[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 40 (Tuesday, April 8, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2818-S2819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE DEVASTATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I come to the Senate floor today to 
commend and recognize the strength and tenacity of the residents of my 
State of South Dakota, and also to further emphasize the importance of 
this body in expediting the President's request for supplemental 
appropriations for disasters occurring in the Great Plains and other 
parts of our country.
  I returned to Washington yesterday after spending 6 days touring the 
devastation occurring in virtually every corner of my State. South 
Dakotans are a hearty stock and during my years serving the citizens of 
South Dakota I have repeatedly witnessed South Dakotans' ability to 
overcome any obstacle Mother Nature has given us. However, I don't 
believe I have ever seen South Dakotans rise to the occasion in quite 
the manner they are doing right now under extraordinary circumstances.
  I traveled to South Dakota last week expecting to see widespread 
residual damage from the severe winter weather the State experienced 
over the past several months and subsequent high water from the ongoing 
snowpack melt. Relentless sub-zero temperatures and continual snowfall 
in January forced South Dakota Governor William Janklow to request a 
major disaster declaration from President Clinton to ensure roads could 
remain clear for emergency services and basic travel and access to 
livestock. President Clinton responded positively to the Governor's 
request and granted the declaration which gave the State additional 
tools to help meet its basic transportation needs.
  Farmers and ranchers began facing hard times last fall with normally 
available grazing and unharvested row crops being buried with snow. The 
subsequent extreme cold increased the nutritional requirements of 
livestock and depleted winter feed supplies. This already tough 
situation became a crisis when the early January blizzards literally 
killed livestock and put most producers' livestock at risk because of 
access to feed being cut off. No one yet knows how many livestock were 
killed, but estimates top at least 100,000. In addition, many livestock 
suffered frostbite and were significantly weakened.
  During this time, ordinary activities became extremely and 
increasingly difficult because of the excess snow. Wintertime expenses 
likely tripled as just getting livestock feed became a Herculean task. 
The continued stress on livestock, especially cattle, meant that the 
most important time of the year for ranchers--calving season--was 
approached with trepidation if not outright fear. Nutritional stress 
during late gestation makes for weak and dead calves.
  I toured the State during this winter storm disaster and was struck 
by the dramatic impact, particularly in the northeastern region of the 
State, of the winter weather. Snowdrifts as high as buildings, roads 
with only one lane cleared with snow piled high on either side, homes 
without heat for days in the bitter cold, tens of thousands of dead 
livestock, schools closed for a week at a time, and the depletion of 
our indigenous wildlife populations were commonplace. I vividly 
remember watching a cow climb to the top of a snowdrift as high as the 
roof of the barn so that he could eat the shingles from the roof. And, 
I also remember the positive, stubborn attitude of the residents of 
South Dakota in the face of this disaster. South Dakotans knew that 
what they were facing was tough, but they also knew that they were 
tougher.
  As if surviving the severe winter cold of December, January, and 
February was not challenge enough, residents and State and local 
officials knew they could not rest from fighting the forces of Mother 
Nature. Once all of the roads were cleared, emergency services were no 
longer threatened, and it appeared that the worst of the winter weather 
was over, focus turned to the next challenge: potential flooding 
problems the State could experience once the snowpack began to melt.
  Governor William Janklow provided exceptional leadership with his 
comprehensive and aggressive efforts to get every community as ready as 
it could possibly be for the impending floods. Governor Janklow set up 
a state task force to monitor the flows of the rivers and to work with 
local governments in their preparations. State and local governments 
worked with the Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service to 
predict precipitation and runoff levels, identify areas where 
additional flood protection measures should be undertaken, and design 
and implement additional flood control measures. The efforts made by 
communities were considerable. For example:
  In Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota, the Big Sioux River 
flood protection system was temporarily bolstered to hold up to 41,000 
cubic feet of water per second. It was designed in the 1950's and 
1960's to hold 24,000 cubic feet--5,600 in the main river channel in 
western Sioux Falls and 18,400 in the diversion channel in the 
northeast corner of the city. Sioux Falls also aggressively sandbagged 
and used over 60,000 sandbags in its efforts.
  The small community of Davis filled and placed over 8,000 sandbags. 
Residents of the town of Hecla, population 400, built two dikes at the 
west and north ends of town to hold back the James River. In Aberdeen, 
the city built a levee about 2 feet high around the northern edge of 
the city in just 6 days.

[[Page S2819]]

