Flandreau

Flandreau. April 20, 1969. On this day, river stages on the Big Sioux River reached 17.8 feet, 3.6 feet higher than the previous record of 14.2 feet in June 1957. The winter's record snowfall in Eastern South Dakota began melting and pouring into the Big Sioux River. The snowmelt runoff was more than the Big Sioux River or even many of its tributaries could handle. The runoff broke several all-time records with water leaving the main river channel and flooding several locations in Moody County., Within 24 hours, water was pounding over the dam east of the Crescent Street bridge on the northern edge of town., Roads crossing the Big Sioux River and some of its tributaries became impassable. Roads east and west out of Flandreau were closed., Residents in the Egan area were evacuated., In the days that followed, the National Guard was called into action filling sandbags and helping city crews build temporary levees to protect the wastewater treatment plant, one of the city's wells and pump house., Historical Marker , Learn more about South Dakota's flood history at history.sd.gov/archives. , Silver Jackets brings together federal, state, and local agencies to collaborate in reducing flood risk. Prepare your family at bReady.sd.gov..