Water is the most essential resource for supporting life, including human, animal, and vegetation. The Black Hills has water in lakes, streams and ground water (aquifers in Deadwood Formation, Madison Limestone, and Lakota-Fall River formations).

Yet in our region, there are many factors that affect the quantity and quality of water. These factors include climate and its temporal changes, growth in population, both residential and tourism, and the consequences of their needs and activities, including recreation, grazing, mining, and timber harvest.

The links to the right share Norbeck Society comments to the USFS Assessment of the proposed Forest Plan: