A West River nonprofit is closer to securing water rights for a proposed pipeline to bring Missouri River water to the region.
Because of the size of the request, state lawmakers must approve it.
The state water management board approved Western Dakota Regional Water System’s request for a future use permit earlier this month.
The group is requesting 20,765 acre feet of water from the Missouri River, annually. That’s enough water for roughly 62,000 homes, based on the EPA water usage estimates.
That amount would be in addition to the over 52,545 acre-feet already reserved by other West River cities and entities.
Cheryl Chapman, executive director of the nonprofit group which formed in 2021, said after recent studies, communities and rural water systems realized West River communities could face water shortages in the face of prolonged drouth.
“We would be very tight on available water for people who are here today," Chapman said.
The group wants to draw water from Lake Oahe, just north of Fort Pierre. Because Western Dakota Regional Water System’s request is more than 10,000 acre-feet, the Legislature must approve it.
Chapman said if lawmakers approve the request, it goes back to the water management board for final approval.
“And then, every seven years it must be renewed. Not only does it require a fee to be paid, but we also have to continue to demonstrate a need for the future use permit, which we would plan to do going forward,” Chapman said.
Last legislative session, state lawmakers approved a future use permit request for the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System, which sought just over 19,000 acre feet of water from the Missouri River for counties in the southeast corner of the state.
Rapid City Republican State Senator Helene Duhamel said she intends to bring the joint resolution to approve the Western Dakota Regional Water System request.
