Interesting information.
Lake Andes and its watershed have been managed by the FWS since 1939. It is my understanding that the artesian wells were re diverted in 1973 due to an outbreak of duck viral enteritis .
Yes the wells were sealed because of open water all winter long and waterfowl that wouldn't leave became too thick and they had a die off. That doesn't change the fact of feed lot operations on the lake and near by running in the lake and causing the lake to be bacteria filling and silted in with animal waste. There is a group working to try and restore the lake to one of South Dakota's top fishing destinations. The lake once had giant Perch, Bass, Northern and hand sized Blue Gills.
Here's a little history of what once was on Lake Andes in South Dakota
http://www.southdakotarockandrollmusicassociation.com/feature/resthaven.htm
Feature of the Month
"Rest Haven - Lake Andes, SD "
Written on 3.29.09
This is the third edition of the Feature of the Month for the South Dakota Rock & Roll Music Association. We are rock and roll fans, and looking to write a feature each month, that will not only bring back wonderful memories, but will also remind us all of the history that was made in our great state of South Dakota. We are hoping to write a feature each month selecting one of the many talented Bands, DJ's, Radio Stations, and Dance Halls throughout SD.
In 1914 some small cabins were built on the shore of Lake Andes. They were rented out to families for weekends and other times during the summer months. A short time later a dance hall was built on pilings in the water and was reached by taking a walk on a 700 foot long foot bridge, which must have been both an adventure and a challenge. This was called Rest Haven.
A storm demolished Rest Haven in July of 1922 but a man named Henry Miller purchased some land on the lake in an area about three and one half miles east of the town of Lake Andes He built some cabins and later added a hotel with a dance hall complete with a concrete veranda. A swimming pool was added at a later date. This proved to be a very popular destination as people came from all over the Midwest. There was fishing, boating, swimming, camping, hunting and of course some of the best entertainment in the state, including Lawrence Welk.
Dances were held at Rest Haven every Friday night as well as other times. As it's popularity grew it was not uncommon to see a long line of people at the door. In the early years it was the orchestras and big bands that provided the entertainment but in the late fifties rock and roll arrived on the scene and was the new rage. Residents claim that crowds were sometimes so large and so rowdy that as many as eight cops were on the grounds.
In 1984 Barney Kelly was the owner of Rest Haven. Although it was past its glory days there were still dances, roller skating and hotel guests. Unfortunately Rest Haven was a victim of a fire that destroyed this historic icon on Lake Andes.
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Now it just smells like manure and stagnate water. The powerful cattle industry fights all efforts to clean up the lake. Why? They know what is right and what is wrong but choose to be profit driven and polluter instead. Only caring about few things like the price of beef and how cheap they can raise them. How many more great water sheds will be ruined because of their ill handling of their business? All of them if not rained in by laws and enforcement...because we ALL know they will do nothing if continued to be unchecked or not held accountable. Funny, if the poison was running out of pipe at a factory producing toxic waste and making their cattle sick. These cattle folks would want something done about it but as long as it runs out of a pipe under the tail of cows standing shoulder to shoulder in 12" of piss filled mud on the edge of a lake. There's no issue.
Minnesota implemented rules to clean up the Minnesota River because of feed lot operations and it has helped tremendously. Lets do what's right South Dakota. Clean up Lake Andes and other water ways from these feed lots.
