Restoration help in Flandreau

About Flandreau

Flandreau was first settled in 1857 and named for Charles E. Flandrau, but the settlement was abandoned within a year. In 1869, 25 Santee Sioux families resettled the site, and white settlement resumed in 1872. Flandreau has been the Moody County seat since 1873 (Wikipedia). It is home to the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and the Flandreau Indian School, a federal boarding school that opened in 1892 as the Riggs Institute. The 2020 census counted 2,372 residents and 1,072 housing units.

Big Sioux River flood history

The Big Sioux has cut Flandreau off before. In April 1969, river flooding blocked every road into town (Argus Leader). In March and April 2019, widespread Big Sioux flooding left homes surrounded by water from Flandreau Creek, according to the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe's flood mitigation planning documents (Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe).

That September, heavy rain hit again. The National Weather Service recorded a two-day total of 6.15 inches at Flandreau on September 11 and 12, 2019, with evacuations, water rescues and major-to-record flooding on the Big Sioux across the region (NWS Sioux Falls). Dakota News Now reported about seven inches over two days in Flandreau and flooded streets (Dakota News Now).

Call about damage in Flandreau

What drives restoration calls here

• River and creek flooding. Floodwater is treated as the most contaminated category, so soaked drywall, insulation and carpet are removed. See basement flooding.
• Sewer backups into basements during heavy rain. See sewage backup cleanup.
• Frozen pipes and ice dams in the long winters. See frozen pipes.
• Heating-season fires. See fire and smoke damage.

After river water gets in

Floodwater from the Big Sioux or Flandreau Creek carries mud, sewage and farm runoff, so cleanup follows the rules for contaminated water. Wait until the power is off and the water has gone down, wear boots and gloves, and photograph the water line before any cleanup. Wet carpet, pad, insulation and the lower drywall are generally removed rather than dried, and the walls and floors are cleaned and disinfected before drying starts.

Local utility contacts

The City of Flandreau says it operates the seventh-largest municipal utility in South Dakota, providing electricity, water, sewer and residential garbage collection (City of Flandreau). The city has been replacing aging water and sewer lines in a multi-year, citywide project. The Moody County Enterprise reported in October 2026 that the final scheduled phase, in southern Flandreau, was nearing completion after delays that included an unusually wet September (Moody County Enterprise).

Flood insurance

The South Dakota Division of Insurance says most homeowners policies do not cover flood, and lists the National Flood Insurance Program at 800-427-4661 and FEMA disaster assistance at 800-621-3362 (SD Division of Insurance). See the South Dakota insurance guide for claim steps.

Services covered in Flandreau

Egan and Colman in Moody County are covered for the same four services. See the service area page for the full list.

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