 | This scene was found along the James, or Dakota, River, about 10 miles northwest of its confluence with the Missouri River just east of Yankton, South Dakota. This 700 mile long river is known locally as the Jim River, and to the left of this image the Jim River Road makes is way through the Jim River Valley.
It is typical for Jim River bottom land such as this to be inundated with flood water in spring. When the waters recede, grasses and flowers and shrubs grow quickly and thickly in the nutrient rich soil, forming a deep and dense layer of varied vegetation which provides a humid habitat for many kinds of wildlife. The many shapes and colors and smells and sounds encountered in this environment are a stark contrast with the fields of row crops, and even the pastures, on the hills on either side of this valley. Winds are part of everyday life in South Dakota, and in this fall scene, young willows and tall grasses are bent by a light southwest gusty wind which carries the occasional cry of a Ringneck rooster pheasant. The little pond of backwater on the right is protected from the wind by the built-up roadway of Highway 81 to the right of this image.
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