West River braces for post-snowstorm flooding, showers

Following a late-spring snowstorm that dumped up to 25 inches of snow in the Black Hills last week, runoff and rainstorms have submerged the western side of South Dakota.

The National Weather Service issued flood warnings Tuesday morning for Custer, Pennington, Oglala, Hakkon, Ziebach and Meade counties effective until Friday morning.

Rapid Creek is out of its banks from the Rapid City Fairgrounds to Rapid Valley. Police have advised evacuations of trailer homes on Melody Lane, surrounded by the overflowing creek between South Valley Drive and Elk Vale Road.

In Keystone, bridges are underwater. Main Street is down to one lane in areas, and Grizzly Gulch Road is flooded, according to the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.

No travel is advised on Old Hill City Road from Kemp’s Camp to Keystone as stretches are flooded and rocks are rolling down from the hillside.

Highway 16A isn’t flooded, but deputies are warning those visiting Mt. Rushmore to drive with caution to avoid hydroplaning.

Three inches of rain has fallen in Hakkon, Ziebach and Meade counties in the last 24 hours, causing flooding along Cherry, Rattlesnake and Ash Creeks.

It’s not expected to stop. National Weather Service Rapid City predicts a 100 percent chance of rain on Tuesday, 30 percent chance on Wednesday and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon.