06/09/2025
June 9, 1972, is a day ingrained in the very fabric of Rapid City and the surrounding communities due to the loss of 238 lives resulting from record floods on Rapid Creek and other streams in the area. It is important to continue telling the story of the 1972 Black Hills Flood for those who were not in the Black Hills during this time, as the number of survivors grows smaller each year.
Significant advancements in technology have emerged since 1972. For example, Doppler radar provides detailed images of storm intensity and movement, rainfall rates, and precipitation estimates. A network of automated stream and precipitation gauges along Rapid Creek and its tributaries offers early indications of flooding, providing advanced warnings to people living along these streams. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio receivers feature an alarm system to alert residents when weather warnings are issued. Additionally, the Emergency Alert System allows television and radio broadcasts to automatically relay warnings from NOAA. Wireless Emergency Alerts are sent to mobile devices, providing specific details about areas affected by warnings.
Floods like the one in 1972 are relatively rare, posing significant challenges for planning, engineering, and emergency management. However, even larger floods have occurred repeatedly in the Black Hills over the millennia. For these reasons, we must remain diligent in our efforts to answer questions related to the size, frequency, and location of past, current, and future floods. This information is critical for informing long-term policies and management strategies aimed at reducing damage and destruction from floods.
Read more about the 1972 Black Hills Flood here:
https://www.usgs.gov/publications/black-hills-rapid-city-flood-june-9-10-1972-a-description-storm-and-flood
The following photos show aerial views of June 1972 flood damage on the left, followed by the present-day (2022) aerial image on the right. These photos were taken by Frank Effenberger from a National Guard UH-1 helicopter days after the actual flood during casualty recovery operations. Some cleanup efforts had been completed at the time of photos. Photos used with permission.
