Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery Improvements
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks is currently fundraising to improve the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery in Waubay, South Dakota. Learn more about the hatchery’s role in fish production, and support by donating through Go Outdoors South Dakota!
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About Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery
What is the Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery?
Blue Dog State Fish Hatchery began operations in the 1982, and is the primary producer of walleye fry and small juveniles for South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. The hatchery also rears muskellunge, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, and other fish species.
Why does the hatchery need improvements?
Nearly all of the fish-rearing infrastructure at the hatchery is over 40 years old.
The current main water line from the wells to the hatchery building is at the end of its life-span and should be replaced before it breaks during critical rearing periods (like walleye egg incubation) and imperils fish production. It is also undersized, limiting the water needed for fish production.
Water quality is a serious issue. High levels of iron in the well water leads to serious fish health issues and substantial egg and fish mortality. The current iron filters are at the end of their lifespan and need to be replaced. They are also undersized, limiting the amount of well water available for production.
How have stocking requests increased?
The number, sizes, and species of fish requested by fisheries managers have increased dramatically. For example, in 2020, 1.2 million walleye small juveniles were requested. By 2025 that number had increased to over 6.0 million and is projected to be 8.0 million by 2029.
How does the hatchery support urban and community fisheries?
Providing hatchery-produced fish for urban and community fisheries has become extremely important. Catchable-sized rainbow trout are routinely used in these local fisheries, particularly those focusing on youth in all sizes of towns and cities in South Dakota. However, trout cannot survive the warmer summer water temperatures in most urban waters, creating an unmet need for catchable warm water fish such as bluegills, largemouth bass, and channel catfish. The infrastructure at Blue Dog does not exist to produce catchable-sized warm water fish. This can only occur with the use of recirculating aquaculture system technology.
Proposed Renovations and Improvements
In order to address these ongoing challenges and meet future production needs at the hatchery, four recommended upgrades are needed. Note that costs listed are high-level estimates and may vary based on project scope, site conditions, and market factors.
Water Supply
Well Development and Rehabilitation - $1,000,000 – FY27 (GFP/Sport Fish Restoration - SFR)
The recommended upgrades include rehabilitating one of the three existing wells and constructing two new production wells with lower iron levels to provide a capacity of 1,600 gallons per minute (gpm), consistent with the hatchery’s updated water rights. The new wells will be equipped with vertical turbine pumps and variable frequency drives (VFDs) and, together with the rehabilitated well, will provide improved reliability, operational flexibility, and a more reliable water supply while allowing individual wells to be taken offline without interrupting hatchery operations.
Water Conveyance System - $1,000,000 – FY28 (GFP/SFR)
The existing main waterline is at the end of its lifespan. It is also undersized and cannot convey the hatchery’s updated design flow of 1,600 gpm. To address this, a new 20-inch (in.) high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline is recommended to connect the new production wells and rehabilitated existing well to the hatchery building, providing sufficient capacity and improved flow monitoring.
Water Treatment Improvements - $3,500,000 – FY29 (GFP/SFR)
Recommended improvements include replacing the existing degassing towers with higher-capacity units, adding a third tower to accommodate increased flows, and installing new iron-filtration systems designed to achieve target rearing water iron concentrations at the full design flow of 1,600 gpm. Two replacement filter system alternatives have been identified that fit within the existing filter room footprint, with pilot testing recommended prior to purchasing to confirm effectiveness of the selected system.
New Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) Building - $1,500,000 - FY29, FY30 (Donations/SFR-FY30)
A new RAS building will be constructed adjacent to the existing hatchery building to expand production capacity. The building will house 10 RAS modules (50 total tanks), including five systems dedicated to larval walleye rearing. The remaining systems will be used for catchable-sized largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish production, along with larger walleye juveniles. The building will also have mechanical and electrical space, feed storage, and a backup generator to support reliable year-round operation. This expanded RAS capacity will allow the hatchery to meet projected increases in stocking demand, improve production efficiencies, and provide a controlled, biosecure, and water-efficient rearing environment consistent with successful RAS implementation at other GFP hatcheries.
Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Distribution System $250,000 – FY27 (GFP/SFR)
Adding oxygen to water increases fish production. A LOX tank and concrete pad have been installed at the hatchery, and remaining work includes construction of the buried ½-in. stainless steel oxygen piping, flow meters, and system tie-ins needed to deliver controlled oxygen to rearing systems throughout the facility.