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FEMA flood zones · Colorado

Kiowa County, Colorado Flood Zone Map

3 federal flood & hurricane disasters

Less than 1% of Kiowa County’s area is in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones.

Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.

Coastal high risk (V, VE)FloodwayHigh risk (A, AE)Moderate (X, 500-year)Minimal (X)Undetermined (D)

Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Kiowa 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.

In their words

2 NOAA storm reports from Kiowa County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Colorado flood stories →

Federal disasters

11 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.

DisasterBegan
Severe Storms, Flooding, And TornadoesJun 8, 2023
SnowDec 28, 2006
Hurricane Katrina EvacuationAug 29, 2005
WildfiresApr 23, 2002
Severe Winter StormsApr 11, 2001
Flooding 4/30/99Apr 29, 1999
Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, MudslidesJul 28, 1997
DroughtJan 29, 1977

Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.

Recorded flood events

10 since 1996: 10 flash floods.

EventDateDamage
Flash FloodMay 16, 2021—
Flash FloodJun 17, 2019—
Flash FloodJul 15, 2017—
Flash FloodJul 29, 2014—
Flash FloodMay 24, 2005—
Flash FloodJul 10, 2005—
Flash FloodAug 5, 1999—
Flash FloodAug 9, 1998—

— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.

From the storm reports

Flash Flood · May 16, 2021. A favorable setup for strong to severe storms occurred on this day across the plains, mainly along and just to the north of the Highway 50 corridor. Within this corridor, large hail up to around two inches was the main threat. Flash flooding and even a weak and brief tornado also occurred.

Flash Flood · Jun 17, 2019. A very active severe weather day across portions of the eastern Colorado plains on June 17th. Several supercells developed in Kiowa County and remained nearly stationary producing areas of flash flooding and tornadoes with large hail. ||Farther south, large hail was reported near Pueblo and Pinon. Largest hail reported was tennis ball size right before the storm hit downtown Pueblo. Winds gusted to near 70 MPH wit…

Flash Flood · Jul 15, 2017. Numerous strong storms produced flash flooding from the Upper Arkansas Valley to the southeast plains. A significant flash flood occurred on the Hayden Pass burn scar, which prompted the evacuation of a camping resort and residents. There were no injuries.

Flash Flood · Jul 29, 2014. Numerous strong, slow-moving storms caused flash flooding across Kiowa, Bent, Prowers, and Baca Counties.

National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.

The zones you’ll see on the map

Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.

Cross-section of a river floodplainDiagram: a river valley. The floodway is the channel and the land beside it; the 1%-annual-chance flood surface (the base flood elevation) covers the valley floor as zone A or AE; a narrow band higher up is shaded X, the 0.2% floodplain; higher ground is X.0.2% CHANCE A YEAR (500-YEAR)BASE FLOOD ELEVATION · 1% A YEARXAEFloodwayAEX
  1. A / AE Inside the 1%-a-year floodplain: about a 26% chance of flooding over a 30-year mortgage. AE has a mapped base flood elevation; plain A does not.
  2. Floodway The channel and the land beside it that has to be kept clear enough to carry the flood. Building here is tightly limited.
  3. X shaded The 0.2% (500-year) floodplain, plus some levee-protected and very shallow flood areas.
  4. X Outside both lines. No federal requirement to insure, which is not the same as no risk.

Every flood zone code explained →

Flood insurance in Kiowa County

If a building in Kiowa 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.