Maps & Resources

The Big Sioux River is a great place to play! As you head out into the wild, remember the principles of minimum environmental impact:

  • Plan ahead and prepare. Know your route to reduce your environmental footprint. Also, know the resources you need to avoid excess.

  • Dispose of waste properly. Make sure you use proper waste receptacles for all trash, including cigarette butts and toilet paper.

  • Do not use soap in freshwater streams.

  • Leave what you find, including shells, rocks, and driftwood.

  • Respect wildlife. Don’t disturb nests or remove animals from their homes.

  • Camp 200 feet or more from the water.

  • Do not cut trees or pick plants.

  • Remember to abide by all fishing, hunting, and trapping regulations.

The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, & Parks website is a great resource for any questions you may have about your adventure plans. If you plan on fishing, make sure you check out Fish Consumption Advisories.

River Access and Recreation Maps

SD Game, Fish, and Parks Public Water Access

Navigate through various maps that provide information on public access to boat ramps, shore access, ice fishing, and more. Additionally, this application provides closure announcements and reports.

SD Game, Fish, and Parks Jay Heath Canoe & Kayak Trail

This application is designed to better assist canoers and kayakers navigating throughout the Big Sioux River Watershed. It includes launch sites, campgrounds, and information specific to each site.

SD Game, Fish, and Parks Non-Meandered Water Closures

This application provides information about closures, predominantly throughout the Eastern side of South Dakota, of non-meandered bodies of water. Non-meandered waters are private property.

SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Measured Lakes Elevation

This application provides the location, historic elevation readings, and outlets for measured lakes within South Dakota.

Water Quality Maps

SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Water Quality Monitoring Access Portal

Navigate through the map by clicking on lakes, streams, and rivers to view summary graphs of recent water quality data, projects and reports. Dots on the map represent water quality monitoring stations which provide recent water data within specific parameters.

SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Surface Water Quality Standards

Navigate through this map to discover the quality of lakes, streams and rivers within South Dakota in accordance with the standards set by the EPA in the Clean Water Act.

Environmental Protection Agency How’s My Waterway?

This application provides information on the national scale for the EPA’s standards for water quality for recreational use, fish consumption, aquatic life, and drinking water. Search any address, zip code, or place to access information particular to your concerns.

The Nature Conservancy Resilient River Explorer

Explore the resiliency of any river within the continental United States. Learn about the interconnected relationship between aquatic and terrestrial environments in assessing water quality. Discover solutions to protect and restore our nation’s rivers.

Environmental Protection Agency ECHO

Maps and graphs compare air, drinking water, hazardous waste, pesticides, and wastewater environmental compliances and enforcement indicators on the state and national level.

SD Department of Health Fish Consumption Advisories

Navigate to different bodies of water to investigate current or recent levels of mercury in fish. Mercury bioaccumulates in fish and can pose a risk to human health when consumed.  

American Rivers Dam Removal Map

Application includes dams that have been removed across the country by American Rivers and other associations to restore free flowing waterbodies. While dams can be beneficial, the removal of dams becomes necessary when they begin to deteriorate, damage the ecosystem, and are no longer in use.

SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Harmful Algal Blooms

Click on markers to access information about the microcystin levels of a waterbody. While microcystin can inform us if a waterbody is safe for recreational activities, such as swimming, kayaking, and canoeing, this map does not provide real-time information. It is a public record for algae or algal toxins.

SD Game, Fish, and Parks Aquatic Invasive Species List

Navigate this map by clicking on waterbodies and markers for lakes. This application provides a list of invasive fish, invasive plants, and invasive invertebrates for individual waterbodies.

Geographical and Geological Maps

United States Geological Survey National Water Dashboard

This application provides real time information on water levels, weather and flood forecasts, as well as data for streams, lakes, reservoirs, precipitation, and groundwater from more than 13,500 USGS observation stations across the U.S.

National Inventory of Dams Dams of South Dakota

Navigate this map to learn more about South Dakota’s 2,599 dams. The site includes information about the material and size of each dam, its purpose, when they were built, and its last inspection date.

Environmental Working Group PFAS Contamination in the U.S.

This application allows users to observe recent data regarding PFAS contamination in the U.S. PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals, are harmful pollutants that affect water quality and human health. The EWG collects system data nationwide and provides information regarding suspected sources, years detected, and the amount of contamination. 

The Nature Conservancy Resilient Land Mapping Tool

 Explore the resiliency of terrestrial ecosystems in the United States. Learn about the interconnected relationship between land resiliency and local biodiversity. Analyze different layers relating to carbon layers, habitat layers, conservation and more. 

SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Big Sioux Flood Information

The South Dakota Flood Information System Map provides access to current stream conditions, flood forecasts, visualizations, inundations maps, and flood-related data information.

Environmental Working Group Suspected Industrial Discharges of PFAS

This application shows the locations of 41,828 industrial and municipal sites that are known to produce or use, are suspected of using, or a suspected source of PFAs. The sites are approximate, and the site does not claim to purport to show known discharge sites. 

PFAS Maps

SD Game, Fish, and Parks Aquatic Habitat and Access Biologists

Get to know South Dakota’s regional Biologists, Grant Truskowski, Kyle Potter, Tony Quail, and Carter Knecht. Contact information available.

Environmental Working Group 720 Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS

 This application provides information on more than 700 U.S. military sites that are known or likely to have discharged PFAS. PFAS-based firefighting foam is a typical source, according to the Defense Department data compiled and mapped by EWG.