After pulling water samples from the Big Sioux River, a research team from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has found E. coli present in the river. Kelsey Murray, a representative of the research team said they found E. coli strains and toxins that “are equivalent to what you would see in Third World countries, where people are dying of massive outbreaks.” Though E. coli can be air borne, for South Dakota, the most likely source of bacteria is animal feces. These feces end up in the water either through the application of manure, which farmers spread on their fields to increase soil fertility, or when grazing animals wade and defecate in rivers and streams. Historically, E. coli levels spike during water events—like summer rains or the spring melt, when manure washes into the water. Farmers can prevent this by utilizing riparian buffers, which catch sediment. The state of South Dakota also encourages farmers to keep cattle out of waterways during the summer months.95 percent of the water samples pulled from Skunk Creek and the Big Sioux contain the toxin that makes E. coli a viable threat to human health. Another toxin, Intimin, which helps E. coli thrive in the human digestive tract, was present in 100 percent of the samples. South Dakota is breaking national records, as no other state has returned test results over 30 percent.In the wake of this news, doctors, researchers, and advocates are preparing for the next step. Researchers at the School of Mines and the East Dakota Water District state that more research needs to be done. Dana Loeskey, our chair of Friends of the Big Sioux, says, “More science and more research is the best thing that can happen, so we know what’s causing the problems in water.”To learn more, read “Precision Testing Shows Danger in Big Sioux” by John Hult of the Argus Leader.