PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – Governor Kristi Noem announced Thursday that South Dakota has received a Presidential Disaster Declaration that allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help South Dakota local governments in the counties of Brown, Clark, Codington, Day, Faulk, Grant, Hand, Marshall, Potter, and Roberts, as well as the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation.
On June 2nd, Governor Kristi Noem signed Executive Order 2023-08, which declared a disaster in the impacted counties. An estimated $2,305,362 in qualifying costs were incurred during the flooding in those counties listed.
Federal resources will help with recovery from infrastructure damage sustained as a result of severe spring flooding.
Above normal seasonal snowfall and unusually cold late spring conditions resulted in a persistent and unusually deep snowpack into early April. In the second week of April temperatures became abnormally warm, surging to the 70s and 80s. This resulted in a period of very rapid snowmelt and both river and overland flooding. As a result of the flooding, many roads were not suitable for travel. Ten counties and one reservation suffered severe impacts to public infrastructure.