U.S. Water News Online
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Water levels on the Big Sioux River are so low that officials in Sioux Falls have cut lawn watering to just one day a week.
Homeowners will be allowed to water on a specific day, determined by the last digit of their address.
``We haven't seen watering restrictions to this level in 25 years,'' said Kevin Smith, public works manager for the city.
Smith said officials haven't estimated how much water could be saved with the new restrictions, which have taken effect.
The North Cliff Avenue gauging station shows the depth of the Big Sioux River is 50 feet and the river is moving at 39 cubic feet per second.
``That's not much,'' said Jeff Chapman, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. The average flow of the Big Sioux River is more than 400 cubic feet per second.
The precipitation in the Sioux Falls area so far this year is 14.49 inches, almost 4 inches below normal.
If the new restrictions don't work, the next step will be to ban all outdoor water use.
The river ran dry for 270 consecutive days, in August of 1976.
``The key is customer participation,'' Smith said. ``We're concerned about the future water supply.''
Return to the U.S. Water News Archives page Or Return to the U.S. Water News Homepage
Editor@uswaternews.com
*Your Name:
*Your Email:
*Friend's Email:
Use a comma to separate e-mail addresses:
*Your Comments:
Hi, I thought you might like to read this article.
*Required Fields