South Dakota
McCook Lake catastrophe shatters complacency around old flood plans • South Dakota Searchlight
Damages remain visible in the McCook Lake community on July 3, 2024, after a massive flood hit the area on June 23. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
When a record-high surge of water flowed down the Big Sioux River toward the southeast corner of South Dakota last month, local and state authorities activated a flood mitigation plan from 1976.
It saved North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes from disaster. But their neighbors in McCook Lake suffered a graphic reminder of how different their community is today than it was 48 years ago.
“Back when there were a few little cabins on the lake that you could replace for $20 apiece, and now there are little McMansions,” said Jay Gilbertson, geologist and manager of the East Dakota Water Development District, based in Brookings.
‘We have nothing’: Flood victims say government failures continue after botched flood warning
He said it’s time for an update.
“Most definitely. The idea that a plan drawn up back then would still be applied today is kind of silly.”
Utilizing the existing plan, local and state authorities plugged the area under an Interstate 29 overpass with a sandbag-and-clay levee, to tie in with permanent levees that protect North Sioux City. The system diverted water toward McCook Lake, as intended.
But there was more water than anybody had ever seen before. Instead of causing a manageable rise in the lake, floodwaters slammed into dozens of homes, destroying around 30 of them and carving giant gouges in the land on the lake’s north shore. Fortunately, nobody was killed.
Union County Emergency Management Director Jason Westcott said officials thought the plan would work as it had in the past. Now he says something needs to change.
“We’re having a bad flood every four or five years,” he said. “Our rivers are changing and us humans are doing something to them.”
Some researchers and scientists say the changes are due to a greater frequency of severe rainfall and shifts in land use. And they say mitigation plans have not kept up.
“There’s no question about it,” said Carter Johnson, distinguished professor emeritus of ecology at South Dakota State University. “Mitigation plans, building standards and regulations are based on the 20th century data, which made sense, but we’re changing.”
Mark Sweeney, an environmental science professor at the University of South Dakota, shares those concerns.
“Flood mitigation plans should never be considered static,” Sweeney said. “River channels are in a constant state of change, meaning flood hazards are likely to change, especially over decades.”
The recent flooding began when three days of heavy rainfall inundated southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa. The McCook Lake community did not anticipate the volume of water that overwhelmed some of their homes on June 23, according to Dirk Lohry, president of the McCook Lake Association.
But in hindsight, the disaster looks like another step in a progression of more frequent, more severe floods affecting the area during the past 15 years.
“I’m 1,000 years old,” Lohry said. “I have now lived through two once-every-500-year floods.”
A changing environment
Warning signs have been accumulating in recent years about changing river flows in eastern South Dakota.
A U.S. Geological Survey report found a 298% increase in streamflow for the James River near Scotland, for example. The report says increases are linked to higher precipitation, urban development, tile drains used under farm fields, and grassland-to-cropland conversion.
The report found “a hydrologically unique trend in the eastern Dakotas that is not being observed anywhere else in the conterminous United States.”
“Specifically, streams in the eastern Dakotas have experienced the greatest increases in streamflow during the last 60 years in comparison to any other USGS gaged stream in the United States.”
When North Sioux City developed its flood mitigation plan almost five decades ago, the highest recorded flow rate of the Big Sioux River in the city was 77,500 cubic feet per second, according to a North Sioux City official who spoke during a July 1 city council meeting. The flow during the recent flooding overwhelmed stream gauges, reaching what some city officials estimated to be 170,000 cubic feet per second.
Severe floods across the Midwest are becoming more common, mostly due to a greater frequency of severe rainfall, said Jonathan Remo, a geologist at Southern Illinois University. He said the “once-every-500-year” title given to some floods is a probability based on historical data.
“But we’re now seeing an unprecedented frequency of major precipitation events,” Remo said. “Something has fundamentally changed, and it’s related, in part, to climate change.”
Around the globe, large amounts of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are being emitted into the atmosphere. Warmer air holds more moisture, which, when it condenses, results in more intense precipitation.
The state climatologist at South Dakota State University, Laura Edwards, has been saying for years that South Dakota’s climate is becoming wetter during wet cycles and drier during dry cycles, translating to more severe droughts and floods.
