D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery

The facility first known as the Spearfish Fish Cultural Station was established in 1896 by the U.S. Fish Commission. It was built and fully operational by the summer of 1899.

From Floods To Drought: Ranchers Reflect On Extreme South Dakota Weather

In the summer of 2021, the state was so deep into a drought that it was easy to forget the situation was much different in the past. In 2019, widespread floods damaged farmland, roads, and infrastructure.  

A Meandering Past

One of the first floods to be recorded at the confluence of the James River and the Missouri River occurred in 1881.

The 1972 Rapid City Flood

On June 9, 1972, an exceptionally heavy rain fell on areas of the Black Hills that were already saturated by higher-than-normal seasonal precipitation, leading to a flood.

Great Depression Photo Still Sparks Debate: Edited Photos -- View Warning Below -- 

Learn about Farm Security Administration photographer Arthur Rothstein’s famous 1936 bleached steer skull and other staged or edited images. Also view THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS 

NOTE: The Bronx Documentary Center, Altered Images: 150 Years of Posed and Manipulated Documentary Photography exhibit found in the Support Materials Section contains sensitive content. View each example for inappropriate content – some contain GRAPHIC IMAGES and NUDITY.  

Revisit the flood, 50 years later

June 9th, 2022, marks the 50th anniversary of the Black Hills Flood of 1972, in which 238 lives were lost. The anniversary brings a flood of memories for survivors.

South Dakota Photos from the Dust Bowl

Photos taken by Joseph Hutton, professor of Agronomy at SDSU.

What Might Have Been: The Canal to Big Stone Lake

The plan to build a canal between Lake Traverse and Big Stone Lake in an effort to drain Red River waters to the south and through the Mississippi River system.

Are Windmills Making a Comeback in SD? 

Windmills were used in South Dakota to move water. 

Drought and Habitat Losses Drive Big Drop in South Dakota Honey Production

Clovers and natural prairie make South Dakota an ideal place for honeybees to thrive, but dry conditions and habitat loss are making it difficult to produce honey. Production decreased 18% last year.

Change at the Climate Divide

Historically, the 100th meridian marked the shift from the wet east to the drier west. Now that's changing in five states the meridian runs through.

SDPB News - Drought Coverage 

News and information from South Dakota Public Broadcasting and NPR. SDPB is South Dakota's National Public Radio station.

SDPB News - Drought Coverage 

News and information from South Dakota Public Broadcasting and NPR. SDPB is South Dakota's National Public Radio station.

Native American Studies

South Dakota War Stories

Image of the Past Series