Home›States›Idaho›Camas County
FEMA flood zones · Idaho

Camas County, Idaho Flood Zone Map

2 federal flood & hurricane disasters

Less than 1% of Camas 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 Camas County, Idaho. 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.

Federal disasters

8 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.

DisasterBegan
Flooding, Landslides, And MudslidesMay 6, 2017
Beaver Creek FireAug 15, 2013
Hurricane KatrinaAug 29, 2005
Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And LandslidesNov 16, 1996
DroughtMay 5, 1977
Heavy Rains & FloodingDec 31, 1964

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

Recorded flood events

5 since 1996: 4 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.

EventDateDamage
Flash FloodAug 4, 2023—
Flash FloodAug 26, 2015—
Flash FloodJul 30, 2014—
Flash FloodJun 9, 2006—
FloodJan 1, 1997—

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

From the storm reports

Flash Flood · Aug 4, 2023. A weak upper level low brought flash flooding and strong thunderstorms over Lowman, ID and Featherville, ID.

Flash Flood · Aug 26, 2015. A shortwave trough moving into Southwest Idaho produced strong thunderstorms with flash flooding in Camas County near Fairfield.

Flash Flood · Jul 30, 2014. A ridge axis situated along the Idaho Oregon border allowed for terrain driven circulations to create broad lift and late day thunderstorms that lead to flash flooding over the central mountain ranges in Idaho.

Flash Flood · Jun 9, 2006. Flash flooding on Highway 20 near Fairfield reported by sheriff's deputy.

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 Camas County

If a building in Camas 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.