Carter Johnson, also of SDSU, has studied climate change for decades and said, “We’re seeing changes at rates that have never been observed before.”
He said South Dakota can fund better preparation and mitigation for natural disasters, or spend more on recovery.
“Taxpayers are paying for it either way,” he said. “Insurance rates will continue to go up, natural disasters will continue to happen, and emergency response and cleanup is not cheap.”
Land-use changes
USD’s Sweeney said climate change is the biggest concern for the future, but added that changes to the landscape, like urban sprawl, are also contributing to worsening floods. He said water that would normally soak into the ground like a sponge, slowing its flow rate, now hits asphalt and runs right off.
“We have known for a long time that runoff from asphalt is faster than from grassland,” Sweeney said.
Drain tile — perforated pipe installed under cropland to drain excess moisture — is another factor. When drain tile systems are installed, water that would otherwise accumulate in a field before absorbing into the ground or evaporating is instead channeled into ditches, creeks and rivers.
“Personally, I think tile drains are a slow-motion experiment we are playing,” Sweeney said.
A 2014 study in Ohio found that tile drainage significantly contributed to the amount of water discharged in the watershed. In Iowa, 2016 research indicated that tile drainage significantly alters streamflow, contributing 30% more water to the observed streams during precipitation events.
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Converting grasslands to cropland can also make flooding worse.
Meghann Jarchow, a USD professor of sustainability and grassland specialist, referenced a study showing grassland holds more water than cropland, with or without cropland drainage systems. Prairies have a thick layer of plant material that soaks up rain, which leads to less water draining away.
“We’ve changed so many things in our environment,” she said. “Policies need to keep up.”
Between 2008 and 2016, nearly 5 million acres of grassland were converted to cropland across 12 Midwestern states – including South Dakota – primarily for corn and soybean production, according to a 2021 study. That’s the equivalent of about five Rhode Islands.
Solutions
For the residents of McCook Lake, one priority is clear: They want assurance that their homes will not be “sacrificed” again.
“They’ve got to change that plan,” Dirk Lohry said.
McCook Lake residents called on North Sioux City officials to change the current mitigation plan during a July 1 meeting, suggesting a large ditch be built to direct water to nearby Mud Lake — which does not have a community surrounding it — rather than McCook Lake.
Jay Gilbertson thinks it’s time those “once-every-however-many years” estimates get updated, partly because of how those odds drive design standards for infrastructure like waste management systems and dams.
“You might have to make a system able to handle a once every 50-year event based on historical records,” Gilbertson said. “But 50 might not be 50, it might be 30.”
He said those adjustments could help ensure dams and levees are being built for the environment of the 21st century and beyond, not the 20th.
Federal agencies and state and local governments are all responsible for updating design standards to reflect current climate data.
Zoning laws could also be updated to illustrate flood zones more accurately, Gilbertson said, restricting development in high-risk areas, and ensuring adequate park and wetland space to help absorb floodwaters.
In 2020, State Climatologist Laura Edwards wrote about increased flood risks in South Dakota, highlighting how many properties are at greater risk than currently indicated by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood plain maps. Multiple McCook Lake residents told South Dakota Searchlight they do not have flood insurance, because of the expense and because they’re not in an area designated by FEMA as requiring it.
Sweeney said the accuracy of flood plain maps is critical, as are local government decisions about what development, if any, is allowed.
“We will never be able to eliminate flood hazards as long as the government allows people to build in flood plains,” Sweeney said.
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Editor’s note: If you cite the results of this poll, credit South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy, per copyright law and our republishing policy.
PIERRE, S.D. – With seven weeks until the June 2 primary, U.S. House Rep. Dusty Johnson is close to avoiding a runoff in the race to secure the GOP nomination for governor, according to a new poll sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota.
In the contests for U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, state Attorney General Marty Jackley and U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds have solid leads over their challengers.
The scientific survey of 500 registered Republicans, conducted April 7-11 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, found Johnson leading the four-way contest for governor with 34% of likely GOP primary voters supporting his candidacy.
The other three candidates are effectively tied for second due to the margin of error being plus-or-minus 4.5%. State House Speaker Jon Hansen, of Dell Rapids, has 18% support from GOP voters, and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden and Gov. Larry Rhoden both have 17%. Roughly 14% of those surveyed were undecided.
