A Survey of Pollution on Selected Streams in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Abstract

Seven Streams in the Black Hill of South Dakota were surveyed to determine the influence of suspected sources of pollution on these streams. The sources of pollution included both sewage treatment plant effluents and mining wastes. A comparison of the benthic fauna community below a pollution source to that above it was the primary basis for evaluating the effect of the pollution source on the stream. The results of the benthic fauna samples indicated that the streams surveyed were being polluted. The degree of pollution of each stream was also indicated by these results. Chemical analysis were sued to verify the results of the benthic fauna samples. These analyses concurred with the benthic fauna results and indicated the stream were being polluted