WATERTOWN, S.D. (KELO.com) -- Policymakers, city officials, farmers and most anyone else interested in water attended the Fifth Annual Mayor’s Big Sioux River Water Summit in Watertown Wednesday.
The keynote speaker was Professor Marinus Otte, with the Department of Biological Sciences at North Dakota State University. Otte, who is considered one of the top environmental scientists in the world, says wetlands remove pollutants better than anything else man has tried and that, when wetlands go away the pollutants remain.
Otte also took aim at climate change deniers. He says that denying flies in the face of scientific proof. He said that he gets it when people want to stick their head in the sand but that the disrespect of knowledgeable scientists really ticks him off. He said that it’s inexcusable, irresponsible, and unfair to future generations.
Also attending the summit were Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether and Watertown Mayor Sarah Caron. Huether says that since he became mayor of Sioux Falls seven years ago they have experienced many rain altering events.
He says what’s happening with our climate is real and that, although it’s not popular for a public servant to say It, quote, “I believe it’s real because it’s impacting my town."
Huether says the Big Sioux river is a vital resource to South Dakota and the region and that it is currently under stress from industry, agriculture and cities, big and small. He said some good progress improving the river has been and is being made, but that more work is needed to restore water quality to the river. He says it will take stewardship from everyone.
(David J. Law, KXLG, contributed this report.)
