Surface Water Quality of the Big Sioux River Watershed

The Big Sioux River has the following designated beneficial uses established by the State of South Dakota: Domestic Water Supply, Warmwater Semipermanent Fish Life, Warmwater Marginal Fish Life, Immersion Recreation, Limited Contact Recreation, Fish and Wildlife Propagation, and Irrigation. The State of South Dakota has established Water Quality Criteria (WQC) to protect this water body for these designated uses. Skunk Creek is a major contributor to the flow and overall character to the water quality of the Big Sioux River in Sioux Falls, however, the Skunk Creek does not have the same designated uses as the Big Sioux River.

The Public Works Environmental Division monitors the conditions along the Big Sioux River as well as Skunk Creek in the Sioux Falls area. Monitoring data for Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Escherichia Coli bacteria (E. Coli), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) is available for public review. The water quality criteria for each of these parameters are outlined below. To view data on each segment of the river that is monitored, find the parameter of interest and then select either historic data or recent month’s data.

Surface Water Quality Monitoring

Big Sioux River Water Quality Criteria (WQC)

Skunk Creek Water Quality Criteria (WQC)

Stormwater Outfall Monitoring