The section through North and South Dakota is the youngest valley of any of the large streams of the world, dating from the great glacier which pushed the stream out of the James River valley and caused it to carve out a new course.
Thomas Jefferson, while president, was responsible for organizing and funding the Lewis and Clark exploration of the Missouri River from St. Louis, Missouri, to Oregon and the Pacific Ocean and back. He had conceived the idea and had already begun organizing the trip before the purchase of Louisiana from France.
Lewis and Clark had already left Washington and were well west of the Allegany’s on their way to the Pacific when Jefferson hastily sent them a note “that they were not to explore any foreign country but the domain of the United States.”
Jefferson not only conceived and promoted the enterprise but he formulated all the rules and directions for the guidance of the explorers. According to Jefferson: “The object of the enterprise was to explore the Missouri River and such principal streams of the river as may offer the most direct an practicable water-communication across the continent for the purposes of commerce.”
The first reference to Ponca Creek in either South Dakota newspapers was this simple short story which appeared in the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotaian on May 18, 1875: “There was a severe hail storm on Ponca Creek last week.” At the time, it was a “beautiful, clear, pebbly-bottomed stream, with a sparse growth of wood.”
Five years later, on July 13, 1880, the Omaha Daily Bee published a long column on page one detailing the characteristics of the Niobrara River and the “only stream of any consequence is Ponca Creek.” All the early explorers who traveled up the Missouri River as far and Fort Randall spent time exploring the mouth of Ponca Creek and those who lived in the area. Pawnee Island was located in the Missouri River at the mouth of Ponca Creek.
This new valley had not yet found itself, and the constructive process was still going on when the Corps of Engineers dams in South Dakota were completed in the 1950s and early 1960s. Respectively known as the Mighty Mo, the Missouri River is the longest river in the country at 2,340 miles carving through seven states. It eventually joins up with the second longest river, the Mississippi, at St. Louis, Missouri.
Construction on the Fort Randall dam began in 1945 and was completed in 1955. It was the first Pick-Sloan dam completed by the Omaha District of the Corps of Engineers. President Eisenhower threw the switch that started the first power generating unit in 1954. Senator John F. Kennedy from Massachusetts was in attendance as well as many other dignitaries.
Lake Francis Case which is formed behind the dam is located within the rolling plain of the Missouri Plateau, bordered by rugged bluffs, broken by a complex of eroded canyons and ravines, and has become today one of the most popular recreation spots in the Great Plains. It is 107 miles long, with 540 miles of shore line.
Today, during the winter months, the most popular activity is countless hours of observing a large number of Bald Eagles who gather each day to feast on the fish that they are able to capture in the open waters below the spillway. They concentrate in the large trees near the open waters. A recent count revealed that approximately 140 eagles had each selected their favorite tall tree. Like humans, eagles sometimes have disagreements and it is always interesting to view how they settle their disagreements in the open air over the river.
As spring approaches, you should watch for the eagles’ pair bonding displays, as eagle mates lock talons and tumble through the air. As you visit recreation areas below the dam, remember to follow the rules of eagle watching: Bald eagles are sensitive to human disturbance. Later, in the winter, you must always observe utmost caution while in the area.
If birds are disturbed at a nest site, the adults may abandon their eggs or young in the nest. The pair may not re-nest or produce any young until the following year. If done in a safe and responsible manner, always be sure to “keep your distance” and hide behind some object in the area.
You must always remember to not disturb or harass wintering eagles as they are already stressed by the cold and scarcity of food. Scaring eagles from their food could deprive them of energy they need to maintain their body temperature through the cold night. Unhealthy eagles generally do not successfully raise young the following spring.
Stay at least 300 yards or further from perched eagles, especially during severe weather. Stay in your vehicle when eagle watching or use some other obstruction, such as a blind or tree. Obey all signs and you must observe any closings. Areas may be closed to vehicles. Whenever you are making plans, if you wonder to yourself “should I” or “should I not,” DON’T!
Author Author Clarence Shoemaker, originally published in the Gregory Times-Advocate on December 25, 2024