Environment and Natural Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2001
For more information: Eric Gronlund 773-3352

Governor Janklow and Homestake Turn On Little Spearfish Creek Waterfall

PIERRE – Governor William J. Janklow and Homestake will follow a 1999 federal court settlement, and on July 1, 2001, Little Spearfish Creek will again cascade in a spectacular waterfall as it joins Spearfish Creek. Visitors to Spearfish Canyon can reach the waterfall by walking the designated hiking trail which starts at the parking lot of the Latchstring Inn in Savoy. 

"Returning the waterfall to Little Spearfish Creek is a wonderful event, and is really another step in restoring and preserving the environmental integrity of Spearfish Canyon," said Governor Bill Janklow. "While Homestake is still operating and reclaiming its mine, the waterfall will flow for the three months of July, August, and September. However, after reclamation is complete, the settlement returns all of the flow to the waterfall year around." 

In 1997, Governor Janklow filed a Natural Resources Damage Assessment claim against Homestake for its old discharges of tailings to Whitewood Creek. The federal government and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe joined the lawsuit. Extensive negotiations involving the state Departments of Game, Fish & Parks, Environment & Natural Resources, Attorney General's office, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Homestake, and several federal agencies took place in 1998 and 1999, resulting in a settlement that among other things, returned flow back to Little Spearfish Creek. 

Since 1917, Homestake Mining Company diverted stream flows from Little Spearfish Creek and Spearfish Creek into pipelines for hydroelectric power generation at their Hydroplant No. 2 near Maurice. These diversions were made in accordance with water rights held by Homestake. With a few exceptions, the Little Spearfish Creek waterfall has remained dormant for more than 80 years.

However, in the 1999 settlement, Homestake agreed to transfer a portion of its water right on Little Spearfish Creek to a three-month instream flow right for a 6.3 mile segment of Little Spearfish Creek and Spearfish Creek. This instream flow water right provides for the release to Little Spearfish Creek of up to 20 cubic feet of water per second, which is equal to about 9,000 gallons per minute. Instream flows were first returned to the stream last summer during July, August, and September.

This year’s instream flow will be limited to 11 cubic feet per second because that is the maximum amount that can safely pass through a culvert beneath Highway 14A. Higher flows would overtop the culvert and cause erosion to the highway. The state Departments of Game, Fish & Parks and Transportation are working together to complete a drainage study and design a new, larger capacity structure to replace the existing culvert to handle the higher flows.

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