WHITE RIVER VISITOR CENTER CLOSED JULY 22 AND 23

The White River Visitor Center of Badlands National Park will be closed on July 22 and 23 while an interagency crew inspects the area for possible unexploded ordnance left from the World War II era. The project is spearheaded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the Oglala Sioux Tribe and other cooperators, such as the National Park Service. The Center was closed earlier in the summer for similar inspections; however, due to circumstances beyond the crew's control, the inspection was not completed. The Center will reopen on Saturday, July 24 at 10 a.m.

As a part of the war effort, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) took possession of 341,726 acres of land on the Pine Ridge Reservation, home of the Oglala Sioux people, for a gunnery range. Included in this range was 337 acres from then Badlands National Monument. This land was used extensively from 1942 through 1945 as air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery ranges. Precision and demolition bombing exercises were also quite common. After the war, the South Dakota National Guard used portions of the bombing range as an artillery range. In 1968, the USAF declared most of the range excess property. 2500 acres are retained by the USAF but are no longer used. Unexploded ordnance (UXO) is explosive or chemical munitions that were prepared for action but did not activate. Most UXO is from past activities associated with training or weapons testing. It comes in all shapes and sizes - from small bullets to large bombs.

If you should find an unexploded ordnance:

Do not continue to move toward a suspected UXO. Some UXO are sensitive to motion and could explode if you come too near.

Do not move or disturb UXO nor should you move any object near or on UXO. It may have become unstable over time.

Note the location, including directions, any landmarks, or other features that would aid in locating the UXO.

Leave the hazard area immediately. Other UXO could be present.

Stay away from areas of known or suspected UXO. Do not enter fenced areas with posted UXO warnings.

Remember to report any UXO to either the Badlands Bombing Range Project staff at (605) 867 - 1271