26 flood insurance claims·$1.1M paid·12 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 Turner 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.
River and general flooding dominates the flood history of Turner County, accounting for 60 recorded events compared to 7 flash flood events over the last 30 years. Heavy rainfall and subsequent runoff are primary drivers of high water in the area.
A notable multi-day heavy rainfall event occurred in June 2024, bringing widespread rainfall totals between 5 and 10 inches, with pockets exceeding 15 inches across the region. This severe weather triggered major to record river flooding, extensive overland flooding, and significant impacts that devastated several towns and communities.
Properties located in FEMA Zone A should pay the closest attention to flood risk, as this zone accounts for the highest number of National Flood Insurance Program claims at 19, with an average payout of $57,883 and an average recorded water depth of 3 inches. By comparison, Zone X unshaded properties recorded 6 claims with an average payout of $4,159 and an average water depth of 0 inches, while unknown zones recorded 1 claim with an average payout of $4,637 and an average water depth of 0 inches.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
24% of Turner County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
25 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 3 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2024, with 8 claims and $713,732 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding.
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.
20 NOAA storm reports from Turner County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the South Dakota flood stories →
26 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 12 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 16, 2024 |
| Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 12, 2022 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Sep 9, 2019 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 21, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding | Mar 13, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 13, 2014 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Apr 8, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jul 21, 2010 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
67 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 60 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jun 20, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jun 20, 2024 | $5.0M |
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Mar 7, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Mar 4, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2020 | — |
| Flood | May 29, 2019 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jun 21, 2024. A multi-day significant heavy rainfall event from June 20-22 resulted in widespread rain totals between 5 and 10 inches with pockets in excess of 15 inches across portions of southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. As rainfall reached area streams and rivers, major to record flooding was observed, devastating several towns and communities. Extensive overland flooding also resulted in signi…
Flood · Jun 20, 2024. A multi-day significant heavy rainfall event from June 20-22 resulted in widespread rain totals between 5 and 10 inches with pockets in excess of 15 inches across portions of southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. As rainfall reached area streams and rivers, major to record flooding was observed, devastating several towns and communities. Extensive overland flooding also resulted in signi…
Flash Flood · Jun 20, 2024. Clusters of thunderstorms with very high rainfall rates from 2 to 4 inches per hour developed by midday on June 20, and despite being transient, continued to redevelop through the evening and into the overnight hours. The primary focus occurred along Highway 18 in the afternoon southwest and south of Sioux Falls, then along Interstate 90 during the evening, and settled again to along the Highway 18 corridor as th…
Flood · Mar 7, 2020. With one to four inches of liquid residing in the snowpack near and north of Interstate 90 at the start of the month, a more or less ideal melting of the winter snowpack in early March produced minor flooding along middle portions of the Vermillion River Basin.
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 Turner 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.