Blog · October 14, 2026 · South Dakota
Meade County Flood Zone Map: checking a property's flood zone
Flood zones are set by FEMA, and checking one near Box Elder takes a few minutes.
Main page: Meade County, SD GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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Before you buy or build near Cheyenne River, look at the Meade County flood zone map: a mapped flood zone changes insurance, permits and resale. In this county guide: locating a parcel on FEMA's map, decoding A, AE and X, and pairing it with the county Beacon site, especially near Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge.
Getting started with the Meade County flood zone map
For a more interactive look, try the National Flood Hazard Layer viewer, where zone shading sits over a photo base, for land near Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge included. Vacant ground around Summerset is still easy to locate: zoom in from US Route 212 and click the spot.
Pulling up a parcel
Your first stop is the Meade County Beacon site; it maps each assessed parcel around Cheyenne River and Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge. If you only know roughly where the land is, follow US Route 212 on the aerial and select the outline, whether the land is near Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge or elsewhere in the county. If the land is near Bear Butte State Park, copy the parcel ID while you have it open; each office in the county will want it.
What the zone letters mean
In and around Wonderland Homes, any A or V zone are Special Flood Hazard Areas, land with a 1-percent chance of flooding in any year. Around Bear Butte State Park, shaded Zone X is moderate risk, roughly the 100- to 500-year range; unshaded X means minimal mapped risk.
Use the county map alongside FEMA
FEMA doesn't draw property lines, so open the Meade County Beacon site next for the outline of the tract near Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge.
On site with the map
Most viewers work in a phone browser, which helps when you're standing on land near Wonderland Homes, though signal can drop in rural spots. A screenshot of the parcel near Faith with its ID is a good backup.
Who handles what
Questions about value or the owner field for land near Summerset go to the Director of Equalization, since that office keeps the assessment data. Building or septic questions for a lot near Cheyenne River are for the local planning and health departments, depending on whether the land is inside town limits.
When a parcel crosses a boundary
Meade County borders Butte County, Haakon County, Lawrence County, Pennington County, and Perkins County, and each of those keeps its own parcel map. A tract near the line by Blucksberg Mountain can be split in two county records, so check the neighboring map as well. For a parcel near Summerset, our state page links each bordering county map for South Dakota.
A quick look at the area
Sturgis holds the county offices, which is where the courthouse records live. You'll also find Box Elder, Faith, Piedmont, and Summerset, where town lots give way to larger tracts. About 30,954 people live in Meade County (Census estimate, 2023) across about 3,471 square miles. Meade County was organized in 1889, which matters when you trace an old farm's title. Features like Cheyenne River and Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge are easy to spot when you zoom out.
What to request from a seller
For a parcel near Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge, request for any Elevation Certificate before closing; getting a quote early avoids surprises.
Low spots and local drainage
Small streams around Blucksberg Mountain aren't always studied in detail, so walk the land after rain. Wetlands near Box Elder can limit building even outside a flood zone; check the National Wetlands Inventory mapper for a first look.
Lenders and permits
Near Bear Butte State Park, ask for an Elevation Certificate: it can change the insurance price a lot. Remodeling a house in a zone near Box Elder can trigger elevation rules; call the permitting office before you plan.
What the map can't tell you
In and around Wonderland Homes, the acreage figure is an assessed number; only a licensed surveyor can set the real boundary on the ground. Out toward Piedmont, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month can take weeks to appear.
Meade County: common questions
What is a LOMA near Faith?
Out toward Bear Butte National Wildlife Refuge, a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from FEMA can remove a structure on naturally high ground, and lenders accept the result.
How often are flood maps updated for land near Bear Butte State Park?
If the land is near Blucksberg Mountain, FEMA revises flood maps panel by panel as new studies finish; your community is notified before changes take effect.
How do I check the flood zone for an address near Sturgis?
For most people, look up the spot near Bend in FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer viewer; then confirm the parcel on the county viewer.
What is a base flood elevation near Blackhawk?
For most people, the base flood elevation is the water level expected in the 1% annual chance flood; surveyors near Ellsworth AFB use it often.
Who keeps deeds for property in Meade County?
In and around Summerset, the Director of Equalization handles values and the tax roll, and the Register of Deeds keeps deeds, while zoning questions go to planning
Open the official Meade County, SD parcel map See it 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.