Enter any address in Roberts County, South Dakota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flood events, including flash floods, are the primary flood hazard in Roberts County. Recent events in June and August 2025 illustrate the impact of heavy rainfall, with one instance causing washed-out roads and water reaching home foundations near Milbank. Another event in August brought high winds and hail, contributing to localized flooding concerns.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced a higher frequency of claims, with an average payout of $14,089 and an average water depth of 5.0 feet. Properties in Zone X have also seen claims, averaging $8,453 with a water depth of 2.3 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X, should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
15 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Roberts County, South Dakota has recorded 43 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 12 flash floods and 30 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 (1976–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 9, 2023 |
| 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 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 25, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 13, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 13, 2025 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 11, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2023 | 150.00K |
| Flood | May 10, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 27, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jun 25, 2025
On June 25th, multiple thunderstorms from the morning into the early afternoon caused flooding in parts of northeast South Dakota. A CoCoRaHS observer 4 miles south-southeast of Milbank recorded 3.33 inches of rain, while the COOP observer in Milbank measured 3.25 inches. Grant County Emergency Management sent photos of washed-out roads, and a resident near Ortley documented water reaching a ho...
Flood — Jun 13, 2025
A broad low-pressure system brought several rounds of rain and a few strong, isolated thunderstorms to northeast South Dakota. The rain began on the morning of June 12th. A break in the rain mid-day allowed the atmosphere to destabilize, which led to stronger storms in the afternoon. One storm produced penny-sized hail 3 miles west of Blunt. Another storm in Mansfield produced penny to nickel-s...
Flash Flood — Jun 13, 2025
A broad low-pressure system brought several rounds of rain and a few strong, isolated thunderstorms to northeast South Dakota. The rain began on the morning of June 12th. A break in the rain mid-day allowed the atmosphere to destabilize, which led to stronger storms in the afternoon. One storm produced penny-sized hail 3 miles west of Blunt. Another storm in Mansfield produced penny to nickel-s...
Flash Flood — Aug 5, 2025
A line of storms produced large hail and high winds during the afternoon and evening of August 5th, and into the early morning hours of August 6th. The largest sized hail measured at 3 inches in diameter was observed in Hoven. Later in the evening, a peak wind gust of 99 mph was recorded on a weather station out at Sandy Shore State Park, while the Watertown Regional Airport ASOS would record a...
Flood — Apr 12, 2023
During early April, the northeast part of South Dakota, including the Sisseton Hills region, experienced a considerable snow depth ranging from approximately 20 to 40 inches. On March 31st, Sisseton recorded a snow depth of 27 inches. Average temperatures for the month of March were 10 degrees below normal as well, with frozen soils across northeast South Dakota. In the second week of April, te...
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 Roberts 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 Roberts 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.