Blog · October 14, 2026 · South Dakota
Hughes County Flood Zone Map (South Dakota)
FEMA's free flood maps and the Hughes County parcel viewer, used together for property near Harrold.
Main page: Hughes County, SD GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Hughes County facts and neighboring maps).
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A Hughes County flood zone map check belongs in the due diligence for any Hughes County property, from a house lot in Harrold to farm ground near Blunt. You can check it yourself for any Harrold address in a few minutes.
Below are the FEMA links, a plain reading of the zone labels, notes on where water shapes land around Harrold, and short answers to common questions.
How to use the Hughes County flood zone map
FEMA's official flood maps for Hughes County are free at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Search returns the effective FIRM panel for the spot in Hughes County, plus any pending changes FEMA has posted. For an interactive view of the county, try FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer viewer, so you can see whether the shading reaches a house near Blunt. Then open the District III regional GIS map for Hughes County to confirm the parcel near Harrold. The Hughes County record gives the parcel number and legal description that an insurer or lender near Harrold may ask for.
Opening the Hughes County parcel viewer
Hughes County publishes its parcels on the District III regional GIS map, which runs on the District III planning district web GIS, free to use for a lot in Pierre or a parcel near Blunt. Use the search box for an address in Pierre or a parcel number, or simply zoom in and click a parcel near Blunt. Bookmark our Hughes County page too; it tracks the official South Dakota link if it moves and lists the maps around Pierre.
Reading the zones on a Hughes County flood map
On the FIRM covering Hughes County, zones that start with A or V are Special Flood Hazard Areas, defined by a 1-percent annual chance of being flooded. Where a Hughes County tract shows Zone AE, there's a base flood elevation to compare a building against; in Zone A there isn't one. Land near Blunt in shaded X (Zone B on older maps) sits in the moderate band between the 100-year and 500-year floods. Unshaded X (or C) on the Hughes County panel means minimal risk.
Creeks, rivers and low ground in Hughes County
Parcels touching Missouri River deserve a FEMA check before anything else in Hughes County. On many tracts near Harrold, the zone covers the low ground by the water while the homesite near the road is outside it. A creek near Blunt that shows no detailed zone can still flood; FEMA says moderate- and low-risk areas still carry risk.
Questions to ask before buying in Hughes County
For a house near Blunt, ask the seller for any elevation certificate on file and the current flood insurance declarations page. Then call an insurance agent who writes policies around Pierre and get a quote using the zone and the county parcel address.
What a flood zone means for a Hughes County buyer
Lenders watch the zone closely on Hughes County properties. Where a building in Harrold is mapped in a high-risk zone and secures a loan from a federally regulated or insured lender, a flood policy becomes a loan condition under the Flood Disaster Protection Act, wherever the community joins the NFIP. In Zone X near Harrold, coverage is optional; pricing a policy for land near Blunt is still worth a call. Where a structure near Harrold looks higher than the shading suggests, FEMA's LOMA process allows a review, supported by elevation data from a licensed land surveyor. Adding on to a house near Blunt inside the zone has to meet local floodplain rules, and the building office serving Blunt explains the steps.
Quick answers for Hughes County
What does BFE mean on the flood map for Pierre?
Near Harrold, the BFE is the height floodwater is expected to reach in the 1-percent-annual-chance flood, and it's printed in AE zones.
Is flood insurance required for a Zone X lot in Pierre?
FEMA does not require it for a Zone X lot in Pierre, but coverage is available and some lenders ask for it.
What if FEMA's map is wrong about my house near Harrold?
FEMA reviews requests such as a LOMA for Hughes County properties; start with an elevation certificate.
Does a 100-year floodplain near Harrold flood only once a century?
No, ground around Pierre mapped that way faces a 1-percent annual chance, and two floods in one decade near Pierre are possible.
Can I see flood zones on the Hughes County GIS map?
Look for a flood or floodplain layer in the Hughes County viewer, then verify the zone with FEMA.
Can I build in a flood zone in Hughes County?
Often, but local floodplain rules apply; ask the county or town building office in Pierre well before you buy.
Open the official Hughes County, SD parcel map Hughes County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.