7 flood insurance claims·$46,179 paid·1 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 Grand County, Colorado. 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.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood history of Grand County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 16 flash flood events in the county. Recent incidents include heavy rainfall on September 14, 2023, which produced localized flash flooding and temporary road closures in the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome burn scars. Additionally, significant flash flooding on August 20, 2022, caused mudslides that blocked portions of Highway 125, impacted Drowsy Water Ranch and County Road 219, and left debris inside the ranch's main office.
Federal Emergency Management Agency records show a low volume of National Flood Insurance Program claims across the county over time. These include 3 claims in Zone A with an average payout of $8,332 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches; 2 claims in Zone UNKNOWN with an average payout of $18,924 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches; 1 claim in Zone D with an average payout of $0 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches; and 1 claim in Zone X with an average payout of $0 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties located within Zone A, as well as those near burn scars and mountain roads susceptible to rapid runoff, mudslides, and debris flows during intense summer rainstorms.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 2 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 1998, with 2 claims and $8,332 paid.
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.
9 NOAA storm reports from Grand County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Colorado flood stories →
8 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| East Troublesome Fire | Oct 17, 2020 |
| Wildfires | Sep 6, 2020 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Snow | Mar 17, 2003 |
| Wildfires | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Drought | Jan 29, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
16 since 1996: 16 flash floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 14, 2023 | $15,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 23, 2022 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 22, 2022 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2021 | $25,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2021 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 23, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2021 | $15,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Sep 14, 2023. Heavy rainfall produced localized flash flooding which resulted to temporary road closures in the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome burn scars.
Flash Flood · Jul 23, 2022. A brief period of heavy rainfall caused mud and rocks to cover Highway 125, as anywhere from 0.25 to 0.50 inches of rain fell in 30 minutes. The highway was closed between Trail Creek and Coral Cabin Creek Road (FR 112). There was some road damage with a large area of mud and rocks covering the roadway. Two bulldozers were brought out to remove the debris.
Flash Flood · Aug 22, 2022. Another period of moderate to heavy rainfall, forced the closure of Highway 125. The highway was closed in both directions for several hours due to safety concerns regarding mudslides.
Flash Flood · Aug 20, 2022. Significant flash flooding occurred at Drowsy Water Ranch and along Highway 125. Significant impacts were observed on County Road 219, from the ranch down to Highway 40. The main office had debris into the building. Some of the rocks and boulders in the buildings were approximately 20��� in diameter. Grand County Sheriff office reported several mudslides blocked portions of the highway, along with other…
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 Grand 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.