4 flood insurance claims·$1,937 paid·5 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Todd County, South Dakota. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Todd County, supported by 10 flash flood events and 6 general flood events recorded over the last 30 years. Heavy rainfall, monsoonal moisture, and training storms frequently drive these occurrences. For instance, on August 5, 2022, training thunderstorms dropped three to four inches of rain, washing gravel off rural roads and causing the Little White River to rise several feet in an hour. Additionally, prolonged precipitation and snowmelt can trigger broader flooding, as occurred with a powerful storm system on May 22, 2019, and from ice jams on March 22 and 23, 2019.
National Flood Insurance Program records show four claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $969 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Property owners located near creeks, rivers, low-lying areas, and rural roads, as well as those situated in Zone A, should pay the closest attention to flood risks in the county.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
The worst year was 1997, with 2 claims and $1,362 paid, the year of Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard Conditions and Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,heavy Rains High Winds.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
3 NOAA storm reports from Todd County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the South Dakota flood stories →
13 federal disaster declarations since 1976, 5 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Dec 12, 2022 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 21, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding | Mar 13, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow | Nov 5, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Sep 6, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 28, 2004 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Ice Jams | Mar 1, 2001 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
16 since 1996: 10 flash floods and 6 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2022 | — |
| Flood | Mar 23, 2019 | $250,000 |
| Flood | May 22, 2019 | $100,000 |
| Flood | Mar 22, 2019 | $250,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 26, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2013 | $60,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2011 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2011 | $10,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Aug 5, 2022. A line of strong to severe thunderstorms produced gusty winds across portions of Todd County. Monsoonal moisture, combined with training storms, resulted in flash flooding across southern Mellette and northern Todd Counties. Rainfall amounts of three to four inches were reported. Flash flooding quickly occurred as water ponded in fields. Heavy rain washed gravel off rural roads. The Little White River around the c…
Flood · Mar 23, 2019. Runoff from snowmelt and ice jams caused flooding along many creeks and rivers across south central South Dakota.
Flood · May 22, 2019. A powerful storm system slowly moved from the Four Corners region northeastward through the Plains, leading to a prolonged period of precipitation across western South Dakota May 20-22. This three day period was among the coldest, wettest, and snowiest on record for late May, with several temperature and precipitation records set. Runoff from the rain and melting snow led to flooding of creeks, rivers, low-lying a…
Flood · Mar 22, 2019. Runoff from snowmelt and ice jams caused flooding along many creeks and rivers across south central South Dakota.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Todd County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.