| South Dakota is bordered to the north by
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| | Major South Dakota rivers include the
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| North Dakota; to the south by Nebraska;
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| | Cheyenne River, Missouri River, James
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| to the east by Iowa and Minnesota; and to
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| | River, and the White River. Major lakes,
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| the west by Wyoming and Montana. It is
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| | all reservoirs, are Lake Oahe, Lake
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| one of the six states of the Frontier
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| | Francis Case, and Lewis and Clark Lake.
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| Strip.
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| | Areas under the management of the
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| The Missouri River runs through the
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| | National Park Service include:
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| central part of South Dakota. To the east
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| | Badlands National Park
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| of the river lie low hills and lakes
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| | Jewel Cave National Monument near Custer
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| formed by glaciers. Fertile farm country
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| | Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
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| covers the area. To the west of the river
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| | Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
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| the land consists of deep canyons and
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| | at Southwestern
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| rolling plains.
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| | Missouri National Recreational River
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| South Dakota consists of four major land
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| | Mount Rushmore National Memorial near
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| regions: the Drift Prairie, the Dissected
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| | Keystone
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| Till Plains, the Great Plains, and the
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| | Wind Cave National Park near Hot Springs
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| Black Hills.
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| | Climate
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| The Drift Prairie covers most of eastern
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| | South Dakota has a continental climate
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| South Dakota. This is the land of low
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| | with four very distinct seasons ranging
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| hills and glacial lakes. This area was
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| | from typically very cold winters and hot
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| called Coteau des Prairies (Prairie
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| | summers. During the summers, the average
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| Hills) by early French traders. In the
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| | high temperature throughout the state is
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| north, the Coteau des Prairies is
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| | close to 90 °F for the high temperature,
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| bordered on the east by the Minnesota
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| | although it often cools down to close to
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| River Valley and on the west by the James
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| | 60 °F at night. It is not unusual for
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| River Basin. The James River Basin is
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| | South Dakota to have severe hot, dry
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| mostly flat land, following the flow of
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| | spells in the summer with the temperature
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| the James River through South Dakota from
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| | climbing above 100 °F for the high
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| north to south.
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| | temperature for days or weeks at a time.
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| The Dissected Till Plains lie in the
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| | Winters are cold with high temperatures
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| southeastern corner of South Dakota. This
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| | in January averaging below freezing and
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| area of rolling hills is criss-crossed by
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| | low temperatures averaging below 10 °F
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| many streams.
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| | in most of the state.
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| The Great Plains cover most of the
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| | The precipitation of the state ranges
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| western two-thirds of South Dakota. The
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| | from semi-arid, in the northwestern part
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| Coteau de Missouri hills and valleys lie
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| | of the state (around 15 inches of annual
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| between the James River Basin of the
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| | precipitation) to semi-humid around the
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| Drift Prairie and the Missouri River.
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| | southeast portion of the state(around 25
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| West of the Missouri River the landscape
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| | inches of annual precipitation), although
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| becomes more rugged and consists of
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| | a small area centered around Lawrence
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| rolling hills, plains, canyons, and steep
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| | County has the highest precipitation at
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| flat-topped hills called buttes. These
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| | nearly 30 inches per annum.
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| buttes sometimes rise 400 to 600 feet
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| | South Dakota does have its share of
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| (120 to 180 m) above the plains. In the
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| | severe weather. The summers bring
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| south, east of the Black Hills, lie the
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| | frequent thunderstorms which can be
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| South Dakota Badlands.The Black Hills are
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| | severe with high winds, torrential winds,
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| in the southwestern part of South Dakota
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| | and hail. The eastern part of the state
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| and extend into Wyoming. This range of
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| | is often considered part of tornado alley
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| low mountains covers 6,000 square miles
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| | with the rate of tornadoes per square
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| (15,500 km2.) with mountains that rise
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| | 10,000 miles approaching that of parts of
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| from 2,000 to 4,000 feet (600 to 1,200 m)
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| | Oklahoma or Kansas, although the western
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| above their bases. The highest point in
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| | part of the state is also vulnerable to
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| South Dakota, Harney Peak (7,242 ft or
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| | tornadoes as well. Winters are somewhat
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| 2,207 m above sea level), is in the Black
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| | more stable. Severe winter storms,
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| Hills. The Black Hills are rich in
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| | occasionally blizzards, can happen in the
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| minerals such as gold, silver, copper,
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| | winter, although the bulk of the snow
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| and lead. The Homestake Mine, one of the
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| | which falls in South Dakota tends to be
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| largest gold mines in the United States,
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| | in the late fall and early spring.
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| is located in the Black Hills.
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