The 21^st annual Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference is an opportunity for reporters, scientists, students and community members to meet and exchange ideas, discuss issues and explore new science related to key water resources in South Dakota and the surrounding area. The 2023 program is available on the conference website.

WHAT:   The 21^st annual Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference consists of four technical sessions and a poster session with an evening social.

WHERE: The Monument (Alpine and Ponderosa rooms)

                444 Mount Rushmore Road, Rapid City, South Dakota (map)

WHEN:    Conference: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20

                Poster session and evening social: 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

DETAILS: The conference is free for media, the public and students, with an optional \$20 lunch. The professional registration fee is \$75. For professionals who wish to obtain credit for professional development, credits are available for technical sessions attended.

RSVP:      All attendees are asked to register by visiting the conference website or by contacting Galen Hoogestraat at 605-394-3264. Walk-ins on the day of the conference are also welcome.

The first session will include a series of talks on regional water supply topics in South Dakota. Speakers include Jay Gilbertson from the East Dakota Water Development District, Cheryl Chapman from the Western Dakota Regional Water System, Eric Gronlund from the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dani Fettig from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Mark Anderson from the South Dakota School of Mines. These presentations will describe the current status of water supplies in the region and address growing efforts for expansion of water sources in western South Dakota.  

Other topics for the conference include updates for surface water projects, reservoirs and dams, research relating to water infrastructure design, new techniques and applications for water modeling, and Black Hills groundwater studies.   

The annual conference typically draws more than 300 attendees and is organized by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Weather Service, RESPEC, South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, South Dakota Mines and West Dakota Water Development District.

For additional information about USGS water resources studies in South Dakota, visit the USGS Dakota Water Science Center website and check them out on Twitter and Facebook.

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