewater released in the
State officials scramble to respond after zebra mussels found in Lake Sharpe
Lake Sharpe has become the second major Missouri River reservoir in South Dakota to be infested with invasive zebra mussels, raising fears that millions of dollars in mitigation may be needed and that new restrictions could be placed on those who use the lake for boating, fishing and recreation.
The
Aging SD dams creating potential for destruction
The last 12 months have been the wettest in South Dakota in more than a century and as a result, dams across the state have suffered significant damage, creating the potential for flooding, loss of life, destruction of property and the need for expensive repairs.
Across South Dakota and the
Further spread of Chronic Wasting Disease alarms hunters, wildlife officials
The discovery in March that a rocky mountain elk tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in Clark County — the easternmost case ever found in South Dakota — has provided scientists further evidence that the deadly disease is continuing to spread across the state.
The diagnosis comes as new research shows that
Flooding damage and repair costs could linger in S.D. for years
The recent blizzards and rainstorms that have flooded farm fields and decimated roads across South Dakota have exposed major weaknesses in the state’s rural transportation network and created repair bills that may strain budgets of small-town and county governments for years to come.
Some local officials say the heavy
Nearly a quarter of SD school districts adopt four-day calendar
Nearly a quarter of the school districts in South Dakota have opted for a four-day school week over the past decade, joining an increasing trend toward the altered schedule nationwide.
According to the South Dakota Department of Education, 34 school districts, or nearly 23 percent of the 149 statewide are