SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Everybody, from the cities to the farm, has a hand in polluting the Big Sioux River according to Jesse Neyens an Environmental Analyst with the City.
Neyens says while the watershed has improved in the last few years, the river is still listed as impaired.
Neyens says the City has a website that shows what the current levels of bacteria are and the level of solids in the water. He says it's up to residents and visitors to weigh how much they want to use the water of the Big Sioux.
Neyen says it's still safe to use the river for kayaking and fishing.
The Mayor's Big Sioux River Water Summit is September eight at the Hilton Garden Inn on the shores of the Big Sioux River.
The Summit's keynote speaker is Kurt Deter an environmental attorney who will talk about his involvement with Minnesota Governor Mike Dayton's legislation requiring a vegetative buffer along all waterways in Minnesota.