A South Dakota legislative study committee has been meeting this week studying the meandered and non-meandered lakes issue. Lawmakers are hearing from landowners, sportsmen and business officials about the problem. South Dakota Farm Bureau lobbyist Mike Held says the State Supreme Court has determined that all waters belong to the public. He says that’s created a problem for farmers and ranchers who’ve lost the use of their land and are still paying taxes.

Held says there are possible compromises that state legislators could put together to help solve the problem. He says his group recommends the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks negotiate agreements between sportsmen and landowners.

He says the Committee chairman wants quick resolution on the problem and that could include a special legislative session this summer.

The special session which could begin as early as next month would look at possibly restoring public access to some or all of 25 lakes and sloughs in the state. Held says each case should be decided on a lake by lake basis.