Enter any address in Bingham County, Idaho to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow and snowmelt flooding are the dominant flood types in Bingham County. Recent events include sheet flooding in February 2017 due to above-normal temperatures following extreme snowfall, and continued flooding in May 2017 from persistent winter snowmelt.
National Flood Insurance Program data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $4,463 and an average water depth of 1.9 feet. While Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone X have seen fewer claims with no reported water depth, there have been instances of claims in these areas as well. Residents in low-lying areas, those near rivers, and properties not built to the Base Flood Elevation should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
3 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Bingham County, Idaho has recorded 15 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 5 flash floods and 10 river or area floods. The county has received 7 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1976–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Flood | Feb 5, 2017 |
| Hurricane Katrina | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Jul 27, 2000 |
| Severe Storms, Snowmelt, Land/mud Slides, Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 14, 1997 |
| Dam Collapse, Flooding | Flood | Jun 6, 1976 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2017 | 917.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2017 | 33.00K |
| Flood | Mar 1, 2017 | 215.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2017 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 6, 2014 | 300.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 10, 2011 | 2.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2011 | 5.00K |
Flood — Feb 25, 2019
An extended atmospheric river event occurred for an entire week. Extremely heavy snow fell in the mountains with amounts at SNOTEL sites reaching as high as 5 to 8 feet for the week. Many roads closed through the mountains. Schools closed and some sheet flooding began mainly in Bingham and Minidoka counties where temperatures warmed significantly. Avalanches also occurred in the central m...
Flood — Feb 4, 2017
A trend toward above normal temperatures in February after extreme snowfall amounts in both December and January led to extensive flooding issues during the entirety of the month. The brunt of the flooding occurred in Cassia, Minidoka, Jefferson, Lincoln and Bingham Counties but all counties did receive at least minor flooding. The floding began February 4th and continued to affect low lying...
Flood — May 1, 2017
Winter snow melt continued from record winter snowfall and flooding continued throughout much of May in much of southeast Idaho especially in the central mountains and along the Big Wood River.
Flood — Mar 1, 2017
Lower elevation mountain snowpack continued to melt in March and widespread sheet flooding from the snow melt. Although the severity of the flooding diminished from the onset in January and February, the persistence and flood damage continued in most counties.
Flood — Jun 1, 2017
Winter snow melt and river flooding continued throughout much of June with Blaine and Custer counties receiving the worst of it.
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 Bingham County, Idaho:
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 Bingham County, Idaho 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.