Enter any address in Montezuma County, Colorado to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms and high runoff from snowmelt are the primary flood drivers in Montezuma County. In August 2023, remnants of Tropical Storm Harold combined with subtropical moisture to produce heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and debris flows in the county. Earlier that year, in April 2023, accelerated snowmelt from a near-record snowpack resulted in high river flows and flooding that compromised county roads and bridges.
The National Flood Insurance Program has recorded 12 claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $1404 and an average water depth of 0.5 feet. Two claims were recorded in Zone X, averaging $1244, and two in Zone Unknown, averaging $135. Homeowners in Zone A, and those located near rivers and drainages, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Montezuma County, Colorado has recorded 22 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 11 river or area floods. The county has received 8 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1970–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Weber Fire | Fire | Jun 23, 2012 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Coastal Storm | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Drought | Drought | Jan 29, 1977 |
| Flooding & Landslides | Flood | Jul 6, 1973 |
| Heavy Rains & Flooding | Flood | Sep 22, 1970 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Aug 24, 2023 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Aug 24, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 14, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 9, 2023 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Aug 15, 2022 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Aug 15, 2022 | 0.25K |
| Flood | Jul 16, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 25, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 14, 2013 | 0.00K |
Flood — Aug 24, 2023
Remnants from Tropical Storm Harold lifted across the Desert Southwest. This, combined with already abundant subtropical moisture, resulted in widespread showers and thunderstorms across western Colorado. Storms were slow moving and produced heavy rain. As a result of the heavy rain, some flooding and debris flows occurred in portions of Gunnison, Garfield, Mesa, and Montezuma counties.
Flood — Mar 14, 2023
Heavy rain on snow resulted in rapid runoff across portions of southwest Colorado. This led to flooding in portions of Montezuma County when the combination of snowmelt and rain led to the failure of a culvert. Portions of Highway 184 closed due to the flooding.
Flood — Aug 14, 2023
Abundant monsoon moisture remained across Western Colorado. This led to another round of showers and thunderstorms across much of the region. Storms were slow moving and produced heavy rain. As a result of the heavy rain, some flooding occurred in portions of Montrose and Montezuma counties.
Flood — Apr 9, 2023
Above normal temperatures accelerated snowmelt from a near-record snowpack. This resulted in high and fast flows on several rivers and drainages across Western Colorado. The increased runoff and flooding compromised several county roads and bridges across Montezuma, Archuleta, Routt, Delta, Dolores, Montrose, and Moffat counties.
Flood — Aug 15, 2022
The plume of deepest monsoon moisture shifted over portions of western Colorado in response to a midlevel shortwave trough which tracked overhead. This resulted in an uptick in shower and thunderstorm activity. Storms were slow moving and produced heavy rain. Localized flooding and debris flows occurred across Montezuma and Gunnison counties.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Montezuma County, Colorado:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Montezuma County, Colorado that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.