South Dakota

Introduction

The state is named for the Dakota Sioux people. It is situated near the centre of a region traditionally used by the Sioux and remains home to the central population of that influential Native American federation. The Sioux alliance fought and defended the second-largest percentage of ancestral land on the Great Plains, a feat surpassed only by the neighbouring Crow people. Although pacification engendered confinement on reservations, the Sioux employed their relative isolation to protect their religious, linguistic, and other cultural traditions, often practicing them surreptitiously. During the cultural rejuvenation of the 1970s, the Sioux were among the most active Native American groups in restoring their traditional practices.

The lifestyle of South Dakotans in general has not changed appreciably since 1930, when most settlement of the state ended. About half of South Dakotans live on farms, in religious enclaves, or on Native American reservations. Adverse climate and economic conditions have caused rural-to-urban migration, and limited resources have forced some Native Americans to leave the reservations. Education, health care, social services, and transportation all have improved since the 1960s, yet, at the beginning of the 21st century, many South Dakotans remained dependent on federal support.

Area 77,117 square miles (199,732 square km).

Pop. (2000) 754,844; (2008 est.) 804,194.

Land

Relief

Eastern South Dakota lies within the glaciated physiographic region known as the Prairie Plains. Western South Dakota, except for the Black Hills, near the southwestern corner, is part of the Great Plains and is characterized by high buttes, canyons, and wide expanses of nearly level tablelands. This section of the Great Plains includes the Badlands, which extend along the White and Cheyenne rivers for more than 100 miles (160 km). The eroded landscape of the Badlands has been a rich repository of fossilized prehistoric animals and is a primary source of the siltation that has given the Missouri River its nickname, Big Muddy. The transitional zone between the Prairie Plains and the Great Plains near the centre of the state contains the hills and valleys of the Missouri Plateau.

The Black Hills—two-thirds of which lie in South Dakota, with the remainder in Wyoming—constitute a dome-shaped uplift rising 3,500 feet (1,100 metres) above the surrounding terrain. Harney Peak, near the centre of the formation, at 7,242 feet (2,207 metres) above sea level, is the highest point in North America east of the Rocky Mountains.

Drainage

The Missouri River drains all of the state except the northeastern counties, from which runoff flows through Big Stone Lake and Lake Traverse into the Minnesota River and the Red River, respectively. In eastern South Dakota the principal tributaries of the Missouri are the Big Sioux, Vermillion, and James rivers, which flow southward. In the western region the Grand, Moreau, Cheyenne, Bad, and White rivers flow eastward to drain the Black Hills and the Great Plains.

Soils

Chernozem soils, formed mostly from glacial drift and well adapted to the cultivation of wheat and corn (maize), cover the eastern area. Within the Great Plains region are chestnut and Pierre soils, distinguished by their heavy, sticky texture. Both of these soils are also well suited for agriculture.

Climate

The climate is characterized by extremes in temperature, low precipitation, and relatively low humidity. The skies are generally clear. Cyclonic storms occur frequently in the eastern section during the spring and summer. In this region temperatures range from lows of near 0 °F (–18 °C) in January to highs in the upper 80s F (about 31 °C) in July. Extreme temperatures near –40 °F (–40 °C) and about 115 °F (44 °C) can occur. The average number of frost-free days ranges from 160 in the southeastern part of the state to 110 in the Black Hills.

The average annual precipitation for the state is about 20 inches (500 mm), with more rain falling along the eastern border and slightly less in the northwestern corner. In the Missouri Plateau, precipitation drops from 20 inches to 18 inches (450 mm). Statewide, about three-fourths of the rain falls during the summer, and snowfall ranges from about 20 inches to more than 100 inches (2,500 mm). The Black Hills region receives more moisture than the surrounding plains, especially in winter.

Plant and animal life

The Prairie Plains are covered by thick, tall grasses of about 3 feet (1 metre) or more. These grasses have a deep root system adapted to subhumid conditions. The shortgrass species, chiefly the grama, buffalo, and western wheat grasses, are endemic to the Great Plains region of South Dakota. They are drought-resistant with a shallow root system and mature quickly.

Wooded areas lie mainly in the Black Hills, along the river valleys, and on the buttes or ridges that rise in the northwestern and southwestern parts of the state. The most densely wooded acreage is found in Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park.

Custer State Park is home to free-roaming bison. Other animals found in the Black Hills include antelope, deer, elk, beaver, bobcat, and porcupine. Coyotes and cottontail rabbits are plentiful throughout the state, while jackrabbits and prairie dogs vary in concentration in specific areas.

South Dakota also has nearly 300 species of birds. Bald and golden eagles are found in ever-increasing numbers along the Missouri River valley and in the Badlands. The Missouri River is an important flyway for the north-south migration of waterfowl, mostly ducks and geese. South Dakota has long been a hunter's paradise because of its plentiful supply of ring-necked pheasants, a game bird introduced into the state from Asia near the outset of the 20th century. The Missouri River and its tributaries contain many species of fish, including walleyed pike, catfish, and others attractive to local fishermen and tourists.