Even though many have had to deal with damage from rising groundwater, some say they're thankful that emergency earthen levees built in early June limited the damage by keeping the swollen river from sweeping through their neighborhoods. U.S. Representative Kristi Noem says she's relieved residents can finally move back but says much work still needs to be done.

     Rep. Noem says, "I'm in Pierre this weekend and there's just a lot of work to be done. Obviously as the waters recede, that's great news, but also there's a lot of work to do. There's sandbags to clean up, infrastructure to repair, and we got to assess the damage that was done underground as well."

     The flooding was caused by record releases from Missouri River dams to get rid of water from a heavy Rocky Mountain snowpack and torrential spring rains. As water levels drop, residents and government agencies in South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri are assessing millions of dollars in damage and making repairs to houses, roads and other facilities.

Zach Nugent