Enter any address in Jones County, South Dakota to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow and flash flooding from heavy rainfall are the primary flood concerns in Jones County. Recent events include widespread flooding in parts of Murdo and the surrounding area in April 2024 due to heavy rain from thunderstorms. In March 2019, significant snowmelt and ice jams contributed to flooding along the Grand, Moreau, and Bad rivers, impacting roads, culverts, and some structures across multiple counties, including Jones.
Residents living in areas prone to river overflow, as well as those in locations susceptible to flash flooding from intense rainfall events, should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Jones County, South Dakota has recorded 26 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 2 flash floods and 24 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 5 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1976–2022)
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 | Jun 11, 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, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 17, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Coastal Storm | Sep 6, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 21, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 18, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 27, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 27, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 22, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 21, 2024
Widespread, slow moving thunderstorms brought hail, gusty wnds and heavy rain to portions of central South Dakota on the afternoon and evening of August 21st. Hail to the size of tennis balls was observed by a trained spotter 4 miles northwest of Murdo. A peak wind speed of 65 mph was observed at a weather station 13 miles north northwest of Sansarc while the ASOS in Pierre peaked at 59 mph. E...
Flood — Apr 15, 2024
Low pressure south of the region helped generate isolated strong thunderstorms during the evening of April 15th into the early morning hours of April 16th. Two reported observations included wind gusts of 60 mph, one in Tolstoy as well as 3 miles southeast of Reliance. Additionally, hail to the size of quarters was observed in Gettysburg. Heavy rain was also responsible for flooding in parts of...
Flood — Jun 18, 2020
Heavy rains of 2 to 3 inches brought minor flooding of county roads around the Draper area.
Flood — May 27, 2019
A series of disturbances associated with a persistent area of low pressure over the western half of the U.S. produced several rounds of heavy rain. This rainfall, coupled with saturated soils from a wet early spring and flooding over the previous week, led to more flooding on the White River.
Flood — Mar 27, 2019
Much above normal snow pack melt water and ice jamming brought flooding on the the Grand, Moreau, and Bad rivers across Corson, Dewey, Jones, and Stanley counties at the end of March. The Grand River at Little Eagle rose to moderate flood stage, nearly 4 and half feet above the flood stage of 15 feet. The Moreau River near Whitehorse rose to major flood stage, almost 28 feet or 7 feet above flo...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Jones 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 Jones 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.