This isn’t goodbye, it’s “see you soon.”
We are disbanding. And while the project called “RCWA” may be going away, we’ll still be connected with you one way or another, working to protect the water here in the HeSapa (Black Hills). As threats still remain.
Right now Pete Lien & Sons is proposing a graphite exploration project along Castle Creek and the North Fork of Castle Creek, whose waters flow into Rapid Creek above Pactola Reservoir. Called the Rochford Mineral Exploratory Drilling Project #67838, the drill sites encroach on and threaten one of the most sacred sites to the Lakota people in the Black Hills: Pe'Sla. The deadline is May 16. If not too late, make a public comment to the US Forest Service to protect the Rapid Creek/Castle Creek Watershed. For other threats and call to actions go to one of our allies listed below.
Right now Pete Lien & Sons is proposing a graphite exploration project along Castle Creek and the North Fork of Castle Creek, whose waters flow into Rapid Creek above Pactola Reservoir. Called the Rochford Mineral Exploratory Drilling Project #67838, the drill sites encroach on and threaten one of the most sacred sites to the Lakota people in the Black Hills: Pe'Sla. The deadline is May 16. If not too late, make a public comment to the US Forest Service to protect the Rapid Creek/Castle Creek Watershed. For other threats and call to actions go to one of our allies listed below.
Instead of focusing our time and energy on maintaining organizational infrastructure, we’re encouraging folks who’ve supported us to throw that support behind long-standing groups who’ve been working to protect water for years: Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, Dakota Rural Action, NDN Collective, and more.
We are proud that we succeeded in drafting the Rapid Creek Watershed Recreation Area Act (RCWRAA) and gained support with over 2,000 petition signatures. We also succeeded in providing awareness and education of the importance of protecting our watershed, and we built a website with tons of great information, which will now become a legacy website for up to a year. But most importantly, RCWA built partnerships and alliances and now we will all remain dedicated to protecting Black Hills' water. We'll connect with you down the line!
We are proud that we succeeded in drafting the Rapid Creek Watershed Recreation Area Act (RCWRAA) and gained support with over 2,000 petition signatures. We also succeeded in providing awareness and education of the importance of protecting our watershed, and we built a website with tons of great information, which will now become a legacy website for up to a year. But most importantly, RCWA built partnerships and alliances and now we will all remain dedicated to protecting Black Hills' water. We'll connect with you down the line!
Thank you for holding the line and supporting RCWA over the past four years. You are greatly appreciated.
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Watch our short RCWA in review. This video starts at the US Forest Service's Scoping meeting for the F3 Gold's Jenny Gulch gold project back in 2020. We officially launched RCWA that Spring and for the next four years RCWA, along side with others, worked hard to protect the Rapid Creek Watershed, which included Jenny Gulch and the Pactola Reservoir from gold exploration or mining! Then in December 2024, A SMALL VICTORY was celebrated as a portion of the Rapid Creek Watershed - 20,000+ acres was designated as a federal mineral claims withdrawal.
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BTW, if you're interested in starting your own citizen's action watershed protection project, we're building a legacy website at rapidcreekwatershed.org so save this link. Thank you for all your support over these past four years. Take Care!