(Rapid City, SD) — A new federal study finds that water demand in South Dakota’s Black Hills is outpacing supply, raising concerns about long-term sustainability. The U.S. Geological Survey says key aquifers — like the Madison and Minnelusa — aren’t refilling fast enough to support growing communities from Box Elder to Sturgis. Water officials say they’re not surprised, but the findings add urgency to plans for a future pipeline from the Missouri River. That project, backed by the Western Dakota Regional Water System, is still decades away. Program leaders say they’re working with South Dakota’s congressional delegation to get federal approval, though the pipeline route remains only conceptual for now.