  These are just a few examples of the mitigation efforts undertaken by 
communities all over South Dakota. Because of these efforts, from all 
reports, South Dakota communities could not have been better prepared 
for the anticipated flooding. I traveled to South Dakota early last 
week expecting to see high water fairly well controlled by these 
mitigation efforts with some areas faring worse than others.
  Unfortunately, the situation was worse than I anticipated because 
Mother Nature, as only she can do, had changed the rules of the game 
and given the residents of the State of South Dakota more water than 
initially anticipated and additional severe winter weather. The 
devastation I witnessed and subsequent destruction in the short time 
since my touring ended is heart-rending in its thoroughness and in its 
indiscriminate taking of property and possessions.
  Let me give just a few examples of the ways in which our communities 
have pulled together:
  In a relatively small community near Huron, 150 students, volunteers, 
and State inmates joined together to save the James Valley Christian 
School from the waters of the James River. Their efforts were 
absolutely inspiring. These individuals labored for days to stem the 
rushing James River with a sandbagged dike and sandbags all over the 
area to protect the school. Unfortunately, the James Valley Christian 
School lost its fight just days after I toured it. It now sits in 6 
feet of water.
  I visited the farm of Gary and Diane Foster near Bruce, SD, where 30 
head of cattle were calving on a small island surrounded by flood 
water. I will not soon forget this tragic sight.
  It was evident that our farmers will once again face a financially 
devastating problem in regard to springtime planting. Flooded fields 
prevent any field preparation, let alone planting. And there probably 
is not enough time for drying before it will simply become too late to 
plant this years' crops. In 1995, another very wet year, less than 40 
percent of my State's crops were planted on time.
  The current flooding means that we probably will not even match 
1995's slow performance. This is going to deal a tough blow to the 
agricultural economy of my State--and, in the end, it will deal a blow 
to consumers and businesses on Main Street.
  I was amazed by the reality that many South Dakotans who normally 
travel 10-15 miles to work, now have to drive 50-90 miles to work to 
avoid washed out or water covered roads, which often times are our 
major highways. The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported that Janice 
Mellema, a nurse who lives west of Platte but works at the Gregory 
County Hospital, is forced to leave her home at 3:30 in the morning to 
arrive at work by 6. She now has a 90-mile commute.
  Some 100 people in north central South Dakota have already spent 30 
days in a motel after they were evacuated from their homes because of 
rising water. This last weekend 5,000 people in Watertown, SD, have had 
to leave their homes.
  Essential services in many communities such as wastewater treatment 
plants are threatened. Many communities' systems have been overwhelmed 
and have been forced to release untreated water.
  Vital infrastructure has been dramatically impacted. During my tour, 
we drove on roads covered with water and saw many, many county roads 
completely washed away by a deluge of water. In McCook County every 
road that goes into the county from both the east to the west and from 
the north to the south are closed at some point.
  Just as South Dakotans were accepting and successfully fighting the 
increased flows of water, Mother Nature hit the State with yet another 
blizzard over the weekend. Some areas received 34 inches of snow 
accompanied by 60-mile-per-hour winds. This winter storm resulted in 
sub-zero wind chill temperatures and zero visibility in much of the 
State for an extended period of time. A 100-mile stretch of Interstate 
90 was closed and many communities were forced to prohibit all travel. 
I was stranded in Wall, SD for over 24 hours because of this winter 
storm.
  This winter storm would have been a lot to handle as an isolated 
incident but coupled with the flooding already experienced all over the 
State, the impact of the winter weather has been unprecedented. The 
added precipitation and severe weather has led to unparalleled 
devastation.
  Last weekend's blizzard is truly salt in the wound for producers in 
my State. Our producers are in the middle of calving season now and 
trying to prepare for springtime field preparations. The blast of cold 
and more snow on top of already treacherous conditions will surely mean 
that the number of dead livestock will continue to rise. This may well 
put many producers over the edge financially--after all, they only get 
one chance per year to successfully complete calving season.

  This storm severely impacted the city of Watertown, causing the 
situation to escalate from a 100-year flood event to a 500-year flood 
event. Earlier this week, Mayor Brenda Barger, who I must commend for 
her effective leadership during this crisis, poignantly observed that, 
``It's a humbling thing when you see people out sandbagging in 60-mile-
per-hour winds, in a blizzard, knee-deep in water.'' I think her 
statement sums up a lot of what everyone has felt over the last few 
weeks and, in particular, the last few days. Everyone banded together 
to save and minimize damage to both public and private property 
regardless of the weather conditions.
  In a State that covers 80,000 square miles, it is both rare and 
unfortunate to have a situation where regions across the entire State 
are so disastrously affected by severe weather. The widespread nature 
of this disaster has devastated the agribusiness economy of our entire 
State and assistance in the coming months is absolutely critical to 
ensuring the future existence of many small businesses in South Dakota. 
The combined impact of the weather disasters over the last 5 months on 
agriculture is the gravest threat South Dakota farmers and ranchers 
have faced from nature in probably 100 years. Additionally, the damage 
done by the prolonged flooding has jeopardized the long-term viability 
of parts of South Dakota's infrastructure. Prior to the extensive 
damage done from this year's severe weather to South Dakota's roads, 
the State of South Dakota had an excess of $500 million in backlog 
needs on its State Highway System alone. And, the damage to personal 
property is as yet uncalculated in monetary or sentimental value.
  Our State has been fortunate enough to receive an outstanding 
response from President Clinton and FEMA in the past. I am grateful 
that, once again, the President has responded expeditiously with much 
needed assistance for South Dakota. Yesterday, the President made a 
major disaster declaration for the entire State which will supplement 
the efforts of the State and local governments during this difficult 
time.
  As I mentioned previously, the spirit of South Dakotans, even in this 
incredibly difficult time, never ceases to amaze me and this weekend's 
trip reemphasized that impression in my mind. I am committed to doing 
everything I can do to assist the State and communities as much as 
possible to ensure South Dakotans can get back to living their normal 
lives at the earliest possible time. I look forward to continuing to 
work with Senator Daschle, Representative Thune, Governor Janklow, and 
local communities in the coming weeks and months as we clean up from 
this disaster. After all South Dakotans have endured over the past few 
months, they need all we can give. We need expeditious action on this 
floor on the supplemental appropriations requests.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent morning 
business be extended long enough for me to give my statement, which I 
believe will be less than 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Without objection, it is 
so ordered.

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