Friends of the Big Sioux River

Regenerative agriculture practices are currently at the forefront of conservation conversations. Learn how one South Dakota dairy farmer is building healthier soil, reducing fertilizer application, and retaining soil moisture on his farm over at fbsr.org/news!

Have you marked your calendar for Saturday, December 7th yet? We can't wait for you to join us for our annual community education event. This year's keynote presentations will feature Sammi Blood from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Tim Stefanich from AE2S speaking on PFAS in South Dakota's waterways.

Commonly called Forever Chemicals, PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used in many consumer and industrial products since the 1950s. Now, they are abundant in the environment and have been linked to numerous adverse health outcomes. These are presentations you won't want to miss!

Make sure to come between 9:00 and 9:30 AM for a short reception featuring booths from local conservation organizations. Plus, there will be breakfast pastries and hot beverages! 🥐☕️ Formal presentations will begin promptly at 9:30.

Thank you to the Office of Sustainability and the Environmental Studies Program at Augustana University for sponsoring this event.

Learn more about the event at fbsr.org/community-education.

Our 2024 water testing results are in! Swipe through to learn about the current state of the Big Sioux River ➡️

Read the full 2024 Water Quality Report at fbsr.org/water-quality-monitoring.

How does a steel chip remove E. coli from stormwater? The answer is simple as long as you understand a bit of chemistry.

Read the full answer and learn about the innovative research happening in the Big Sioux River watershed over at fbsr.org/news!

Our print newsletter hit mailboxes a few weeks ago, and now you can read all of the articles over on our blog at fbsr.org/news! We'll be sharing excerpts from each article over the next month. First up is an overview of the Prairie Coteau Watershed Improvement Project, led by Cory Zirbel. Learn what our partners up north are doing to improve local waters!

Will you be joining us tomorrow for the Community Conservation on Climate and Sustainability? Hear from our neighbors about making a difference on climate issues, including the Rosebud Tribal Environmental Protection Program and the Rapid City Sustainability Committee. Throughout the morning, partake in interactive small group discussions and learn how to take action on a specific local project. This is an event you don't want to miss!

Register for this free event at bit.ly/3XZBhyZ.

Mark your calendar for the next Big Sioux Fly Fishing Club meetup on Thursday, October 24th! Join us on from 6-7:30 PM at The Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls for a night of fly fishing, learning, and community building. We'll start the night with a short presentation about Friends of the Big Sioux River, and the second half of the meetup will be spent fly fishing The Outdoor Campus Pond.

For more information, contact Jason Nelson at The Outdoor Campus at [email protected] or 605-940-8486.

Learn more about the Big Sioux Fly Fishing Club at fbsr.org/big-sioux-fly-fishing-club 🎣

Have you registered for the Community Conversation on Climate and Sustainability yet? This free event hosted by the Sioux Falls Sustainability Coalition takes place this Saturday, October 19th, from 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Register now at bit.ly/3XZBhyZ.

October has been a busy month for education and outreach with local high schools at Friends of the Big Sioux River! We've joined environmental science classes from Lincoln High School and Harrisburg High School to conduct water quality testing and aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling in the Big Sioux River.

Students have greatly enjoyed this unique field trip opportunity. Some even found themselves having a truly immersive experience. (Tip of the day: Don't go in water deeper than your waders 😜)

Are you interested in FBSR presenting to your classroom or joining your class on a field trip? Visit fbsr.org/education to learn more!

Join the Sioux Falls Sustainability Coalition for a Community Conversation on Climate and Sustainability! Hear from our neighbors about making a difference on climate issues, including the Rosebud Tribal Environmental Protection Program and the Rapid City Sustainability Committee. Partake in interactive small group discussions and learn how to take action on a specific local project!

Register for this free event at bit.ly/3XZBhyZ.

The next Big Sioux Fly Fishing Club meetup is scheduled for Thursday, October 24th! Join us on from 6-7:30 PM at The Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls for a night of fly fishing, learning, and community building. We'll start the night with a short presentation about Friends of the Big Sioux River, and the second half of the meetup will be spent fly fishing The Outdoor Campus Pond.

For more information, contact Jason Nelson at The Outdoor Campus at [email protected] or 605-940-8486.

Learn more about the Big Sioux Fly Fishing Club at fbsr.org/big-sioux-fly-fishing-club 🎣

Did you catch us on KELOLAND News last night? Yesterday, we hosted another in-river clean-up event with Sioux Empire Paddlers, and it was a great success. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help beautify the Big Sioux River!

Volunteer support for Big Sioux River cleanup SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – Volunteers weren’t afraid to dip their toes into the muddy waters of the Big Sioux River on Saturday morning in Sioux Falls. “Well, it’s a nice day. Mor…

The next in-river clean-up starts tomorrow at 10:00 AM! We'll start at Pasley Park and travel to Riverdale Park, picking up trash along the way.

Sioux Empire Paddlers will provide canoes to collect the trash. The majority of the time will be spent walking in the river picking up litter, so please wear clothing and shoes you do not mind getting wet and/or dirty.

Friends of the Big Sioux River will provide garbage bags and gloves. Following the clean-up, we will provide a free picnic lunch for all participants, courtesy of Vanguard Hospitality. Please RSVP for this event so we can have an accurate count for lunch. We can't wait to see you there!

RSVP at facebook.com/events/449391394778196/!

Will you be joining us for Sustainability Night at the Great Outdoor Store tonight? This event will bring together outdoor enthusiasts, eco-conscious individuals, and community members for an engaging and educational experience focused on protecting our planet. There will be vendors (including us!), snacks, beer, and film screenings from Patagonia. Make sure to stop by and say hi at the Friends of the Big Sioux River booth.

It's less than 24 hours until the Great Outdoor Store's Sustainability Night with Patagonia, and we are getting excited! This event will bring together outdoor enthusiasts, eco-conscious individuals, and community members for an engaging and educational experience focused on protecting our planet. There will be vendors (including us!), snacks, beer, and film screenings from Patagonia. Make sure to stop by and say hi at the Friends of the Big Sioux River booth. We can't wait to see you there!

|| SUSTAINABILITY NIGHT + PATAGONIA || Join us Thursday, 10/3 at Great Outdoor Store to engage in an educational experience focused on protecting our planet! Come meet our very own representative. We’ll have plenty of beer to go around. Here are all the details you need:

Date: Thursday, October 3
Time: 6-8 PM
Where: GOS, 201 E 10th St
What: Beer, Snacks, Vendors, Film Screenings

RSVP ➡️
Sustainability Night with Patagonia at Great Outdoor Store!

HAPPY TRAILS!

Will you be joining us for the next in-river clean-up event this Saturday? We'll start at Pasley Park and travel to Riverdale Park, picking up trash along the way. Following the clean-up, we will provide a free picnic lunch for all participants, courtesy of Vanguard Hospitality. Please RSVP for this event so we can have an accurate count for lunch. We can't wait to see you there!

RSVP and learn more at facebook.com/events/449391394778196/.

The next in-river clean-up is just one week away! We'll start at Pasley Park and travel to Riverdale Park, picking up trash along the way.

Sioux Empire Paddlers will provide canoes to collect the trash. The majority of the time will be spent walking in the river picking up litter, so please wear clothing and shoes you do not mind getting wet and/or dirty.

Friends of the Big Sioux River will provide garbage bags and gloves. Following the clean-up, we will provide a free picnic lunch for all participants, courtesy of Vanguard Hospitality. Please RSVP for this event so we can have an accurate count for lunch. We can't wait to see you there!

RSVP at facebook.com/events/449391394778196/!

Last week, we joined students in an environmental science class at Southeast Technical College to explore the world of water quality at The Outdoor Campus Pond and the Big Sioux River. Students sampled the two bodies of water for a variety of water quality indicators and learned how macroinvertebrates are sensitive to pollution, making them excellent tools for assessing water quality. It was a great time had by all!

Last week was a great week for Big Sioux River clean-up events! A very big thank you to the SALSA students and the Sanford Research Green Committee for your help cleaning up the Big Sioux 👏🏼 Together, these amazing groups removed trash along the river bank from Tuthill Park and the area behind the Falls Park Farmer's Market.

Are you interested in helping with a river clean-up? Join us Saturday, October 5th, from 10-noon at Pasley Park for an in-river clean-up event! More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/449391394778196/.

Join Sioux Empire Paddlers and Friends of the Big Sioux River for another community river clean-up event! We'll start at Pasley Park and travel to Riverdale Park, picking up trash along the way.

Sioux Empire Paddlers will provide canoes to collect the trash. The majority of the time will be spent walking in the river picking up litter, so please wear clothing and shoes you do not mind getting wet and/or dirty.

Friends of the Big Sioux River will provide garbage bags and gloves. Following the clean-up, we will provide a free picnic lunch for all participants. Please RSVP for this event so we can have an accurate count for lunch. We can't wait to see you there!

RSVP at facebook.com/events/449391394778196/!

The Future of Water in South Dakota community education event is just one week away! Join us for a short reception at 6:30 followed by an evening of thought-provoking presentations and discussions. This is an event you won't want to miss! 💧

Ready to learn more about water purification? Check out another post from the Harrisburg High School AP Environmental Science students on this important topic!

The water cycle has a huge impact on our watershed. Swipe through to further advance your understanding of how we affect our local water. 💦