Water Quality Survey of the Big Sioux River prepared for the Iowa Department of Environmental Quality by the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, January 1978

(1978) Water Quality Survey of the Big Sioux River prepared for the Iowa Department of Environmental Quality by the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory, January 1978. University of Iowa

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Abstract

The Big Sioux River originates north of Watertown, South Dakota and flows generally southward for about 675 km (420 miles), joining with the Missouri River near Sioux City, Iowa. The Big Sioux River forms the State boundary between South Dakota and Iowa from near Sioux Falls, South Dakota to its confluence with the Missouri River at Sioux City. Approximately sixty-nine percent of the Big Sioux's drainage area (24,800 km2 or 9,570 square miles) is located in South Dakota with 15 and 16 percent of the area located in Iowa and Minnesota, respectively (1). Major tributaries to the Big Sioux in the Iowa reach include the Rock River, with a drainage area of 4,372 km2 (1,688 square miles), and Indian Creek, which has a drainage area of 160 km2 (63 square miles). Although the linear distance between Sioux City and Sioux Falls is only about 120 kilometers (75 miles), by river the distance between these two points is about 200 kilometers (125 miles). The meandering nature of the river creates a diversity of aquatic habitats resulting in the Big Sioux having more potential for fisheries than any other northwest Iowa stream. A comment written in 1951 by the authors of the book Iowa Fish and Fishing states that the Big Sioux 11 is western Iowa's largest and most beautiful stream and except for heavy pollution might well be one of our best angling waters 11 (2). Most of the drainage basin in the Iowa reach is utilized for agriculture with row crops and livestock feeding operations the most common farm practices.