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Everything South Dakota voters need to know about statewide contests in the primary and general elections.
If no candidate receives at least 35% of the vote on the June 2 ballot, a runoff between the top two finishers will take place July 28. The winner of the contest will meet Democrat Dan Ahlers in the Nov. 3 general election.
Rhoden’s support drops; Hansen surges
While Johnson, who grew up in Pierre and lives in Mitchell, saw a 6-point increase from the News Watch/Chiesman poll conducted last October, Rhoden’s support fell 10 points.
Julia Hellwege, director of the Chiesman Center and USD associate professor in political science, said Rhoden’s association with his predecessor, former Gov. Kristi Noem, could be behind the drop in poll numbers.
“He has aligned himself closely with Noem. They worked closely together, and he continues to champion her and stand by her,” she said. “There’s a potential that has been a side effect.”
Rhoden served as lieutenant governor under Noem and became governor in January 2025 when President Donald Trump made her secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He fired her last month after severe criticism.
Hellwege pointed out the poll found that Johnson even leads in West River, a stronghold for Rhoden, who is from Union Center east of Sturgis.
She said one candidate more than any other has been the main beneficiary of the declining support for the sitting governor.
“Anyone shifting from Rhoden is more likely to shift towards Hansen,” Hellwege said, noting that Hansen is a state lawmaker, like Rhoden was, who plays up his conservative Christian credentials.
Hellwege said in comparing the new poll results with those from last year, a certain pattern can be seen. That includes the surge in support for Hansen and Johnson, a decline in support for Rhoden, a stable level of support for Doeden and a lower number of undecided voters.
“My interpretation is many Rhoden voters in the last poll shifted to Hansen voters and the undecideds went to Johnson,” Hellwege said.
SD governor: Johnson in driver’s seat
Hellwege highlighted the extent to which the math favors Johnson.
“Even if all the undecided voters go to one of those second-place candidates, plus if you factor in the margin of error, they still would barely reach where Johnson is sitting right now,” Hellwege said.
Brad Coker, founder of Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, ranked as one of the least-biased and most-factual pollsters, also believes Johnson is in a comfortable position.
“Johnson is moving into the clear front-runner status,” he said.
“People know him. People like him, and that’s probably why he’s ahead right now. Whether he can hold on to that will depend on what the other campaigns – particularly Hansen’s – are able to do in the coming weeks,” Coker told News Watch, pointing to the poll results that found Johnson has a 47% favorability rating, the highest of any of the candidates.
South Dakota News Watch invests in scientific polls to let elected leaders know how constituents think they’re doing and also survey people’s opinions on important issues. But a good poll isn’t cheap, so if you value these stories, please consider helping cover the cost. Thank you!
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Coker said Hansen has the best chance to challenge Johnson not only because his candidacy has seen the biggest increase in support but also due to not many people knowing him – yet.
“Hansen’s name recognition is only 73%. He’s still got 27% of the voters who don’t know who he is, which I think gives him a much higher ceiling than Doeden and Rhoden,” Coker said. “That tells me Hansen is getting some traction.”
On the flip side, Doeden’s 35% unfavorable rating and high name recognition indicate his support has mostly peaked, Coker said.
“He has a higher negative rating than positive rating, which tells me he’s got a core group behind him, but his growth potential is far more limited, especially since he has 89% name recognition,” Coker said.
The poll was conducted after the four candidates met in the March 31 KELO-TV debate but before the April 13 SDPB and South Dakota News Watch forum.
US House: Jackley has comfortable lead
Since Johnson ran for governor, that opened up South Dakota’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In that contest, Jackley – who is from Sturgis and previously served as U.S. attorney for the District of South Dakota – has a comfortable lead toward securing the GOP nomination.
According to the poll, he has 68% support from South Dakota Republican voters surveyed, well ahead of challenger James Bialota Jr., who has 12%, with 20% of respondents undecided.
“This primary is definitely in Jackley’s favor, even if all the undecideds move to Bialota,” Hellwege said.
The winner will face Democrat Nicole “Nikki” Gronli in the November general election.
US Senate: Incumbent Rounds ahead by large margin
Rounds – who’s from Pierre and was South Dakota’s governor from 2003 to 2011 – also enjoys a sizable lead over his challenger.
