A discussion of handling nonmeandered waters in South Dakota
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HURON – A complex issue involving private property rights and access to surface waters held in trust by state government for the public remains troubled despite a bill passed in a special legislative session earlier this week, a past president of the Izaak Walton League of America said Thursday.
Outdoor ethusiast Chuck Clayton said he understands the frustrations of landowners of nonmeandered waters who have been dealing with late-night parties and trash left behind, but that there are ways to address that without closing off public access.
He suggests barriers or a quiet zone in areas where there are nearby residences. Hiring enough people to patrol around nonmeandered waters isn’t practical, he said.
But shutting down activities at 10 at night, for example, could help.
“That would be reasonable,” Clayton said at the District 22 Democratic Forum. “But don’t close down all public water.”
Nonmeandered waters have been a sticking point for years, pitting landowners and fishing, hunting and recreation interests against each other.
Such waters were those not specifically designated on government survey maps in the 1840s, but in the last few decades sloughs have grown into large bodies of water that has attracted good fishing opportunities.
The bill passed in the special session returns public access to two dozen lakes. It also declares lakes on private property are open for recreational use unless a landowner installs signs or buoys saying an area is closed.