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OSSPEEC Surface Water Quality / Quantity Projects

Charles Jason Tinant

OSSPEEC Project Director – OLCPhD Candidate Earth Science

MS Water Resources EngineeringBS Geological Engineering

Community-Defined Needs in Surface Water Quality &

Quantity Many community concerns on

the Pine Ridge Reservation are centered around water – Questions of Sustainability

Drinking Water Quality Is the water safe to drink?

Stream Health How is the environment

around me changing?

Long-term Availability Mni Wiconi / Treaty Rights

regarding the Missouri River Compact

White River near Badlands Visitor Center – zero flow condition on July 23, 2012

OSSPEEC Partnerships with Community Agencies around

Water

OST Environmental Protection Program Non-point Source Monitoring / Analysis (Tinant,

Benning – SDSMT, Kenner – SDSMT)

Natural Resources Regulatory Agency Well-drilling (Schwalm – OLC) Hydrogeology (Sawyer - SDSMT, Sanovia - OLC) Water budget development (Tinant)

OST Rural Water Existing relationship with SDSU in water

distribution research (Beck – SDSU Civil Engineering)

Thunder Valley Development Agency Floodplain modeling (Tinant) Design of net-zero water / wastewater treatment

(Berdanier, Fick, Pyatt – UC Boulder)

Dr. Schwalm (OLC), Calvin Cutschall, and James Means drilling core at an abandoned mine in Harding County, SD

Pine Ridge Aquatic Ecology Project (PREP)

Engineering Need: Watershed health defined by analysis of chemical, biological, and physical parameters;

Concrete Experience: Guided WQ and biotic sampling, laboratory analysis;

Observation / Reflection: Analysis of macroinvertebrate data, field data, laboratory data, discussion on the bigger social picture;

Abstract Thinking (cross-disciplinary learning): biogeochemical cycling, anthropogenic perturbation, stability;

Testing Abstract Concepts: Best Management Practice (BMP) design using a systems approach;

Jake Fergusson water quality sampling

Delaine Peterson and Jake Fergusson sampling macroinvertebrates

Streamflow Event Sampling

Engineering Need: Fecal coliform and sediment identified as impairments in Pine Ridge Reservation streams

Concrete Experience: Storm-water sampling, stream flow measurement,

Observation / Reflection: Capacity building with OST Environmental Protection Program, K-12 Outreach

Vertical integration: Collaborative project with an MS candidate, SDSMT Senior, and OLC freshman

Abstract Concepts: Best Management Practice (BMP) design; storm flows

Shane Herrod and Nick Marnach teaching OLC Freshman Engineering and high school students how to measure stream flow.

Practical Irrigable Land Estimation for Pine Ridge

Reservation

• Engineering Need: OST should quantify future agricultural water needs as part of treaty negotiations with Federal government;

• Concrete Experience: Joni Tobacco was formerly Water Director for OST Natural Resources Regulatory Agency;

• Abstract Thinking: Modeled PIA from effective rainfall in ArcGIS