Senator John Thune

During the August recess, I had the opportunity to again visit areas affected by Missouri River flooding. While I certainly saw improvement in these areas since my previous visits, there is still much work to do be done.

As the water recedes, sandbags remain in the streets and on the sidewalks. Many of our neighbors' basements and walls have water damage and are now left to pick up the pieces.

While the urgency to help those affected by the flood is not as pressing as it was a few months back while working to prevent flood damage, there is still much to be done.

While South Dakotans continue to generously come to the aid of those affected by the flood, many of us are working to ensure that the tough questions are answered, including examining the river management decisions that were made in the lead up to the historic Missouri River Flood. 

As a member of the Senate Missouri River Working Group, I have remained in contact with top officials in the Army Corps of Engineers and will do so in the coming weeks and months.

After spearheading a bipartisan letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in July to request hearings on the flooding, I am working to ensure that these hearings take place.

So while the flood waters recede and the news articles begin to fade, let us all remain vigilant in helping our fellow South Dakotans recover from the disastrous flooding.

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