South Dakota Statewide Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Mitigation Is Not a "Quick Fix"

Mitigation Approaches

Hazard Vulnerability

• Floods
  • Big Sioux River Basin
  • Vermillion River Basin
  • James River Basin
  • Black Hills Region
• Tornadoes
• Winter Storms
• Drought
• Wild Fire
• Earthquakes

Listing of Past Major Disaster Events

Listing of Past Natural Hazards Occurrences and Disasters

HMGP Forms

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

Natural phenomena such as floods, tornadoes, droughts, winter storms, earthquake, and wild fires are considered a fact of life based upon our climatic and geo-physical conditions. Hazards associated with these potential disaster producing events become tangible when a risk factor is applied. The risk of an event causing significant damage or destruction increases significantly with expanded development patterns and land use encroachment. Natural hazards such as flooding or tornadoes hold little threat to life or property in a sparsely populated environment. While we can not control the occurrence of events, we can directly influence the severity of impact by initiating pre-disaster long-term hazard mitigation planning, principles, and practices—in reality, taking action to "break" the repetitive cycle of damage, reconstruction, and recurrence of damages to the same locality or facility. However, we recognize it is not always easy to predict the location or amount of impact a disaster will have.

Why Mitigate?

All too often mitigation is considered as a post-disaster activity.  Damages occur, recovery takes place, and then questions arise as to why did it happen and what can be done to correct any problems.  Mitigation actions are intended to eliminate or lessen the impact of a recurring event upon life and property.