He received 66% support from GOP voters surveyed, compared to 18% for challenger Justin McNeal, with 16% of respondents undecided.
“The fact that McNeal, who is vastly outspent by Rounds, is able to get up to 18% is commendable. But at the same time, I don’t think there’s any expectation that Rounds will not be able to hold on to that seat,” Hellwege said.
The winner will take on Democrat Julian Beaudion in November.
Favorability poll results for all governor, House and Senate candidates
The News Watch/Chiesman poll also asked Republicans their opinions of the candidates. To see results for each person, click the arrow below and the tab for each section: overall, by gender, age and region where they’re from.
Coming Tuesday
Tuesday’s story will focus on South Dakota News Watch/Chiesman Center for Democracy poll results on the job performance rating South Dakotans give Gov. Larry Rhoden, Sen. John Thune and other elected officials. The story also includes voter thoughts on Noem’s time as DHS secretary and President Trump’s decision to fire her.
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at sdnewswatch.org. Contact politics and statehouse reporter Alexander Rifaat: 605-736-4396/alexander.rifaat@sdnewswatch.org.
South Dakota
FCS Football Recruiting Roundup: South Dakota, Montana State Target 2027 Defensive Standouts
Welcome to another edition of the FCS Football Central Recruiting Roundup.
As spring practice winds down, recruits are still continuing to get on campus to visit schools and meet with their coaching staff. I caught up with some of the latest prospects who received an offer from an FCS program after their visit.
Amarie King | 2027 | DB | 5’7″ 140 lbs | Case High School | Racine, WI
King received his latest offer from South Dakota on April 17 after speaking with defensive coordinator Billy Kirch.
“Coach Kirch told me bout the offer, and that conversation went well. He told me a lot about the school, and asked me what my family and parents do. He said that my film was amazing and that he wanted to offer me,” King said.
“My recruitment is going well, although it is a little stressful here and there, but I am really just being patient and trusting the process, and keep working.”
He has visits to South Dakota and Drake coming up. Last season, he finished with 44 tackles, eight pass breakups, and six interceptions for the Eagles.
After a great conversation with coach kirch I’m blessed to I’ve received my first division 1 offer from @SDCoyotesFB @AntonGraham_ @MJ_NFLDraft @CoachBKirch @joshmanchigiah pic.twitter.com/jaxIYac67A
— Amarie King (@Amarieking27) April 17, 2026
Jayden Harris | 2027 | ATH | 6’2″ 170 lbs | Manteca High School | Manteca, CA
Harris picked up his latest offer from Montana State on Friday when he was in Bozeman for the Bobcats’ Junior Day, and meeting with cornerbacks coach Jordan Lee, defensive coordinator Bobby Daly, and head coach Brent Vigen.
“First, it was Coach Lee, then I had meetings with Coach Daly and Coach Vigen, who broke the news while we were talking. They want me to come in and play early. They like my versatility as a defensive back, and that’s why they offered me,” Harris said.
“The visit was cool! The snow was coming down, and the coaches still showed love. Recruiting is going well right now. Most schools that are in touch with me see something in me for sure, especially since I’m a zero-star athlete, so that’s love. I feel like I’m the best DB in California, and my measurements and production speak for themselves.”
He also has offers from Idaho, Washington State, and Sacramento State. He has upcoming visits to Arizona State and New Mexico.
Last season, he finished with 63 tackles, 11 pass breakups, nine interceptions, six tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pick-sixes for the Buffaloes.
Blessed to receive an offer from Montana State University 🐾 @ballcoachLee @CoachBobbyDaly @CoachSauve @CoachSmith59 @bvigen @BrandonHuffman @Rivals_Recruits @GregBiggins pic.twitter.com/ofYdjJKcmK
— Jay Harris (@JaydenOHarris) April 18, 2026
Maurice “MJ” Harrell | 2026 | DB | 6’1″ 170 lbs | Hutchinson CC | Hutchinson, KS
Harrell picked up his first Division I offer from Houston Christian on April 17 after he spoke with cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Coleman.
“Coach Coleman called and told me he liked what we saw from the videos I sent him, and that he wanted me to be a part of his program,” Harrell said.
