Project Background

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (SWO) Tribe conducted a Resilience Vulnerability Assessment for the Lake Traverse Reservation’s multimodal transportation systems. This project was funded through US Department of Transportation, PROTECT program. Through this process, the project team assessed environmental hazard vulnerabilities that adversely impact the transportation system, and identified implementable solutions to improve transportation resiliency.


Click each of the questions below to learn more about the project.

Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation Program (PROTECT)

  • The study will assess vulnerabilities of the Tribe’s surface transportation assets and community response strategies.
  • Assist the Tribe and their county and state level partners in advancing safe, efficient transportation that will significantly reduce serious and fatal injuries on the nation's roadways.
  • The Tribe will be able to review and choose transportation plans and projects that use proven ways to deal with climate change.
  • Policies will ensure future projects don’t harm the air, water, wetlands, or endangered animals. Plus, they will work to fix the unfair environmental problems that transportation has caused on the reservation.

What We Heard

Through stakeholder engagement and public outreach, community members shared their concerns for different types of hazard events and the roads/transportation networks within the LTR that are most impacted by hazard events.

Concerns Related to Hazard Events

Greatest Concern for Hazards
  • Severe Winter Weather: blizzards, heavy snow, ice storms, and extreme cold
  • Flooding
  • Severe Summer Weather: tornadoes, wind, hail, lightning, and extreme heat
Challenges Faced During Hazard Events
  • Individuals/families having difficulty getting out of their homes
  • Roads being washed out
  • Local services/amenities are not available for length of time
  • Difficulty preparing for hazard events
  • Damages/loss of property
  • Not having the finances to be able to stock up/prepare for hazard events

Impacts to the Transportation System

When asked which roads, bridges, and trails were most impacted by hazard events, respondents reported the areas of greatest concern or experiencing the most disruptions:

  • BIA Highway 800 - Sisseton, South Dakota: Annual flooding or being washed out from rain events.
  • 135th Street - Waubay, South Dakota: Snow drifts are common
  • 446a Avenue - Waubay, South Dakota: Flooding is a common issue
  • 131st Street - Peever, South Dakota: Flooding is a common issue
  • Whetstone Creek floods often and impacts Grant and Roberts Counties
  • Other roads mentioned include:
    • Yellowstone Trail
    • County 1
    • Waubay 3rd St.
    • Highway 12
    • BIA 500
    • BIA 700
    • Highway 10
    • County 1
    • 445th Avenue
    • County 6