South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange South Dakota State University Agricultural Bulletins Experiment Station 7-1-1995 Watershed Management Workshop for the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux Rivers C. L. Milewski C. R. Berry S. Wyman Follow this and additional works at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_bulletins Recommended Citation Milewski, C. L.; Berry, C. R.; and Wyman, S., "Watershed Management Workshop for the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux Rivers" (1995). Bulletins. Paper 724. http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_bulletins/724 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]. B 720 North Dakota Minnesota South Dakota Nebraska WATERSHED MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP FOR THE J.AMES, VERMILLION, AND BIG SIOUX- RIVERS February 7-8, 1995 • Crossroads Hotel • Huron, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station • South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit • South Dakota State University South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources • South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Natural Resources and Conservation Service, USDA • National Biological Service, DOI WATERSHED MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP FOR THE JAMES, VERMILLION, AND BIG Sioux RIVERS C.L. Milewski Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences South Dakota State University Brookings, S.D. C.R. Berry National Biological Survey Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences South Dakota State University Brookings, S.D. S. Wyman Natural Resources Conservation Service Brookings, S.D. B 720 Agricultural Experiment Station • South Dakota State University • U.S. Department of Agriculture PREFACE Rivers have become prominent subjects for natural resource personnel and the public. There are new ripari­ an and wetland programs, controversial flooding and water quality issues, proposed water development projects, and innovative thinking about ecosystem management. The Watershed Management Workshop for the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux rivers was developed to bring people, projects, problems, and programs together from the watersheds to discuss current and future needs for management, research, and cooperative efforts. The workshop opened with a discussion of basic principles of terrestrial, riparian, and aquatic components of a watershed and was followed by a case history of a watershed management program in Minnesota. This set the stage for a discussion of specific projects and programs that are underway on the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux River watersheds. It is our hope that this workshop was a step in cooperative management of these watersheds and in the con­ tinuing education needed by all involved in watershed and ecosystem management. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank the speakers and poster presenters for contributing to the success of the workshop. In addition, we would like to express our appreciation to the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit for sponsoring the workshop. The Coop Unit is jointly sponsored by South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, the National Biological Service, and the Wildlife Management Institute. Steering Committee: Sandra Wyman, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Chuck Berry, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit Craig Milewski, SDSU Graduate Student ... for the last 50 years, the Jim River has been a source of good fishing, good recreation for the family and for our retirement years, and good comradeship with fellow fishermen. While the Jim may be the lowest of rivers we hold it in the highest esteem. Rather be small and shine than be large and cast a shadow. George Nikolas and Tony Gefre Aberdeen, S.D. CONTENTS Preface, Acknowledgements Introduction, Watershed Management Workshop. Tim Bjork ............ ......................................... ........... 1 Watershed Concepts .................................................................................................................................. 3 Design, Function, and Management of Multi-species Riparian Buffer Strip Systems Thomas M. Isenhart, Richard C. Schultz, and J. P. Colletti ................................................ 4 Vegetation and Stream Processes. W. Carter Johnson . ............................................. .................. 6 Predicting the Behavior of Watersheds: the James River as an Example Thomas Van Lent ......................................................................................... .................... 7 Grazing Management: a Watershed Approach. David W. Schmidt ....... ........................... .. ...... 9 Agronomic Management in Watersheds. Keith L. Hamer ...... .............................................. ..... 11 Ecosystem Management. Craig L. Milewski .................. ...... ............................................ ....... 13 Long-term Comprehensive Planning for the Whitewater Watershed, Minnesota: A Partnership Approach. Larry Gates .... ......... ....... ..................................................... 15 Projects and Programs .. ............................................................... : .......................................................... 19 Natural Resources Conservation Service Programs and Interest in Watershed Management. Leroy Holtsclaw .... .................................................................................. 20 U.S. Geological Survey Data Collection and Interpretive Studies in the James, Vermillion, and Big Sioux River Basins in South Dakota. Rick D. Bensen ............. ...... 22 Water Districts: Projects, Problems, and Politics. James Adamson .................. .......................... 25 Game, Fish and Parks Streams Program. Ronald Koth ................................................. ........... 26 Big Sioux Aquifer Water Quality Demonstration Project Area. Jay Gilbertson .......................... 28 Permit and Project Review. Scott Larson .................................................................................. 30 The Big Sioux River in Iowa. Jim Christianson ..... ................................................................... 32 River Fishery Ecology and Status of Fishes in Sout, Dakota's Eastern Rivers Dougla.s J. Dietermen and Charles R Berry ................................... ................................ 34 An Overview of Watershed Management Activities in theUpper James River Basin in North Dakota. Gene Van Eeckhout .................................................................. 36 Wildlife Values of the James, Big Sioux and Vermillion Rivers. Ron Schauer .................... ...... 38 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service "Partners forWildlife Program" in South Dakota. Carl R Madsen ................ .......................... ........................................... 39 South Dakota Riparian Area Classification System. Leonard Pat Kuck ..................................... 40 Recent Corps of Engineers Efforts in Eastern South Dakota. Kenneth S. Cooper ...................... 42 Discussion of the Corp's Section 10/404 Regulatory Program. Steve Naylor ............................. 44 South Dakota's Surface Water Quality Standards and Supportive Water Quality Monitoring. Joan M. Bortnem ............................ ................. ................ 46 East River Riparian Area Demonstration Project. Sandra K. Wyman ..... ... .. ............. ..... .. ......... 48 FEMA's Watershed Management Activities in South Dakota. Gary N. Whitney ........................ 50 Non point Source Control Program. Duane Murphey ................................................................ 52 State Conservation Commission Grants. Keith L. Hamer ........................................ .. ..... ....... 54 River Services an� Problems forRiver-side Communities Todd M. Loomis and Charles R Berry .................. ......................................................... 56 Water Appropriation in South Dakota. Ron Duvall .................................................................. 57 Background Information on James River Restoration Project. Darryl Raschke ........ ................. 58 Other Information Workshop Attendees: Opinions and River Uses Charles R Berry and Craig L. Milewski .......................................................................... 61 Selected South Dakota Water Resoun:es Education Resources. Chris D. McCart ...................... 66 Selected Information Sources for Watershed-related Management ........................................... 68 Appendices Appendix A. Responses to Workshop Survey Questions ......................................................... .. 71 Appendix B. List of Workshop Attendees .. ..... ... ........... ................................. .......................... 77 The art of land doctoring is being practiced with vigor, but the science of land health is ye t to be born. Aldo Leopold, 1949 Sand County Almanac INTRODUCTION, WATERSHED MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Tim