Sioux Falls, SD Animal Ordinances: Wildlife Feeding (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- No feeding waterfowl in parks/bike trails
- Exempted parks
- Arrowhead Park, Great Plains Zoo
- Aerators/ice-breaking
- Banned on Covell Lake, Family Park lakes
- Max penalty
- $500 fine and/or 30 days jail
Summary
Sioux Falls bans feeding waterfowl in city parks and bike trails, and bans keeping ice open on Covell Lake or Family Park lakes to attract them.
No person shall: (1) Feed any waterfowl in or immediately adjacent to the city bike trails and any city park, excluding Arrowhead Park and the Great Plains Zoo; ... (3) Operate, install, or cause to be installed, any aerator in Covell Lake, or the lakes within Family Park for the purpose of keeping ice from forming...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-135: Current through local ordinance 54-26, passed 7-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
City code § 95.014 makes it unlawful to feed waterfowl in or next to any city park or bike trail (Arrowhead Park and the Great Plains Zoo excepted), or to distribute edible food for waterfowl in the downtown area bordered by North West Avenue, North Walts Avenue, West Bailey Street and West Sixth Street. It's also unlawful to install an aerator or otherwise keep ice from forming on Covell Lake or the Family Park lakes to hold waterfowl there. The parks director must post signs where the bans apply.
Violations & Fines
General penalty under § 10.999: up to a $500 fine, up to 30 days in the county jail, or both; each day of violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed ducks at a Sioux Falls park?
Why can't people keep ice open on Covell Lake?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sioux Falls
Compare Sioux Falls to another location·View the South Dakota animal ordinances overview
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