FEMA Floodplain designation affects 19 new properties in Flandreau

Nineteen separate property owners in Flandreau are now facing uncertainty following a new FEMA floodplain designation that includes their homes or businesses.
Whats troublesome is when, in Flandreau, these 19 properties, people have lived there for 5075 years or whatever and theyve never been touched by a flood and now theyre told theyre within the floodplain, thats a pretty hard pill to swallow, said IMEG engineer Shane Waterman, who presented the findings to the Flandreau City Council during a recent meeting.
IMEG identified 19 structures that appear to be impacted by the new flood map and recommends that property owners have elevation surveys conducted to determine the lowest adjacent grades for each affected property. These surveys will help confirm whether the structures are truly within the floodplain or may be eligible for exemption.
Waterman will prepare a quote for the city to review, and information will be shared with affected property owners.
The newly designated floodplain properties include two commercial properties Mad Mays and The Spot two public properties the County Shop and Flandreau Public Schools and 15 private residential properties, most of which are located along the Big Sioux River between the Highway 32 bridge and North Crescent Street.
Under federal guidelines, properties with structures located in a floodplain and tied to federally backed mortgage loans will be required to obtain flood insurance. While properties without a mortgage are not required to carry flood insurance, owners of any property located along or within a designated floodplain are eligible to purchase a policy if they choose.
The City of Flandreau submitted an appeal challenging the runoff volume calculations used by FEMA in its new floodplain modeling. The appeal was denied however, and the new 2025 flood map will be implemented without revisions.
Elevation surveys may still be an option for property owners. If a propertys elevation is high enough above the floodplain benchmark, the owner may be able to apply for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), potentially removing the structure from the floodplain and lifting insurance requirements.
An entire report of IMEGs findings is available at the city office for anyone interested.