THE UPPER KEYA PAHA TRADING CO.
1310 East Old US 18 - P. O. Box 785
Antelope Community - Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation
Mission, South Dakota, U.S.A.  57555-0785
THE UPPER KEYA PAHA
VIRTUAL TRADING POST

- Beaded Jewelry -
- Beaded Caps -
- Quillwork -
- Scrimshaw -
- Earrings -
- Necklaces -
- Other Stuff -
 

History of the Project

   The Mni Wiconi Project, P. L. 100-516, authorized and funded at $100,000,000.  At first in included the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the non tribal components of West River, Lyman/Jones, and Mellette County rural water projects.
   At that time the water lines in Mellette County crossed many parcels of trust land under the control of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (For more info link to our history page).  Rosebud passed a resolution requesting support by the Oglala Sioux Tribe to be incorporation into the project.  With funding support from Native America Program of the US Dept. of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to the tune of $150,000 allowed Rosebud to hire a engineering firm, HKM Associates of Billings, Montana, to assist the Rosebud Sioux Tribe to develop a Needs Assessment which was then incorporated into the Final Engineering Report.  P. L. 100-434 was passed by congress incorporation of the Rosebud Sioux  and Lower Brule Sioux Tribes into the Mni Wiconi Project.  Under this legislation the nonfederal entities of West River, Lyman/Jones, and Mellette County joined to form West River/Lyman-Jones Rural Water System.  The project funding ceiling was elevated to the total sum of $263,000,000 at 1994 dollars with a sunset date of 2003 for completion. 
   Since annual appropriations for the Project have been considerably less for all moneys to be made available by this sunset date of 2003, legislation is now again before
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Rosebud’s Accomplishments

Updated as of  3-1-01 
 Since the Sicangu Mni Wiconi Project/ Rosebud Sioux Rural Water System has been authorized the fall of 1994 and construction began, nine phases have been completed, or under construction contracts, or under bid.  The first phase of cons
Phase I - He Dog/Upper Cut Meat
Phase II - Soldier Creek/Ring Thunder, Phase III - Rosebud to White River
Phase IV - White River to North Parmelee, Phase V - Core Enhancements
Phase VI - Administration/O&M Complex
Phase VII - North Parmelee to Norris and a service line serving the area immediately north of Parmelee
Phase VIII - Rosebud Junction to New Ring Thunder and the US 83 Mission/Antelope
Phase IX - St. Francis was broken into several small projects.  They included improvements within the city of St. Francis and a new treatment building just east in tribal housing, Chinatown.  This work also included tying the St. Francis Indian School well, the St. Francis community well, and an additional well into the system that will provide water for the area under Mni Wiconi.  Other work included the St. Francis Piping Rural project.  This included  taking down a smaller tank located near KINI-FM and putting up a new tank with larger capacity.  This also required the existing tank located west of St. Francis to be raised an addtional 18 feet to hydraulically balance the two tanks.  Since the improvements within St. Francis included new lines to the west and
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Future Goals

   From the beginning through our needs assessment and incorporation into the Final Engineeirng Report (FER), the Sicangu Mni Wiconi Project/Rosebud Sioux Rural Water System, our Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council, and our engineering firm, MSE-HKM of Billings, MT, have been committed to completing our rural water system with the funds appropriated through P. L. 103-434.  It is still our goal to complete our system to provide clean safe drinking water for those living on the Rosebud Reservation and for tribal members living within the historic boundaries of the original Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation of 1889 as provide by the Mni Wiconi Act.
   From the beginning the Office of water Resources staff have looked at this project as a springboard to a source for present and future employment for tribal members.  We have been conservative, not wanting to have this program becoming just another jobs program.  All positions created for the construction and ongoing operation and maintenance activities of the project have goals beyond the Mni Wiconi Project.  The training provided to our staff is planned to develop tribal expertise and will be here during and after the project to continue to support the tribe in other ventures.
   This is also the driving force behind all of the present 14 programs now under the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Office of Water Resources. 
   If you should have and questions or comments on goals of the Office of Water Resources feel free to contact us at 1-605-747-2559 or fax 1-605-747-5039.