Enter any address in Deuel County, South Dakota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense thunderstorms is the primary flood hazard in Deuel County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data indicates 11 flood events and 8 flash flood events. For example, in August 2025, heavy rainfall on top of wet conditions led to flooding across the county, with an estimated 3 inches of rain falling in Lake Poinsett. Earlier that summer, in June 2025, powerful thunderstorms produced flash flooding alongside tornadoes.
Residents in areas designated with higher flood risk zones, as identified by FEMA, should pay particular attention to potential flood impacts. These zones are typically associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing flooding.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
8 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Deuel County, South Dakota has recorded 19 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 8 flash floods and 11 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 10 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2022)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Winter Storm | Dec 12, 2022 |
| Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 12, 2022 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | May 21, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 13, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Dec 24, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 19, 2013 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 11, 2011 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 10, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2025 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Aug 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | 128.70K |
| Flood | Apr 21, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 9, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2013 | 20.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 28, 2025
A volatile atmospheric setup on the afternoon and evening of June 28th led to the development of several powerful supercell thunderstorms across far eastern South Dakota. These storms produced multiple tornadoes, including two that caused significant damage in Deuel County. The strongest tornado was rated as a high-end EF3. Storms also produced large hail and instances of flash flooding from he...
Flood — Aug 17, 2025
Brief but intense heavy rainfall from thunderstorms, on top of weeks of wet weather, resulted in additional flooding across Marshall, Hamlin, Codington, and Deuel counties starting on the 17th and persisting well into the 18th. An estimated 3 inches of rain fell in Lake Poinsett, while 1.63 inches was recorded by the COOP sensor 20 miles north northeast of Aberdeen, 1.62 inches was submitted b...
Flood — Mar 25, 2019
Much above normal winter snowfall and melt water/ice jams along with heavy rains in the middle of March brought flooding across parts of central and northeast South Dakota for late March. Rivers and creeks flooded across much of the area along with many fields and roads. The flooding damaged many of the roads and culverts across the region. Some structures were also flooded. Lake levels also ro...
Flood — May 1, 2019
March and April snowmelt and heavy rain flooding along with above normal May precipitation resulted in hundreds of thousands of acres of crops damaged or delayed/unplanted across central and northeast South Dakota. The widespread flooding continued into June with millions of dollars of loss.
Flood — Jun 1, 2019
Spring snowmelt and heavy rain flooding from March, April, and May continued into June. This combined with above normal June rainfall resulted in hundreds of thousands of acres of crops damaged or unplanted across central and northeast South Dakota. For the entire state of South Dakota, nearly 4 million acres of crops were left unplanted as a result of the flooding. Total damaged or unplanted c...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Deuel County, South Dakota:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Deuel County, South Dakota that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.