Wells drying up at South Dakota homes and ranches due to heat and drought
Each morning this summer, Gordon and Connie Howie have awoken on their cattle ranch in central Pennington County and turned on the kitchen faucet, unsure if any water will come out. “We can’t do laundry…
South Dakota residents and ranchers are grappling with dwindling water supplies at their homes and farms due to extreme heat and a prolonged drought, according to experts. The issue is particularly dire for those without access to municipal or rural water systems, as several consecutive years of limited snowpack and rainfall have caused underground aquifers to dry up and well levels to drop.
Gordon and Connie Howie, a cattle ranching couple in central Pennington County, have been forced to resort to costly measures to secure clean water for themselves and their livestock. The Howies, who have lived in the area for 20 years, say this year's drought is the worst they've ever experienced. They are now purchasing bottled water and hauling large containers of fresh water to their ranch east of Rapid City.
The prolonged lack of rainfall, combined with high temperatures, has created a critical situation for rural communities that rely on groundwater for their daily needs and agricultural operations.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Wells drying up at South Dakota homes and ranches due to heat and drought winnipegfreepress.com
