Who We Are
The South Dakota Water Resources Institute (WRI) at South Dakota State University provides leadership on evolving water concerns and problems being faced by South Dakota citizens through research, educational opportunities for students and professionals and community outreach.
The Institute is a federal-state partnership that:
- Plans, facilitates and conducts research to aid in the resolution of state and regional water problems.
- Provides for the training and education of scientists and engineers through their participation in research and outreach.
- Promotes technology transfer and the dissemination and application of water-related information; and
- provides for competitive grants for students and researchers.
Authorized by Congress as one of the nation’s 54 water resources research institutes, we also connect the research expertise at South Dakota State University to water-related problems at the local, regional or national level. The institute is affiliated with the university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.
2024 Water Conferences
Mission of the South Dakota Water Resources Institute
The mission of the South Dakota Water Resources Institute is to coordinate research and training at South Dakota State University and other affiliated educational institutions and agencies across the state in the broad area of water resources and reach out to stakeholders and citizens of South Dakota to address water-related topics and problems. It administers the funds received from the U.S. Department of Interior, as made available through the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 as amended and from the state of South Dakota. Funds received through these sources targeted for research are directed toward solving state, regional and national water problems. Graduate research training, technology transfer and information transfer are services provided through the Institute.
The South Dakota Water Resources Institute is a part of the State Water Resources Research Institute Program (SWRRIP) as authorized by section 104 of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 as amended. The state Water Resources Research Institutes authorized by the Act are organized as the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR). The are presently under the jurisdiction of the Department of Interior, USGS and are the research arm of the USGS and the link to the nation's land–grant universities.
The South Dakota Water Resources Institute is accountable to the US Congress via its annual appropriation, a required annual report and a thorough Congressionally mandated peer review conducted every five years under the auspices of the U.S. Geological Survey.
WRI funded Research
Pilot scale (Year 2) study for utilizing nanobubble technology for dairy processing effluent management
Maneesha S Mohan, Associate Professor and Alfred Chair in Dairy Manufacturing, South Dakota State University
The use of nanobubble technology is a novel process for improving waste treatment efficiency. The discharge of high organic load effluent into waterways has shown to affect water quality, induce algal blooms and affect aquatic life. However, limited research has been done on utilizing nanobubble technology in high load wastewater treatment from dairy processing industries. South Dakota is a large dairy producer and processor, increasing the relevance of utilizing novel technologies and research for reducing dairy processing effluent load on our waterways. The proposed research will use nanobubble technology for reducing the load of the effluent produced by inducing rapid and effective interactions, oxidation, and degradation of different components in the effluent. We will scope the stages of the dairy processing effluent system where the utilization of nanobubbles will be most effective.
Algae pull nutrients from swine facility manure, air
Swine manure is a rich source of nutrients, but its high phosphorus content in comparison to the other nutrients the crop needs means only so much can be spread on a field.
PI's:
- Gary Anderson, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
- Xufei Yang, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
- Kyungnan Min, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Students:
- Doctoral student Augustina Osabutey
Read the Algae pull nutrients from swine facility manure, air news story.
³ÉÈËÊÓƵ study examines woodchip quality in bioreactors
Draining excess water from fields is good for agricultural production, but the nutrient-laden water flowing through the drainage tile can pollute nearby water bodies. Diverting the water through an underground chamber filled with wood chips, known as a woodchip bioreactor, can help remove nitrates and thereby reduce the environmental impact on creeks, streams and lakes.
PI's:
- Guanghui Hua, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Chris Schmit, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Kyungnan Min, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Students:
- Doctoral student Abdoul Aziz Kouanda
Read the ³ÉÈËÊÓƵ study examines woodchip quality in bioreactors news story.
Nonprofit joins battle to mitigate Lake Mitchell algal blooms
Lake Mitchell has a long history of algal blooms. The reservoir, built in 1928, was once a source of drinking water for the city of Mitchell and recreation for the community. However, by the 1990s, algal blooms increased due to nutrients accumulating in the lake. By 2003, the city stopped using the lake as its sole source for drinking water.
PI's:
- John McMaine, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
- Bruce Bleakley, Department of Biology and Microbiology
Student:
- Master’s student Sumit Kumar Ghosh
Read the Nonprofit joins battle to mitigate Lake Mitchell algal blooms news story.