Last South Dakota lake ravaged by record floods reopens for boating
South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks lifts 'no boating declaration,' no-wake order now in place for McCook Lake
A southeast South Dakota lake where historic summer flooding ravaged dozens of homes is again open for boating.
But McCook Lake water recreation will remain limited with a no-wake order despite the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks (GFP) on Tuesday lifting a “no boating declaration” issued in late June when as much as 18 inches of rain drenched parts of the region, pushing dozens of waterbodies, rivers, and streams beyond their banks.
While the June floods destroyed and damaged property throughout southeast South Dakota, McCook Lake experienced some of the worst devastation. About 30 homes there were ruined in the flood event.
“There is still a significant amount of debris in the lake itself,” said Sam Schelhaas, law enforcement chief for GFP. “We want to open the water with a no-wake zone, which will allow individuals to continue cleanup and dock retrieval from this event.”
The flooding prompted a presidential disaster declaration, and through Sept. 5, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved 926 requests for assistance valued at $5,549,375.
GFP cautions boaters on McCook Lake to be aware of debris floating below the surface and to respect the local homeowners by following the no-wake restriction.