Last season, he finished with 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery for the Blue Dragons. Mercyhurst, Division II UTPB, and Missouri Southern are some other schools he has been in contact with.
Blessed To Receive my first d1 offer from Houstan Christian University pic.twitter.com/OBD9ITQZHS
— MauriceHarrell (@M_Harrell19) April 18, 2026
Jadhari Young | 2026 | WR | 6’1″ 200 lbs | De Anza College | Cupertino, CA
Young received his latest offer from Eastern Illinois on April 15 after speaking with wide receivers coach Tino Smith.
“Coach Smith called me, and we had a long and great conversation. He told me he believes in me and that he thinks I can be great under his coaching,” Young said. “My recruitment has been going great since I graduated two weeks ago. A lot of coaches have expressed a lot of interest in me.”
Young also has offers from Sacramento State, Prairie View A&M, and Chicago State. Last season, he hauled in receptions for 559 yards and seven touchdowns for the Mountain Lions. He was named a Golden Coast Conference First Team selection.
He will be taking his official visit to Eastern Illinois on April 24. Gardner-Webb, West Florida, Monmouth, Stony Brook, and UMass are some other schools he is hearing from.
Blessed to receive my 5th D1 offer from Eastern Illinois University — Dhari Young “DEBO” (@dharigogetit) April 15, 2026
Thank you Coach @coachtinosmith for believing in me💯 pic.twitter.com/yMZjnsfRvK
AJ Moore | 2027 | RB | 5’9″ 200 lbs | College of Dupage | Glen Ellyn, IL
Moore received his first Division I offer from Lindenwood on April 17 after speaking with running backs coach Lane Lawson.
“Coach Lawson called and offered me. He just told me he’d be really excited to have me over and thinks I could be a part of something special with the program they got going over there,” Moore said.
Last season, he finished with 81 carries for 518 yards and five touchdowns, while adding nine receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns for the Chaparrals, who won their fifth consecutive NJCAA Division III national championship. Moore is working on scheduling his official visit to Lindenwood.
#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachLawsonLU I am blessed to have my first division 1 offer from Lindenwood University @LindenwoodFB @Dupage_Football @JUCOFFrenzy @AllenTrieu @JordanWesty1 pic.twitter.com/DGLjZC4gIA
— AJ Moore (@ajmoore6_) April 17, 2026
Leshem Nyante | 2027 | OT | 6’5″ 265 lbs | Anna High School | Anna, TX
Nyante picked up his latest offer from Texas Rio Grande Valley on April 17 after he spoke with offensive line coach Jeff Bowen.
“Coach Bowen reached out this morning to officially extend the offer. It was a great talk, and he mentioned they really liked my film and how I would fit their system. So we are focused on building that relationship now,” Nyante said.
“I’m really grateful for how my recruiting process is unfolding so far. Things are definitely moving fast with spring ball right around the corner, and it’s been great seeing the increase in interest every week.”
He also has offers from Arkansas State, Division II Midwestern State, and East Central University. Old Dominion, Texas State, UTEP, and New Mexico are some other schools he is hearing from. Nyante will be taking an official visit to Arkansas State in June.
#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachJeffBowen , I am blessed to receive a D1 offer from @UTRGVFootball !!@8_parr @Coach_Rigg @tylerdedwards33 @Sevier5 @jessedstew @AnnaCoyotesFB @CoachTBush @Perroni247 @SWiltfong_ @CKennedy247 pic.twitter.com/6o9H13baAb
— Leshem (Shem) Nyantee (@leshemnyantee10) April 17, 2026
Matthew Lashley | 2027 | DB | 6’1″ 198 lbs | Riverside City College | Riverside, CA
Lashley received his latest offer from East Texas A&M on April 15 after speaking with safeties coach Luke Jaicks.
“Coach Jaicks called and offered me. He’s a great coach, and I would love to play for him,” Lashley said. “My recruitment is going well; it’s starting to heat up after spring ball.”
He also has an offer from Southern Utah. Last season, he finished with 14 tackles and two interceptions for the Tigers.
Blessed to receive another D1 offer to @Lions_FB! @JacksonSimon25 @nilsonsports pic.twitter.com/X4iLU8VRID
— Matthew Lashley (@MatthewLashley_) April 15, 2026
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