SCOUTING YESTERDAY | Clinton administration gets behind Sioux Falls growth vision

This week in South Dakota history: May 23-29

(U.S. Department of Interior)

A quarter century ago, the federal government dropped its opposition to a water project in South Dakota that would help the Sioux Falls-area eventually become one of the most booming metropolitans in the country.

According to local media reports in late May 1999, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation announced during a Senate committee hearing on Capitol Hill that it was suspending its resistance to the proposed Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, and the grand vision to pump water to southeast South Dakota communities from the Missouri River now had the backing of the Clinton administration.

VIEWPOINT | Let us never forget

The concept of using the abundant water source to supply Sioux Falls and surrounding communities was not novel — even then. The state 25 years earlier had signed off on South Dakota’s largest city using 40 million gallons per day. But the infrastructure to make that a reality never materialized. And in 1977 the Big Sioux River ran dry north of Sioux Falls, furthering the question of supplying water for the growing community.

A drought in 1988 would also elevate the need for the Lewis and Clark project. Temporary pumps were installed to take water directly from the Big Sioux River, supplementing wells from the Big Sioux Aquifer. During the summer months, Sioux Falls placed several restrictions on water usage by the public, businesses and homeowners. However, that didn’t stop the supply from dwindling, ultimately leading to failure in water pressure for residents.