The black hills rapid city flood of june 910, 1972. Nearly 15 inches of rain fell in about 6 hours near nemo, and more than 10 inches. When darrel heimes came to the black hills with a south dakota national guard unit in june 1972, he expected to be challenged in. Black hills flood of 1972 south dakota public broadcasting.
Over 3,000 people were injured and 238 people lost their lives to the flood. Rapid city on the morning of june 9, 1972, the people of rapid city awoke to an azure blue sky, a picture perfect spring morning, birds were singing, children were playing, the sweet scent of black hills ponderosa pine drifted right down into the heart of downtown rapid city. The resulting floods were the highest ever recorded in south dakota. Devastating 1972 rapid city flood recalled by many rapid city mayor jim shaw remembers the 1972 rapid city flood like it was yesterday. Severe flooding of residential and commercial properties in rapid city occurred when canyon lake dam became clogged with debris and. The rapid city flood aka black hills flood of 1972 caused so much damage and the death toll was so great that it gained national attention and is still considered the second deadliest flood in u. Teller introduction on june 910, 1972, extremely heavy rains over the eastern black hills of south dakota produced record floods on rapid creek and other streams in the area. But the worst catastrophe struck rapid city, which lies along rapid creek below a canyon.
Published on jun 9, 2017 the history guy remembers the 1972 black hills flood of south dakota or rapid city flood, the united states of americas costliest and deadliest flash flood in south. The 1972 flood devastated rapid city and surrounding communities. The costliest and deadliest flash flood in american. The black hills flood of 1972, in the black hills of western south dakota, usa, occurred on june 9, 1972. Shes always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as nanowrimo multiple times. Those of us who lived through that horrible night will never forgetand we hope that others will be prompted to remember. Ettlingen is situated at the northern edge of the black forest on the upper rhine plain. The 1972 black hillsrapid city flood revisited usgs. In a few hours during the late afternoon and evening of june 9, 1972, a record rain fell on the black hills of south dakota. On this site, we house historical photos, documents, and books about the regions history, including items on the 1972 rapid city flood, native americans, pioneers, the construction of mount rushmore, and more. The failure of the dam at canyon lake sent water rushing through rapid city. The extreme rainfall of around 15 inches 380 mm of rain in 6 hours sent rapid creek and other creeks overflowing and flooded many residential and commercial properties around the black hills. The black hills flood of 1972 national weather service.
The alb river arises in the hills of the black forest and flows through ettlingen before emptying into the rhine at eggensteinleopoldshafen, making ettlingen a central feature of the albtal, the alb valley. The 43rd anniversary of the devastating black hills flood of 1972 is today, june 9. Many black hills communities were hit by high water. Regarded as the worst recorded flood in south dakotas history, the 1972 flood would alter the look of rapid city and help change how the federal government responds to natural disasters. The flood of 1972 killed 238 people and injured thousands of others. Working under the national flood insurance act of 1968, the soil conservation service delineated rapid creeks flood plain. Rapid city rising the rapid city flood of 1972 was one of the deadliest floods in u. Nearly 15 inches of rain fell in about 6 hours near nemo, s. Meteorology of the black hills flood of 1972 by institute of atmospheric sciences 1973. The history book series is part of a membership to the state historical society. Errors identified by the software have been corrected. The black hills flood of june 9, 1972 is of particular interest to the author of this post, being a native of rapid city. The black hills flood of 1972, also known as the rapid city flood, was the most detrimental flood in south dakota history, and one of the deadliest floods in.
The book had 538 pages, the ending was about 2 pages in total. The book includes reports of the civil defense headquarters, the police chief of rapid city tom hennies, the american red cross, dr. Publication date 1973 topics watershed management south dakota, flood control south dakota, floods south dakota. In the summer of 1972, south dakotans suffered the worst flood in its history. The morning of june 9th dawned with a humid and foggy haze covering much of the eastern black hills and plains to the east. Charles badger clark was born on january 1, 1883 in albia, iowa.
The flooding in and around rapid city on the edge of the rugged black. Damage to bennettclarkson hospital area in rapid city. He dropped out of dakota wesleyan university after he clashed with one of its founders, c. The 1972 black hills rapid city flood revisited by janet m.
