Disaster-ridden McCook Lake could see relief from Legislature

Measure to provide relief funding stays alive after referral to appropriators

A June 24, 2024, view of flood damage that occurred the previous night at McCook Lake in southeastern South Dakota. (Courtesy of Dirk Lohry)

PIERRE — A once in a thousand year flooding event in southeastern South Dakota in 2024 has prompted lawmakers to consider finding money for disaster relief.

The measure proposes establishing and putting money into the “McCook Lake contingency fund.” The lake, situated in Union County near North Sioux City, was the site of some of the most devastating flooding that occurred in the summer of 2024, when massive rainfall events created record water levels that destroyed or damaged homes, roads, and infrastructure throughout the region. At McCook Lake, the flooding destroyed and damaged more than 100 residences, leading to millions of dollars in property damage and completely transforming the landscape of the area for good.

Rep. Chris Kassin of Vermillion appeared before the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee in 2024 to pitch an “economic development” bill that would have replaced the pipes on the lake’s pumping system. Many of the same supporters who vouched for that bill last year did so again for House Bill 1108 Tuesday morning.

But now, both the mood and the ask are different.

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