South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange South Dakota State University Agricultural Bulletins Experiment Station 8-1-1954 Population Trends in Relation to Resources Development in South Dakota J. P. Johansen Follow this and additional works at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_bulletins Recommended Citation Johansen, J. P., "Population Trends in Relation to Resources Development in South Dakota" (1954). Bulletins. Paper 440. http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_bulletins/440 This Bulletin is brought to you for free and open access by the South Dakota State University Agricultural Experiment Station at Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Bulletins by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ·' .· ' JLLETIH 440 ,o. AUGUST 195.4 � ;./ n Relai:ionJo Resources Development: 6;, N S.OUTH DAKOTA URAL SOCIOLOGY DtPARTMrnT �GRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION OUTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE, BROOKINGS L:' 1- 0 � .._,; �--. J Contents South Dakota's Future Population Prospects -------------------------------------------- 3 General Aspects of Population Adjustment to Resources in South Dakota, 1930-1950 __________________________ -- ---------------------------------------------- 5 Geographic and Climatic Conditions in South Dakota ____________________ 5 Social and Economic Maladjustments in the Great Plains ________________ 8 A Revie,v of Population Trends in South Dakota, 1890-1950 ____________________ 11 Changes in Rural and Urban Residence of Population, 1870-1950 __ 14 Changes in the Farm Population of South Dakota, 1910-1950 ________ 14 Changes in the Rural-Nonfarm Population in South Dakota ________ 15 Population Changes of Small Towns, 1900-1950-------------------------------- 16 Recent Changes Related to Chil_dren and the Family ________________________ 19 Area Adjustments of Population in -South Dakota, 1930-1950 ________________ 22 Description of Economic Areas in South Dakota ____________________________ 22 Changes in theNumber of Farms According to Economic Areas, 1930-1950 -------------------------------------------------------------- 25 Indexes of Farm Mechanization and Electrification________________________ 26 Area Aspects of Population Changes in South Dakota, 1930-1950 __ 32 Main Aspec�s of Water Resources Development in South Dakota ________ 35 Recent Floods and Flood Control----------------------- --------------------------------- 35 Federal Government Participation in Flood Control------------------------ 36 Dams and Reservoirs on the Missouri Main Stem_____________________________ 73 Coordination of Multiple Purposes of Water Resources Projects ____ 39 \,\TaterResources Projects under the Bureau of Reclamation __________ 39 Irrigation Development in Western South Dakota---------------------------- 40 Irrigation Development in EasternSouth Dakota------------------------------ 43 Transmission of Hydro-Electric Pmver -----------------------------------------· ____ 44 Conclusions and Smnmaiy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44 Larger Alternativesof Population Adjustment and Resources Development h1 South Dakota, 1930-1950 _____ _________ ____ 44 Population Trends ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- 46 The Need for Resources Development in South Dakota __________________ 47 This report is based on a state project conb·ibuting to the North Central regi<;mal project on population dynamics, NC-18. 2 In Relat:ion t:o Resources Development: IN SOUTH DAKOTA by JOHN _p. j OHAN SEN I South Dakota's Future Population Prospects OUTH DAKOTA'S population is likely to increase to a considerable extent S in the future on account of resources development. Several great water resources projects located on the Missouri River and its tributaries are under construction or being planned for multiple purposes, such as flood control, irrigation, hydro-electric power, municipal water supplies, and recreational areas. As these projects reach completion and are geared into the economy of the state, they should have several direct and indirect influences upon the state's popula­ tion. But before these developments ministrative authorities in the form­ can be realized, it seems probable ulation of plans for the Missouri that the state ,,,ill have a smaller Basin. These projections of the proportion of the Nation's popula­ state's future population involve a tion than it has had in the past. A low, a medium, and a high estimate. considerable decrease in this pro­ By 1975, the low estimate points portion occured, as shown in Table to a