Coolidge, different mortuaries, a list of flood victims, various maps, drawings, graphs, statistics and all this supported by many photographs. See the article in its original context from june 16, 1972, page 27 buy. Black hills flood of june 9, 1972 a comprehensive study. Black hills is home to mount rushmore is a very hilly area rapid city is a. More than 200 people lost their lives in a period of hours on the night of june 910, 1972. The 1972 black hillsrapid city flood revisited on june 910, 1972, extremely heavy rains over the eastern black hills of south dakota produced record floods on rapid creek and other streams in the area. Images recall the horror of 1972 flood jun 9, 2019 jun 9, 2019. Flooding in south dakota nature rapid city the giant wave and the black hills area a 10 foot tall wave towered over rapid city and knocked out property and nature, as well as causing much financial loss. Department of agriculture this file was created by scanning the printed publication. The morning of june 9th dawned with a humid and foggy haze covering. The flood certainly brought hardships to the area and will never be forgotten. The main cause of the rapid city flood of 1972 was. Couples book on flood ends painful chapter in their lives. Survivors remember horrors of 1972 flood that devastated rapid.
The 1972 black hills rapid city flood revisited on june 910, 1972, extremely heavy rains over the eastern black hills of south dakota produced record floods on rapid creek and other streams in the area. The book is available for purchase by calling 6057736009. Survivors say the wall of water was like a tsunami that destroyed nearly everything in its path as it roared through a black hills canyon and into town. The black hills flood of 1972, also known as the rapid city flood, was the most detrimental flood in south dakota history, and one of the deadliest floods in u. As a result, none of the projects were built before 1972. Flood of june 910, 1972, at rapid city, south dakota. The black hills flood of 1972 south dakota state university. The black hillsrapid city flood of june 910, 1972 book. The summer edition of south dakota history will feature the rapid city flood of 1972. The 43rd anniversary of the devastating black hills flood of 1972 is. More than ten inches of rain fell in just over six hours on june 9, 1972.
Black hills flood of june 9, 1972 a comprehensive study paperback 1972 by none author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. On june 9, 1972, an almost stationary group of thunderstorms formed over the eastern black hills of south dakota near rapid city and produced record amounts of rainfall and flood discharges. South dakota black hills hist the rapid city flood. A flood that killed ron and lavonne masters three sons two decades. This 10 minute documentary will give you an overview of the tragedy that occurred the night of june 9, 1972 in rapid city, sd. For many of us, we didnt live here, we are too young to have been a part of it or it feels like something we have read in about in our history books. Rapid city woman trapped in basement apartment during friday flash flood. This is a collection of historic documents of the devastating flood on june 9, 1972 in rapid city, south dakota.
Such a historical chronology of floods will, over time, contribute to improved knowledge of flooding in the black hills. Couples book on flood ends painful chapter in their lives with. Canyon lake dam south dakota, 1972 case study asdso. The 1972 black hills flood that devastated south dakota. On june 910, 1972, extremely heavy rains over the eastern black hills of south dakota.
The black hills flood of 1972 a flash flood in the summer of 1972 led to devastation throughout rapid city, sd, causing the deaths of over 200 people and billions of dollars in damages. The purpose of this web site is to provide a chronology of floods in the black hills area that are documented in some way since 1877 in newspapers, books, photographs, and technical reports. A flood that killed ron and lavonne masters three sons two decades ago also threatened to drown their spirit, their will to go on. The floods of june 910, 1972, covered a relatively small area of the. The flood, triggered by exceptionally heavy rains that varied from more than two to seven inches in a thunderstorm that struck the black hills last night, came in two waves, the mayor said. The flood took place on june 910, 1972 in the black hills of western south dakota. Merlyn magner s book is a fascinating personal quest for the inner life of a woman traumatized and awakened by the destructive rapid city flood of 1972. Remembering the flood of 1972 pennington county emergency. Masters 1992 a story of one familys loss, survival, and recovery for the 1972 rapid city flood. On this day 43 years ago water rushed through the black hills causing one of the biggest disasters to ever hit the community.
Orr usda forest service general technical report rm2 march 1973 rocky mountain forest andrange experiment station forest service u. On the evening of june 9, 1972, heavy thunderstorms caused devastating flash flooding throughout rapid city and the eastern foothills of the black hillsdestroying homes, vehicles, businesses, and bridges, and claiming 238 lives. All in all putting that aside i feel that black hills was a brilliant written book by nora roberts. A flash flood in the summer of 1972 led to devastation throughout rapid city, sd, causing the deaths of over 200 people and billions of dollars in damages. I felt the second romance in the book had more of an ending than the main characters of lil and cooper. Department of commerce, national oceanic and atmospheric administration. His family moved to dakota territory, where his father served as a methodist preacher in huron, mitchell, deadwood and hot springs. Rapid creek and several other black hills streams overflowed their banks. For some it seems like yesterday because they were here in the area when it happened. The black hills flood of june 9, 1972 librarything.