The Rapid City Flood

Every summer, storm clouds gather in South Dakota and sudden heavy rainfalls can be expected. On June 9, 1972, Rapid City witnessed the worst storm in South Dakota's history. 14 inches of rain fell in less than 6 hours, causing creeks in the Black Hills to overrun their banks and wash out farms and highways. On the night of the 9th, the storm waters reached Rapid City. Exacerbated by the failure of Canyon Lake Dam, a wall of water roared down Rapid Creek into the heart of the city. The creek burst its banks and washed homes, cars, and businesses away in its wake. By sunrise, the waters had returned to normal, but Rapid City was marked by a swath of devastation. 238 people died from the flood. The city and the state responded by introducing adequate storm warning services and rebuilding to make Rapid City better able to protect itself from future flooding disasters.