74 flood insurance claims·$2.3M paid·5 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Calaveras County, California. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Calaveras County experiences flood risk primarily driven by prolonged winter storms and standard flooding events rather than flash flooding. Over the past 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 36 standard flood events resulting in 3 deaths, compared to 5 flash flood events. A notable recent example occurred in February 2025, when a strong winter storm brought 1 to 6 inches of rain, 2 to nearly 4 feet of heavy snow above 4,500 feet, and southerly wind gusts reaching 40 to 60 mph in the mountains and foothills. This severe weather caused road flooding alongside mud and rock coverages, paired with numerous downed trees.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that property owners in high-risk Zone A face the highest concentration of risk, logging 45 claims with an average payout of $40,627 and an average recorded water depth of 7 inches. However, properties outside designated high-risk areas must also remain vigilant; Zone X properties recorded 26 claims with an average payout of $49,010 and an average water depth of 4 inches. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should focus attention on properties situated within Zone A due to the higher frequency of claims and deeper average water accumulation, while recognizing that moderate-risk Zone X properties still incur significant financial losses from flooding.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
Less than 1% of Calaveras County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
45 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 6 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2006, with 15 claims and $699,805 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
16 NOAA storm reports from Calaveras County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the California flood stories →
23 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 5 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| 2-7 Fire | Sep 2, 2025 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mar 9, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 21, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Dec 27, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 13, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Jan 18, 2017 |
| Butte Fire | Sep 9, 2015 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
41 since 1996: 5 flash floods and 36 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Dec 24, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Feb 13, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Jan 14, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 12, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 11, 2023 | $20,000 |
| Flood | Mar 10, 2023 | — |
| Flood | Jan 10, 2023 | — |
| Flood | Dec 31, 2022 | $100,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Dec 24, 2025. A prolonged period of wet weather brought heavy snowfall and strong winds to the Sierra Nevada. Heaviest snowfall was observed from 12/24-12/26 when snow levels came down below the mountain passes. Snowfall measurements over the 12/24-12/26 timeframe were around 2-5 ft per Caltrans, Ski resorts, and UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab. Southerly wind gusts of 50-80 mph were observed as well across the Valley, foot…
Flood · Feb 13, 2025. A strong winter storm from late February 12th into Friday, February 14th brought heavy snow, rain, and gusty winds. This brought from 1 to 6 inches of rain, with totals of 2 to nearly 4 feet of heavy snow above 4500 feet. Gusty southerly wind gusts of 25 to 50 mph in the Valley, 40 to 60 mph in the mountains and foothills were recorded. Roads were reported to be flooded, as well as covered with mud and rocks in so…
Flood · Jan 14, 2023. A major winter storm in mid-January brought widespread rain, heavy mountain snow, gusty winds, flooding and significant mountain travel impacts. Thunderstorms developed on January 14, producing funnel clouds and a tornado in Sacramento County. Downed trees and roadway flooding were also reported.
Flash Flood · Mar 12, 2023. A wet system brought periods of heavy rain with flooding. There was 1 to 2 feet of snow accumulated above 6,500 feet, locally higher on some peaks. Heavy rain fell bringing widespread roadway flooding, as well as local mudslides, flash flooding, with evacuations ordered in some areas. Thunderstorms with large hail, strong damaging winds and tornadoes were reported. Strong winds gusting to 55 to 75 mph brought down…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Calaveras County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.