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Drought-Related Shutoff Orders and Alerts Issued to Water Right Holders
PIERRE, S.D. – Drought conditions in western South Dakota have forced the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue shutoff orders to 50 junior water right holders along the Cheyenne River and tributaries upstream of Angostura Reservoir and to two junior water right holders on the Belle Fourche River upstream of the Belle Fourche Reservoir diversion dam. Belle Fourche Reservoir is at 54.3 percent of storage capacity and 11.5 feet below full. Angostura Reservoir is at 46.1 percent of storage capacity and more than 18.4 feet below full.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation holds senior water rights for both the Belle Fourche Reservoir, bearing a 1904 priority date, and Angostura Reservoir, having a 1941 priority date. Those water rights provide for an annual fill of each of the reservoirs for supplying irrigation water to the Belle Fourche Irrigation District and the Angostura Irrigation District.
“The purpose of state water law is to ensure those water users with the most senior rights have the best chance of getting water during any given year,” said DENR Secretary Steve Pirner. “Because the Belle Fourche and Angostura reservoirs have not filled this year, the Bureau of Reclamation requested the department issue shutoff orders to the junior priority water right holders to protect the more senior rights of the irrigation districts.”
South Dakota water law is based on the prior appropriation doctrine, which means the most senior water rights on a particular stream have priority based upon date to available water supplies over the junior priority date water rights. State water law authorizes DENR and the Water Management Board to issue water right permits to people who want to put water to beneficial use, such as irrigation, municipal water supply, or commercial use. Although the junior priority water right holders are subject to shutoff orders, state water right law gives domestic use of water from rivers and streams the highest priority. Domestic use includes livestock watering and is not subject to shutoff orders.
“Western South Dakota has experienced several consecutive years of drought,” said chief engineer of the DENR Water Rights Program, Garland Erbele. “Conditions at this time indicate another year of below normal spring precipitation. Without appreciable amounts of rain, water availability in the state’s surface waters may reach critically low levels. At some point, additional shutoff orders may be issued for other rivers and streams and remain in effect until surface water flows recover.”
For more information on river flows in South Dakota, visit sd.water.usgs.gov and click on “Real-Time Water Data.” Information can also be obtained by calling DENR’s Water Right Program at 1-800-GET-DENR or visiting www.state.sd.us/denr/des/waterrights/waterprg.htm.
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NOTE: A copy of the shutoff letter sent by DENR is available upon request by calling Mark Rath or Mike DeFea at (605) 773-3352.