During the night of June 9, 1972 a stalled storm system dumped more than 10 inches of rain in the Rapid Creek basin—more than enough total rainfall to fill Pactola Lake 14 times before it was over. The crest of the flash flood and the debris it carried hit Canyon Lake around 10 p.m., tearing out the dam and adding more mud and debris to the torrent that swept through the center of Rapid City. The flood claimed the lives of 238 people, injured thousands more, and destroyed homes, businesses and property throughout the Black Hills.
The region will mark the fortieth anniversary of the flood this June and remember those who were lost. Events are set for June 8, 9 and 10 at the Civic Center, The Journey Museum, Rapid City Public Library, Dahl Arts Center, and along the greenway.
Friends of Rapid City Parks are participating in the committee planning the commemoration in June. Former Rapid City Mayor Don Barnett chairs the group, which includes Verne Sheppard, Kay Rippentrop, LaVonne Masters, Jerry Schoener, Jim Kuehn, Larry Lytle, Gary Brown, Suzanne Martley, Donovan Sprague, Greta Chapman, Ray Summers, Larry Dahlstrom, and Wes Storm. Meetings of the planning committee, set for April 4 and May 1, are open to the public.
For more information about the flood and recorded remembrances from those who experienced it, visit the Rapid City Public Library’s site. You can read about plans for the 40th Anniversary Commemoration: Remembrance and Renewal, in the Rapid City Journal Online or in the Black Hills Knowledge Network.