I’m no hydrologist, but the Black Hills are pretty interesting from a water standpoint. The upthrust hills have been an important part of the water system of the entire region since they rose. For most of their geological history, the hills stored water underground. There are no natural lakes anywhere in the hills, but the hills are dotted with limestone caves and other underground structures that serve to store water. The Deadwood, Madison, Minnelusa, Minnekahta, and Inyan Kara aquifers all are large underground areas that hold huge amounts of water. These waters can be accessed with wells and pumps and also provide sources for springs and other naturally flowing waters.

Beginning in the period between World War I and World War II, and accelerating as the United States worked its way out of the Great Depression, several large reservoirs were built in the Hills. Pactola, Sheridan, Deerfield Belle Fource and Angostura are the largest reservoirs, with dams to hold back many acre feet of water. In addition the hills are dotted with many smaller dams and reservoirs: Canyon Lake, Sylvan Lake, Bismarck Lake, Center Lake, Legion Lake, Stockade Lake, Bear Butte Lake, Horse Thief Lake, Dalton Lake, and many others are found throughout the hills. The lakes provide storage for water and mitigate some of the effects of sudden runoff.

Still, the hills are prone to flash flooding and lots of sudden runoff. Spring snows, like we received in the last couple of weeks combined with additional rain can quickly saturate the ground and the water starts flowing through the narrow canyons that dot the hills. Early summer thundershowers can “park” themselves over the hills and build to the point where they drop several inches of rain in a very short time. The resulting rush of water is enough to flood low-lying regions and create hazards to people and livestock.

The most dramatic flood on record occurred in June of 1972. As much as 15 inches of rain in a six hour period. After becoming clogged with debris, Canyon Lake Dam failed. 238 people perished. More than three thousand were injured. Several bodies were never found. over 1300 homes were destroyed. In the aftermath of that flood there were many changes to the city and surround area to minimize the effects of future floods. A large floodplain was established and no building is allowed in that area. Remote monitoring stations provide some advance warning of future floods. We who live in the hills have tended to select hilltop locations for our homes, or at least places that are farther from the known drainages. We know that flooding is always a threat in the hills.

For the most part, however, our waters are docile. Despite the excellent guide written by my friend Kelly Lane and other Black Hills paddlers, there are very few opportunities for whitewater kayaking or canoeing in the hills. Our creeks tend to be very shallow and opportunities to paddle at high stream flows are infrequent and often occur when the weather isn’t the best.

Right now is a good time for those who are seeking a bit of adventure in their paddling, but they need to be very cautious of the dangers. Overfilled streams tend to have more sweepers than more established waterways and there are fences, diversion dams, bridges and other obstructions that pose a real danger for those who haven't properly scouted the streams. As a result, I’ve been a calm water paddler in the hills. I have some boats that are designed for more turbulent waters, but they get their exercise in Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. Many of my boats have traveled far more miles on the rack in my truck than on the water.

I had a rare opportunity to sneak away from the office yesterday and, of course, I loaded up a canoe and headed for the water. I didn’t have time to properly organize a creek paddle, with the need for companions, a shuttle plan, and scouting the creek. Still, I knew that the creeks were running high and I wanted to paddle a bit of moving water. So I put in at Sheridan Lake and paddled up the inlet until the current became too strong for me. The distance was short, but it gave me an opportunity to practice eddy turns, crosscurrent paddles, and a couple of braces as well as some other strokes. Mostly it gave me an opportunity to get out into the hills, to listen to the calls of the red-winged blackbirds, to scout the cattails for ducks, to check out the beaver lodges, and to smell the fresh air. Working the paddle and stretching my shoulders was another direct benefit of the day.

Most importantly, it gives me a much-needed attitude adjustment. There have been many major psychological studies that demonstrate negative effects of lives with insufficient unstructured time for play. Children who grow up without play in their lives show greatly increased anti-social behavior as adults. Adults who don’t make room for play in their lives have decreased health and are at greater risk for major illness and injury. It isn’t a mistake that the Sabbath is the longest of the ten commandments and is closely tied to the commandments about remembering God. We need recreation in our lives.

Luke reports that Jesus quoted a proverb, “Physician, heal yourself.” It could well be applied to ministers as well: “Minister, heed your own words.” We talk a good line, but often live lives that are cluttered and unfocused. We convince ourselves that we are needed when the truth is that we are most helpful when we have been attentive to our own needs for rest and recreation.

With a wedding rehearsal today, a wedding tomorrow, and a busy week coming up it was a real gift to be able to take half a day off to refresh my spirit. I may not have found any real whitewater, but I stretched my muscles and found enough moving water to fully occupy my mind for a little while. Life is good.

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