Roddy, W R; Greene, E A; Sowards, C L |



Reconnaissance Investigation of Water Quality, Bottom Sediment, and Biota 
Associated With Irrigation Drainage in the Belle Fourche Reclamation 
Project, Western South Dakota, 1988-89



USGS Water Resources Investigations Report 90-4192, 1991. 113p, 22 fig, 17 
tab, 55 ref.



Water, bottom sediment, and biota were sampled during 1988 within the Belle 
Fourche Reclamation Project and adjacent areas in western South Dakota. The 
investigation was conducted to determine the concentrations of major ions, 
selected trace elements, and pesticides in water, bottom sediment, and 
biota, and to compare the analytical results to various guidelines for 
environmental protection and to available baseline information. Concentrations 
of dissolved solids in water delivered to the project area exceeded drinking-
water criteria and increased within the project area. Maximum constituent 
concentrations generally were measured during the non-irrigation season at 
Horse Creek above Vale and at the Belle Fourche River near Sturgis, two 
sites receiving irrigation drainage. Only four pesticides (alachlor, atrazine, 
cyanazine, and prometone) were detected in water samples, and all were present 
at small concentrations. Concentrations of selected trace elements (arsenic, 
barium, molybdenum, selenium, and uranium) in bottom sediment were near or 
exceeded the upper range of concentrations measured for soils of the western 
United States. Pesticide concentrations in all samples of bottom sediment were 
less than laboratory analytical reporting limits. Concentrations of 
aluminum, arsenic, mercury, and selenium in whole-body fish tissue were 
greater than baseline values or values that are expected to occur in South 
Dakota. Generally, the maximum value of most elements in fish tissue 
occurred at the Belle Fourche River near Sturgis sampling site. This site is 
downstream of irrigation drainage and has been affected by mine tailings 
deposited from historical mining in the Black Hills. No elevated 
concentrations of organochlorine pesticides or polychlorinated biphenyls 
were measured in the biological samples.



*Belle Fourche Project; *Irrigation effects; *South Dakota; *Water pollution 
sources; *Water quality; Biota; Bottom sediments; Surface water|