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X-WR-CALNAME:Prairie Hills Audubon Society
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://phas-wsd.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Prairie Hills Audubon Society
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260415T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260630T233000
DTSTAMP:20260501T213217
CREATED:20260417T223738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T223940Z
UID:22589-1776211200-1782862200@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Prairie Bird Bingo
DESCRIPTION:The annual Prairie Bird Bingo\, which is now in its third year. Participation is easy and fun: for every checklist submitted in the Northern Great Plains from April 15 – June 30\, add the phrase “Prairie Bird Bingo” in the comments and be eligible for some fun bird-related prizes. ABC has created a Bingo Card (link to download below) that lists 25 grassland bird species.  Visit: https://ebird.org/region/US-MT/post/filling-the-gaps-with-prairie-bird-bingo
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/prairie-bird-bingo/
LOCATION:SD
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260501T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260517T235900
DTSTAMP:20260501T213217
CREATED:20260417T234259Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T234259Z
UID:22602-1777593600-1779062340@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Endangered Species Chalk Art Event Contest May 1st- May 17th
DESCRIPTION:Endangered Species Chalk Art Event Contest May 1st- May 17th \nVisit the web page to learn about it –  \nhttps://www.endangered.org/endangered-species-chalk-art-event/ \nEndangered Species Chalk Art Events \nThere is a nationwide competition that the Endangered Species Coalition sponsors every year – . There are prizes ranging from $100-$250 for best drawings of endangered species by chalk medium. \nBetween May 1st and May 17t\, PHAS will sponsor or help organize some events related to the Endangered Species Chalk Art Event competition – Events will be announced on our calendar and Facebook page
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/endangered-species-chalk-art-event-contest-may-1st-may-17th/
LOCATION:SD
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260501T225000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260501T225900
DTSTAMP:20260501T213217
CREATED:20260421T175838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260502T032754Z
UID:22665-1777675800-1777676340@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:May 1st Deadline to comment of proposed waste water discharge to French Creek by Custer City
DESCRIPTION:Please provide comments to South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources in opposition to  \nCity of Custer South Dakota DRAFT Surface Water Discharge (SWD) \nPermit No. SD0023281 \nPublic Notice: https://danr.sd.gov/officeofwater/surfacewaterquality/pn/CusterPNDraft.pdf \n================================================= \nComments may be mailed to:       South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources \n                                                Water Quality Program \n                                                Joe Foss Building \n                                                523 East Capitol \n                                                Pierre\, SD  57501 \n  \nComments may also be provided within the specified thirty (30) day comment period using the online\ncomment form\, accessible via the “Comment Deadline” links provided at http://danr.sd.gov/public. Any\nperson desiring a public hearing must file a petition which complies with the ARSD Chapter 74:52:05.\nIf no objections are received within the specified 30-day period\, the Secretary will issue final\ndeterminations within sixty days of the date of this notic \nOr posted to a comment portal at –  http://danr.sd.gov/public \, ……….                     https://danr.sd.gov/public/comment.aspx?d_comment=05/01/2026&name=City%20of%20Custer&pntype=sw_npdes&description=The%20City%20of%20Custer%20is%20authorized%20under%20this%20permit%20to%20discharge%20to%20Flynn%20Creek%20and%20French%20Creek%20from%20its%20wastewater%20treatment%20facility%20located%20in%20Custer%20County. \n  \nDeadline for Public Comment: May 1\, 2026 \n  \nThe Public Notice\, https://danr.sd.gov/officeofwater/surfacewaterquality/pn/CusterPNDraft.pdf \nDraft Permit\, and https://danr.sd.gov/officeofwater/surfacewaterquality/pn/CusterPermitDraft.pdf \nStatement of Basis (for the Permit) https://danr.sd.gov/officeofwater/surfacewaterquality/pn/CusterSOBDraft.pdf \ncan be found on the DANR website. \nWe assume the deadline is just before  midnight Central Time\, normally that is when DANR deadlines with no time of day  specified are due – but we are not sure about time-of-day for the deadline. \n============================================================================ \n\nThe members of Preserve French Creek Inc\,  have requested our assistance in alerting PHAS members to the Notice inviting Public Comment on the City of Custer’s application to discharge its treated sewage wastewater into French Creek in Custer County\, South Dakota. \n \n\nPreserve French Creek NGO asks our members to oppose this Permit based on personal experiences\, knowledge of French Creek\, and the importance of retaining the current water quality of this valuable resource.  \n\nHere are a few other facts to also consider identifying in comments:\n\nNo Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement was completed with regard to French Creek\, only for the areas of the current City plant and discharge location construction.\n\n450\,000 – 750\,000 gallons of treated wastewater will be allowed to discharge into French Creek DAILY under this Permit.  Flows in French Creek in the first few miles of discharge are historically low during drier seasonal periods. Low flows have been consistently present in 2025 and 2026 due to lack of moisture and current drought conditions.  Flow rates used for this Permit came from a USGS monitor located approximately 22 miles downstream from the proposed discharge location.  