For a state highly dependent on agriculture, this is a stunning reversal of aquatic events. Not long ago, South Dakota’s newscasts were filled with stories about persistent drought and the need for emergency farm subsidies, importation of livestock feed from other states, and extremely low water levels that threatened irrigation and recreation on the reservoirs, lakes, and rivers. But that has now changed 180 degrees, and South Dakota has gone from drought to surplus.

Lake Oahe on the Missouri River, Spring 2000 (left) and Spring 2005 (right). (NASA)

This spring, the Missouri River (or “Big Muddy”, as it was nicknamed many years ago), which cuts north to south through the center of South Dakota, has risen back to life. Lake Oahe, which had a spring level about 1607 feet above sea level in the Spring of 2000 and had shrunk to a level of 1574 feet in Spring, 2005 – has now grown back to a level of 1612 feet – nine feet above the historical average height of the reservoir. All of the Missouri’s boat ramps are back in operation, a change from recent years in which receding water levels rendered them useless.

There is so much water in eastern South Dakota that the James River remains above flood levels its entire length, from North Dakota to Nebraska – and projections are that flood conditions will continue at least through the end of the month. That is making life difficult along the James right now, but at least it will replenish ground water supplies.

Weather and climate are two different things, and South Dakota’s long term climate suggests it is certainly possible to dry out quickly. But in terms of water, the state’s climate has changed for the better after years of drought.

UPDATE, 4/23/09: Video from Lake Oahe is available at this link from KELO-TV.

Sioux Falls is the largest city in South Dakota, a state which adheres to a constitutional requirement of a balanced budget. The governor has presented two budgets to the state legislature in the past two months. Based upon lower income projections, the second contained serious cuts – including closure of a state school for the deaf, repeal of a teacher pay-boost program, and elimination of 76 state jobs.

While legislators from the opposing party balked at some of governor’s proposed cuts, they counter-proposed budgetary fixes of their own. Make no mistake – when the legislative session ends, South Dakota will have balanced its books. It is the way things are done.

Compare that to the dysfunctional state of California, which faces a forty billion (B) dollar shortfall with no stomach, backbone, or brain power to fix it. Teachers balk at larger class sizes, government employee unions refuse to give back any of their nation-high 14 paid holidays, and environmentalists scream about any suggestion that might delay reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

California is considering issuing IOU’s for tax refunds; the state controller says he may withhold payments to social service providers and loan installments to college students. (Watch out for those college students Governor Schwartzenegger. In Iceland, they rioted when the cost of their education increased.)

So how will California cope with its economic irresponsibility? On the backs of the rest of America, of course. Estimates are that one-quarter of its budget shortfall will be covered by California’s share of the Obama administration’s “economic stimulus” package. Is it not ironic that some of the federal taxes paid by financially-prudent South Dakotans will be used to bail out uncontrolled, unjustifiable government spending by the state of California?