{"id":39179,"date":"2025-08-29T22:50:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T03:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/lawmaker-considers-limiting-new-black-hills-water-usage\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T22:50:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T03:50:10","slug":"lawmaker-considers-limiting-new-black-hills-water-usage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/lawmaker-considers-limiting-new-black-hills-water-usage\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmaker considers limiting new Black Hills water usage"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/span><\/div>
\"Helene<\/a><\/p>\n

Helene Duhamel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A West River lawmaker said he might file a bill in the 2026 legislative session that could slow or even stop some new development across the Black Hills by limiting the ability to take more water from underground aquifers.<\/p>\n

Rep. Scott Odenbach, a Republican from Spearfish who\u2019s majority leader in the House of Representatives, said he began to think about water conservation in western South Dakota after seeing a U.S. Geological Survey study released in late July.<\/p>\n

It indicated that even in non-drought periods, some sections of aquifers that supply fresh water to the Black Hills were not sufficiently recharging through rainwater and runoff.<\/p>\n

Odenbach said the study raised concerns that perhaps too much water is being removed from the Madison, Minnelusa and Inyan Kara aquifers and that eventually, a water shortage could result.<\/p>\n

The study, as reported by News Watch, found that overall the Black Hills aquifers remain sufficiently filled but that some areas, referred to as \u201csub-aquifers,\u201d are not recharging enough to meet the planned or current actual use of water. The portions of aquifers not sufficiently recharging tended to be in higher-growth areas, roughly from Box Elder on the east to Sturgis on the west.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got to have a conversation \u2026 to ensure that we don\u2019t just heedlessly rush into water scarcity here,\u201d Odenbach told News Watch. \u201cI think we\u2019ve always got to make sure that we look out first for residential customers and the people that live here now, and then those who want to do other types of uses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Odenbach suggested the USGS study could prompt the need to amend SDCL 46-6-6.1, a statute passed in 1978 that prohibits so-called water mining, or the taking of water from aquifers that science shows are not refilling adequately. The law was passed during a period of drought and increased demand for water in southeast South Dakota.<\/p>\n

While the law bans removal of water from aquifers above the Greenhorn Formation, which includes those east of the Missouri River, it allows an exception for deeper bedrock aquifers like those beneath the Black Hills.<\/p>\n

Odenbach told News Watch he might seek to \u201ctweak\u201d that law in order to remove the Black Hills exception, thereby preventing removal of water from any state aquifer that is not recharging as fast or as much as needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat (statute) essentially says you can\u2019t sink new wells into an aquifer, unless you can show that you\u2019re not taking out more than is naturally recharged,\u201d he said. \u201cIn light of that report by the U.S. Geological Survey, I think we need to ask the question of whether we need to make sure that the statute also applies to our aquifers West River.\u201d<\/p>\n

Odenbach added that he is concerned that some individuals and entities in the Black Hills, such as the development agency Elevate Rapid City, are promoting \u201cgrowth for the sake of growth\u201d that could negatively affect the existing high quality of life in the Black Hills.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just want to have untrammeled development as fast as they possibly can. And then when we wake up and it\u2019s like Denver and we\u2019re out of water, they can move on to somewhere else,\u201d Odenbach said.<\/p>\n

Tom Johnson, CEO of Elevate Rapid City, took umbrage at Odenbach\u2019s characterization of his group\u2019s efforts to bring new business, jobs and residents to the region. He also said the lawmaker\u2019s references to uncontrolled growth as seen in some areas of Colorado are not comparable to what is taking place in the Black Hills.<\/p>\n

Johnson said Rapid City has seen an average growth rate of 0.3% to 1.7% annually over the past 15 years, which planning experts refer to as a healthy pace of growth.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not Denver and we\u2019re not going to become Denver,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

The USGS report noted that the population of the Black Hills grew about 39% from 2000 to 2022 but surprisingly that \u201cno increased well withdrawal patterns corresponding to population increases were observed.\u201d State wells that monitor aquifer levels also have not shown an overall water deficiency, according to the state.<\/p>\n

Johnson said Odenbach is taking an \u201canti-growth\u201d stance that will prevent the Black Hills and its current and future residents from reaching their highest potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem with folks like Odenbach is they\u2019ve got their piece of the pie, right? They\u2019ve got the Black Hills that they want and they don\u2019t want your kids or your kids\u2019 kids to have a piece of that,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n

Momentum has been growing behind a $2 billion proposal to build a 161-mile, 6-foot-diameter water pipeline from the Missouri River north of Pierre to locations across western South Dakota, including the Black Hills.<\/p>\n

Backers of the project, such as Republican state Sen. Helene Duhamel of Rapid City, have said the pipeline would provide a reliable, long-term source of water for the region.<\/p>\n

Duhamel and others saw the USGS report as further evidence of the need for the pipeline.<\/p>\n

In an email to News Watch, Odenbach said he foresees the pipeline as a possible \u201cboondoggle\u201d and is skeptical if it should be built. He also suspects the ultimate cost will exceed $2 billion. Odenbach said he wants to begin conversations to seek alternatives that will preserve access to water but not encourage unfettered growth.<\/p>\n

Duhamel said banning further drilling of wells into western South Dakota aquifers is a \u201cshortsighted\u201d way of addressing rising water needs.<\/p>\n

Duhamel also said South Dakota needs to act expediently to build the pipeline before other states on the Missouri River begin to withdraw more water.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we would rue the day and look back and wonder why we didn\u2019t make this critical investment as we watch our Missouri River water go to downstream states,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re a thirsty nation and everybody is looking at every water source, so we have to secure clean, reliable water for the future of our state.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get stories when they\u2019re published.<\/p>\n

Contact Bart Pfankuch at bart.pfankuch@sdnewswatch.org<\/span><\/p>\n

The post Lawmaker considers limiting new Black Hills water usage<\/a> first appeared on Native Sun News Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Visit Original Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/div>

Helene Duhamel A West River lawmaker said he might file a bill in the 2026 legislative session that could slow or even stop some new development across the Black Hills by limiting the ability to take more water from underground aquifers. Rep. Scott Odenbach, a Republican from Spearfish who\u2019s majority <\/p>\n

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Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> August 29, 2025<\/p>\n

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