population of 588,000, a medi­ 1, from 1930 to 1950. Several of the um estimate of 675,000, and a high northwest central states have ex­ estimate of 800,000. A related set of perienced a similar trend. The num­ estimates was also made for the total ber of their inhabitants has not in­ population of the United States. creased nearly as fast as the Na­ Each of the three estimates portends tion's. The population of Iowa, for that South Dakota will have smaller example, accounted for 3.2 percent proportion of the Nation's popula­ of the Nation's population in 1880, tion than it had in 1950. but it had only 1.7 percent of the 1Rese�1rch Associate in Hural Sociologv. South ll:1ko1:i Nation's in 1950. Yet in these 70 Siatc College Agricultural Expcrim�·;1t S1:1tion. Thi, study is p:irt of ,; more cornprchensiYc rcsc:irch pruiccl years, Iowa's population increased 111:idc pc,ssiblc thro11;:h a coopcr:itive agrcernenl l>ctwccn 2 the South D:1ko1:1 St:1tc College of A;:ricul111rc :ind �fc­ from 1,624,615 to 2,621,073. chanic Arts :rnd the Bureau of Rccbrn:11ion. U. S. ]lc­ Estimates of the state's future p:1rtmcnt of 1hc Interior. !.!Jowa Agricultural Experiment St;1tion, J\mn,, low:1. population were made recently by /0111a Farm Scin,c('. Vol. VII. p ]3. Sec :dsu 1950 U11itf'd S!a/c.< Cn1.<11s of 1'0/ittfotio11, U. S. S"111111ary. N11111hn population experts and used by ad- of /11/w/Ji1a11/s, Table 8, p. l-1 J. 3 4 Soulb Dalwla Expe,·iment Station Bulletin 440 Table 1. Population Census of 1930 and 1950 and Population Estimates for 1975 in the United States and in South Dakota Population Census Population Estimates 1975* ]930 1950 Low Medium High -���--��� .���������������� United States 122,775,046 150,697,361 ]65,616,000 190,101,000 225,310,000 South Dakota 692,849 652,740 588,000 675,UOO 800,000 :SrnirTc,: M:irgarcl J. Hagood and Jacob S. Sicgd, "l'rojcctiun of J(cgiun:il llis1rih111iun of l'opula1io11," Agrir11/111ra/ J·:co11ri1i1in k,·.< carr/J, V1JI. Ill, Nu. 2. pp. 41-52. (April 1951). Charles E. Brokaw, Hcgion;rl IJircctur U. S. !Jcp;rrtm<:nl uf Commerce. l>cm·n. Colorado, "l',,pul:11io11 F1,recasts for the Missouri Basin St:rtc,." Appendix G :rnd Ap pc11d1x B . ir1 Mi11111cs 0/ 1/ic Fi/1y-Fo11rt/J Ma1111g o/ J/Jc Missouri /Jasin lnta-Agen,y Comm,11,·,·, (J;rnuary 24, ]952). The estimates made in Table 1 in­ climatic, political, economic, an<l volve assumptions to the effect that technological. according to the high estimate of The climatic factor, which in­ population in 1975, the United cludes conditions of temperature, States population would increase precipitation, length of the growing above the census of 1950 by. 49.4 season, killing frosts, and seasons of percent while South Dakota's popu­ drought or seasons of normal rain­ lation \.Vould increase only 22.6 per­ fall h a s exerted an important cent over its 1950 census. influence on the population of the Which one of these estirnates, if state. Political events and condi­ any of them, \.Villturn out to be cor­ tions, extending far beyond the bor­ rect? In the light of present condi­ der of the state, have resulted in two tions in South Dakota, both the lmv \i\1orld \Vars an<l the more recent and the medium estimates appear conflict in Korea. Economic fluctu­ to under-estimate the potential pop­ ations in the form of inflation and ulation grov>1th of the state. The deflation have accompanied each high estimate of 800,000 by 1975 major change from peace to war and may turn out to be more nearly cor­ from war to peace. rect. Past population trends of the The changing agricultural tech­ state point both upward and down­ nology, the use of tractors, motor ward-rapidly upward from 1880 to trucks, cornbines, and many other 1930; dowm:vard from 1930 to 1950. mechanical facilities, has greatly in­ During the past 10 years, the state Huenced the population shift from experienced both a large net out­ farms to cities. The changes in migration during the war years transportation, travel, and commu­ ( 1940-1945) and a net return migra­ nication have had the effect of tion during the last 5 years ( 194.5- shrinking the ,,,orld in which we 1950). Although the state had near­ live. In a relatively short time the ly the same population in 1940 and automobile, electricity, radio, radar, in 1950, it did have a net out-migra­ television, aircraft, and atomic tion of nearly 80,000 persons. energy have greatly transformed lm­ Estimates of South Dakota's fu­ man society. In the future, social ture population must take several changes will continue to come to factors into consideration. These South Dakota. The effects of the factors may be classified briefly as