Essay On South Dakota Geography

At the beginning of the semester, I was under the impression that I knew quite a lot about the geography of South Dakota. However, I quickly realized that there was an abundance of information left for me to learn. This course allowed me to expand my knowledge on many factors of South Dakota’s geography.

While growing up in South Dakota, I frequently visited the Missouri River and various lakes for recreational activities. However, South Dakota’s water is also found under the surface and is used for many more reasons. Agriculture is the industry that uses the largest amount of the state’s water. The water that is used for irrigation typically comes from aquifers.

Agriculture relies on water just as much as it relies on the land. The different sectors of agriculture, livestock and crop production, seem to be divided by the Missouri River. The landscape and the soil type have determined that livestock should be raised in the west while crops should be raised in eastern South Dakota. Farmers and ranchers have developed an industry that produces

over $15 billion every year.
Another leading industry in the state is tourism.

Seven percent of the South Dakotan workforce is working in tourism. South Dakota’s tourism industry includes more than just Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and the Corn Palace. Agritourism is the type of tourism that allows tourists to be a part of various agriculture activities. There are quite a few variations of agritourism that are found in South Dakota: pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and corn mazes. However, hunting and fishing seem to be the most popular among residents.

While exploring the geography of South Dakota, I learned more about where some of the first people emigrated from. Most South Dakotans can truthfully say that their ancestors came from European countries. The construction of railroads was a large factor in bringing settlers into South Dakota. Without them, it would have been difficult for settlers to set up towns with schools, churches, and

stores.
Contemporary trends in South Dakota will determine the state’s future. Even thought the total population of South Dakota is increasing, the current population trends show that small towns are losing residents to larger cities like Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Other contemporary trends show that family farms are being bought out by commercial farmers. They also show that increased travel throughout the state has created a need for updated transportation routes. Certain contemporary trends can create economic issues. For example, certain cities in South Dakota can not keep up with the amount of affordable housing that is necessary because of the rapid increase of new residents.
Overall, I have learned various facts and statistics about South Dakota while doing research for my projects and discussion posts. More importantly, I have become more aware of contemporary trends and their future implications. The geography of South Dakota is more complex than I originally thought because certain factors are constantly changing. I find myself paying more attention to news stories and recognizing how they relate to the topics that were covered.