Environment and Natural Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2003
For More Information: Gene Stueven, 773-5682

DENR Begins Major Water Quality Study of Upper Cheyenne River

PIERRE – The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced today that an intensive study of water quality will be conducted on the Cheyenne River in southwestern South Dakota from the Wyoming border to Angostura Reservoir.

Because water quality data collected by DENR shows the upper Cheyenne River does not consistently meet state water quality standards, the federal Clean Water Act requires the state to conduct a watershed study called a total maximum daily load (TMDL) assessment.  The water quality standards being periodically violated are conductivity, total suspended solids, and total dissolved solids.  

This study will determine the source of these pollutants, establish the maximum allowable load of pollutants the Cheyenne River can accept and still meet water quality standards, and identify alternatives to reduce the pollutants to meet the total maximum daily load.  Another benefit of the study is it will document water quality in the upper Cheyenne River segment to better prepare the state to respond to any future coal bed methane discharges that may be permitted by the State of Wyoming.

“DENR has clearly heard the concerns from some local citizens about future discharges of water from coal bed methane wells in Wyoming draining to the Cheyenne River,” said DENR Secretary Steve Pirner.  “Therefore, the time is right to complete a total maximum daily load assessment and gather baseline water quality data that can be used to assess impacts should Wyoming permit large discharges of coal bed methane water into the Cheyenne River.”

The study will include water quality monitoring, stream flow gaging, stream channel analyses, land use analyses, and pinpointing sources of nonpoint source pollution.  This will be no small study because the watershed of the upper Cheyenne River encompasses nearly 1.2 million acres and receives runoff from parts of Fall River, Custer, and Pennington counties.

The Fall River Conservation District has agreed to serve as local sponsor for the project.  They will be hiring a water quality specialist to do field work and water quality monitoring.  

Members of a steering committee that will oversee the study include representatives from the Black Hills Resource Conservation and Development Association, South Dakota State Conservation Commission, Fall River Conservation District, Custer Conservation District, Pennington Conservation District, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, state DENR, and the Angostura Irrigation District.

“We encourage all local residents who have an interest in the water quality of the upper Cheyenne, and especially landowners in the watershed, to become involved in this study,” said Pirner.  “These watershed projects to study and reduce pollutant loadings are successful only when local citizens become involved and provide input and support to the project.”

Funding for the project includes a $262,000 federal 319 Nonpoint Source grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; $293,200 from the federal Bureau of Reclamation; $5,000 from the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks; $2,000 each from the Fall River Conservation District, Fall River County Commission, and Custer County Commission; and $1,500 from the Custer Conservation District.

According to U.S. Geological Survey data, rangeland makes up 77 percent of the land in the watershed, forested land 21 percent, and agricultural land one percent.

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