PIERRE, S.D. — A state-backed effort to reduce agricultural runoff and shore up wildlife habitat has grown quickly this year, now covering 130 buffer projects that span 379 miles of shoreline across South Dakota.
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources staff told the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission on Friday that the Riparian Buffer Initiative, created in 2021, now enrolls land along 118 streams and 19 lakes for a total of 3,984 acres. The program received a legislative boost earlier in 2026 when lawmakers approved an additional $8 million to expand the effort statewide.
How the buffers work
The initiative pays landowners to plant and maintain grassy buffers along eligible waterways. Dan Nelson, a private lands habitat biologist with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, described the program as a working alternative to land retirement.
“It’s not a land retirement program,” Nelson said.
Under the contracts, which run for 10 years, enrolled buffer strips must be at least 50 feet wide. Landowners keep cattle off the enrolled acres from May 1 to Sept. 30, and may not mow or bale hay from May 1 to Aug. 1. The state makes the entire 10-year payment up front and aims to cover many establishment costs.
Payments and participation
State officials said the program now pays 250% of the average annual county farmland rental rate per acre — a change that officials say accelerated enrollments. Nelson told commissioners the incentives are a significant factor in landowner interest.
“The payments are pretty incredible,” Nelson said.
Enrollment was slow at first; by late 2024 there were about 35 projects. After payouts increased, interest picked up and officials reported that “many projects” are still awaiting approval.
- Projects: 130
- Miles of shoreline: 379
- Streams: 118
- Lakes: 19
- Acres enrolled: 3,984
- Contract length: 10 years
Officials highlighted examples at the meeting showing how fields returned to row-crop production after leaving other conservation programs suffered severe erosion. One example included a ravine roughly 25 feet deep carved by runoff where vegetation had been removed — a demonstration of the kind of erosion the buffers are intended to prevent.
| Program element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum buffer width | 50 feet |
| Livestock exclusion | May 1–Sept. 30 |
| Haying restriction | May 1–Aug. 1 |
State officials framed the initiative as a voluntary, working approach to reduce sediment and nutrient loads entering waterways, particularly in the Big Sioux River watershed, which flows through Sioux Falls. While the program preserves agricultural use of enrolled acres, the combination of upfront payments and multi-year contracts appears to be the main driver pushing more landowners to participate.
Commission members and department staff said the program remains open to additional enrollments, and that demand currently exceeds the pace of approvals. For landowners considering enrollment, the program’s combination of established maintenance rules and an upfront lump-sum payment are central elements to weigh when deciding whether to participate.
As the Riparian Buffer Initiative expands, it joins other state and local efforts aimed at balancing agriculture with water-quality goals — a dynamic that will continue to shape conservation policy and farming practices across South Dakota.
