South Dakota Seeks Federal Disaster Aid for Storm Damage in 8 Counties and 2 Reservations

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has asked the president to declare a major disaster for storm damage in eight counties and portions of two reservations, but no federal approval has been announced.

The July 27 request covers severe weather that struck South Dakota from June 28 through July 3, including damaging straight-line winds, tornadoes, hail and flooding. A joint preliminary assessment estimated $4,564,928 in eligible damage to public infrastructure.

What South Dakota requested

Rhoden signed and submitted the request under the federal Stafford Act. It seeks Public Assistance for Beadle, Bennett, Buffalo, Day, Hand, Hughes, Hyde and Stanley counties, along with the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe portion of the Crow Creek Reservation within Buffalo, Hughes and Hyde counties and the portion of the Lower Brule Reservation within Stanley County.

The requested declaration would cover eligible costs involving debris clearance, emergency protective measures, roads, water-control systems, public buildings, utilities, parks and other public systems.

South Dakota had already declared a state of emergency on June 30 after severe storms caused damage across central parts of the state. That state action helped mobilize state resources and reduce administrative barriers for debris removal and recovery work. The later request seeks federal support for eligible public costs.

Damage estimate exceeds the cited federal indicator

The joint preliminary damage assessment was conducted from July 16 through July 23. It estimated $4,564,928 in eligible public-assistance damage across the eight counties.

The state calculated a statewide impact of $5.15 per resident, compared with a cited federal indicator of $1.94 per resident effective Oct. 1, 2025. That figure is an eligibility-threshold comparison, not a payment to residents.

The assessment is preliminary and does not represent a final repair bill. Local governments and other eligible applicants may continue documenting costs while federal officials review the request.

Hyde County accounts for about $2.815 million of the estimate, while Beadle County accounts for about $896,565. Together, the two counties represent more than 80% of the preliminary statewide total.

Why electric cooperatives are central to the request

The governor‘s letter says the storms damaged distribution lines, utility poles, transformers and other electrical equipment, with more than 4,000 customers experiencing outages. The cooperatives identified in the request are Basin Electric, Dakota Energy, East River Electric, LaCreek Electric and Oahe Electric.

East River Electric reported damage across Beadle, Day, Hand, Hughes and Hyde counties. In Hyde County, the request cites about 110 damaged transmission poles and approximately 1,859 affected consumers. Across the affected counties, about 3,670 East River customers experienced more than 5,449 customer-hours without service.

The state says rural cooperatives face higher restoration costs because they serve large, sparsely populated territories. The governor’s letter warns that, without federal support, cooperatives could face pressure to raise rates or add storm-recovery fees. That is a stated risk in the request, not an announced rate change.

Independent reporting by FOX Weather documented the storm’s 131-mph wind gust and power outages in the Highmore area. The governor’s request says two observation sites recorded the gust near Holabird and Highmore and that it is being evaluated for possible state and national records. It should not be treated as a finalized record.

What approval would change

South Dakota is requesting a Public Assistance cost share of 75% federal, 10% state and 15% local. Those funds are not awarded or available unless the presidential declaration is approved and eligible costs are accepted through the federal process.

The request also seeks statewide eligibility for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. If approved, that eligibility could support future projects intended to reduce damage from later disasters, but no new mitigation funds have been awarded through this request.

Public Assistance generally applies to eligible public entities, tribal governments, utilities and infrastructure. It does not automatically provide checks to every homeowner, renter or business affected by the storms, and the request does not establish individual assistance.

What happens next

FEMA and other federal officials must review South Dakota’s request and supporting documentation before the president decides whether to issue a major disaster declaration. The state and local governments will continue documenting eligible damage and response costs while that review is pending.

For residents, the key distinction is whether the request becomes an approved declaration and what final cost-share terms apply. Until then, the $4.56 million figure remains a preliminary estimate, and federal public-assistance funding has not been approved.

Sources

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