Sioux Falls Mayor: Everyone, Help Improve Water Quality

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether is pushing cities along the Big Sioux River to help improve water quality in the impaired waterway.

Huether said Tuesday that Sioux Falls has a significant role to play, highlighting the city's decision to implement buffer strips along the Big Sioux and Skunk Creek.

The city has added about 16 acres of buffer strips in 2016. Huether also says he supports a statewide measure encouraging buffer strip usage.

Backers of a bill vetoed this year that would have offered tax incentives to put in buffer strips between farmland and waterways plan to try again in 2017.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard's office has said he supports the concept and will offer a buffer strip proposal this year to the Legislature's Ag Land Assessment Task Force for consideration.

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