Flood, Corson
- When
- March 26, 8:00 AM CST to March 29, 10:00 AM CST
- Where
- Corson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.709, -101.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood in South Dakota, March 26 to 29, 1997
Due to rapid snowmelt runoff and ice jamming, Oak Creek rose over its banks and a levee in the early morning hours of March 26th, flooding Wakpala. Oak creek rose over 5 feet in 12 hours and was the worst flooding since 1961.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS ABR wrote it up.
Due to rapid snowmelt runoff and ice jamming, Oak Creek rose over its banks and a levee in the early morning hours of March 26th, flooding Wakpala. Oak creek rose over 5 feet in 12 hours and was the worst flooding since 1961. Over 100 people were evacuated from their homes for one to two weeks and had to be put in shelters. The school was flooded and heavily damaged. Some of the homes in Wakpala were a total loss.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flooding in Minnesota, March 26 to 31, 1997
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Massachusetts, March 26, 1997
- Strong Wind in Rhode Island, March 26, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Montana, March 26 to 27, 1997
- Flooding in Montana, March 26 to 30, 1997
- Damaging Wind in South Carolina, March 26, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Montana, March 26, 1997
- Flood in Montana, March 26 to April 3, 1997
- High Wind in Montana, March 26, 1997
- Flood in South Dakota, March 26 to 31, 1997
- High Wind in Montana, March 26, 1997
More
Every storm in South Dakota in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, March 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5591683.