Fifty Years Later – Rapid City Flood
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
June 9, 1972, started out as a typical rainy summer day in the Black Hills. While the rain was heavy that Friday evening, there was no cause for alarm as residents went about their normal routines. Fifty years later, we look back and remember the devastation that would soon follow.
Late that evening after 15 inches of rain fell in the area, Rapid Creek and other waterways began to overflow. The Canyon Lake dam burst after being clogged with debris. A wall or rushing water slammed into the residential areas in Rapid City. The cries of residents taking refuge in trees and roofs could be heard throughout the night. When the sun came up, the light revealed the devastation that had taken place. The flood took 238 lives and injured 3,057. Over 1,300 homes and 5,000 automobiles were swept away. The value of property damage was estimated to be over $160 million—the same value as over $1 billion today.
The days and months that followed were full of heartache and loss, but also determination. The National Guard was called in and served alongside the community. Together, they searched for bodies among the rubble and cleared out debris.
Fifty years later, residents still vividly recall the horror of that day. The cleanup took months, and the rebuilding took years. Departments, agencies, architects, construction workers, and engineers worked together to rebuild Rapid City. Today the city enjoys a vast greenway and park system throughout the city where rezoning has prohibited housing along the creek. Thankfully, the United States now employs an early flood warning system with the hopes of preventing disasters such as this.
The Rapid City Flood was a tragedy. The lives, homes, and businesses lost have created gaps in the Rapid City community that are still felt by many. But I know the teamwork and fortitude that came in the following days has made Rapid City a stronger community.
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