French Creek flows at the monitor location are considerably higher. These higher water flow rates have been used to determine treatments and allowances not applicable to the flow rates where the initial wastewater discharge will occur (the first ten miles).\n\nShallow household drinking water wells are in close proximity to the selected French Creek discharge route.  Rock formations in the area allow creek waters to flow to and potentially penetrate well water.\n\nThe volume of wastewater discharge into French Creek will raise creek water temperatures and affect cold-water trout habitats as well as all flora and fauna currently known to exist in  the creek. Two fish\, the mountain (plains) sucker and long-nosed sucker\, identified as species that are “of greatest conservation need” and “threatened” by the SD Game\, Fish and Parks\, have been found in French Creek during the water monitoring study led by Dr. Scott Kenner and Robert Hrabik that began in 2024.\n\nNo pH levels are defined in the Permit to prevent Creek degradation.\n\nAmmonia nitrate levels in this Permit are not required to be met until July 1\, 2029\, causing damage to French Creek waters and habitats that will continue to exist after the lowest levels are required to be in place.\n\nThe State only recently reclassified French Creek as “full immersion” waters under the Sylvan Lake Complex and Custer SWD permits\, due to documentation of swimming and Baptisms occurring in its waters along with other recreational uses like wading\, floating\, and recreational gold-panning.  Full immersion waters should always be excluded from being polluted with sewage wastewater.\n\nSD Codified Law prohibits the pollution of state waters when other “reasonable” alternatives are available.  The City could have chosen to continue to discharge to its current location. However\, they have chosen to pollute new waters.  In the past Custer discharged its sewage wastewater directly into Stockade Lake\, until a mandatory clean up of the Lake was required in the 1980s\, then the City selected Flynn Creek as its next discharge location\, where no residences or businesses would be affected\, and has discharged its treated sewage wastewater to this location for the past 40 years. Now\, Custer is choosing to pollute a 3rd location\, French Creek\, to save the City and its residents money. Should the cost to Custer and its residents be the determining factor in allowing the pollution of yet another state waters when other alternatives\, including continuing to discharge to Flynn Creek\, and additional more environmentally friendly options could have been explored and pursued?\n\nVisitors to Custer State Park will be affected by the discharge into French Creek.  Blue Bell Lodge\, a restaurant\, event center\, park campgrounds\, and trails all have French Creek flowing beside them.  How will visitors be made aware of the presence of treated sewage wastewater in the Creek when in the Park?  How will visitors and park occupants be notified and alerted to planned and accidental discharges into French Creek that involve untreated wastewater?\n\nCuster State Park has more than 2 million visitors annually. These visits support local and state budgets\, school funds\, and businesses in the Black Hills. Will people continue to come to Custer State Park when they realize wastewater is being discharged into a previously clean French Creek?\n\nThere is no provision to provide signage or notify property owners and downstream users of the presence of treated sewage wastewater or incidents in this Draft Permit\, only plans related to informing City residents\, business and property owners.\n\nThank you studying this issue. Our voices for clean water in the Black Hills are louder together!\n\nFor more information contact\nLana and Royce Huber\n\nhublana08@gmail.com\,  (402) 389-0410 \n\nThey are members of Prairie Hills Audubon Society and  of Preserve French Creek\, Inc. and Preserve French Creek Foundation\, Inc. \n\nHere are some unique comments from PHAS —\n     We are an environmental group concerned about the protection of the American dipper in the Black Hills. It is non-migratory and lives year-round near fast moving\, clear\, rocky streams. The dipper once existed in French Creek\, Rapid Creek\, Box Elder Creek\, Elk Creek\, Bear Butte Creek\, Spearfish Creek and Whitewood Creek in the Black Hills. It now exists in Spearfish and Whitewood Creek (and some tributaries). Our Black Hills dipper are isolated from other dipper populations in the American west and are developing unique genetics that may warrant a sub-species classification\, however in 2009\, the USFWS wanted more research to prove that\, before listing as a Distinct Population Segment\, under the ESA.\n       This aquatic song bird is listed as a state threatened species under SD’s Endangered Species Act. It is a Forest Service sensitive species. We and 3 other groups petitioned in 2008 to have the Black Hill’s American dipper listed as a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) under the federal Endangered Species Act\, but that petition was denied in 2009 by the USFWS.\n      The dipper is believed to have been lost in French Creek due to loss of water quality and perhaps loss of water quantity due to Stockage Lake. The dipper were prevalent in French Creek in 1920s but disappeared in 1930s\, perhaps due to Stockade Lake water quantity and/or quality impacts.\n         Prairie Hills Audubon Society wants to recover the American dipper in as many Black Hills streams as possible. It’s existence in only 2 drainages\, makes its’ existence vulnerable to major events such as floods or fires. We think Custer State Park (CSP) is supposed to be managed at least in part for wildlife and we want the Park and DANR to work towards protecting the water quality and quantity in the French Creek.
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/may-1st-deadline-to-comment-of-proposed-waste-water-discharge-to-french-creek-by-custer-city/
LOCATION:SD
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