Enter any address in Faulk County, South Dakota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flooding from snowmelt and heavy rainfall events characterizes Faulk County. Recent events include widespread flooding in March and April 2019 due to significant snowmelt and heavy rains, which damaged roads, culverts, and some structures. In July 2022, thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall, with one report of 5.5 inches near Loyalton, leading to flash flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims in Faulk County have occurred in Zone X_Unshaded areas, with an average payout of $460 for claims experiencing an average of 0.0 feet of water depth. Homeowners and property owners in areas prone to snowmelt flooding, as well as those in locations that have experienced heavy rainfall events, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
6 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Faulk County, South Dakota has recorded 19 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 7 flash floods and 12 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 9 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 9, 2023 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 13, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Dec 24, 2016 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 11, 2011 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 10, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 20, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Coastal Storm | Sep 6, 2005 |
| Severe Storm | Severe Storm | Jun 7, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 10, 2023 | 150.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 7, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | 121.10K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 20, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 15, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2011 | 0.00K |
Flood — Apr 10, 2023
The snowfall during the season in northeast and central South Dakota exceeded normal levels, with many locations ranking among the top 10 for the snowiest seasons. Additionally, the late spring conditions were unusually cold, resulting in a persistent and exceptionally deep snowpack until early April. The depth of the snowpack ranged from 15 to 30 plus inches, containing approximately 4 to 8 in...
Flash Flood — Jul 7, 2022
Thunderstorms produced isolated severe weather and heavy rainfall. A wind gust of 62 mph was observed one mile east-southeast of Bowdle, and quarter-size hail was reported one mile west of Zell. A measured rainfall amount of 5.5 inches by the public occurred one mile southeast of Loyalton. Estimated 3.50 inches of rain was reported at Bowdle, as well as 3 inches at Selby, Roscoe, and Miranda. F...
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.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Faulk 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 Faulk 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.