8 flood insurance claims·$36,548 paid·4 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 Clearwater 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.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 3 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 1996, with 3 claims and $3,271 paid, the year of Severe Storms and Flooding and Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Landslides.
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.
13 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 4 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mar 6, 2017 |
| Municipal Fire | Aug 14, 2015 |
| Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mar 31, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Wildfires | Jul 27, 2000 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides | Nov 16, 1996 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 6, 1996 |
| Volcanic Eruption, Mt. St. Helens | May 22, 1980 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
13 since 1996: 1 flash floods and 12 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 7, 2018 | $5,000 |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2017 | $3.0M |
| Flash Flood | Dec 23, 2005 | $15,000 |
| Flood | Jan 31, 2003 | — |
| Flood | Mar 9, 2003 | $5,000 |
| Flood | Feb 1, 2003 | — |
| Flood | Apr 14, 2002 | — |
| Flood | May 15, 1997 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 7, 2018. A combination of moderate to heavy rainfall ahead and along a cold front brought flooding and wind damage to portions of central Idaho.
Flood · Mar 16, 2017. An atmospheric river brought several inches of rainfall to central Idaho which was already soaked from previous rains. This contributed to mudslides that shut down roads and flooding that affected residences and property.
Flash Flood · Dec 23, 2005. Water backing up behind an ice jam on the upper portion of Orofino Creek broke and caused a flash flood event to occur along the banks of Orofino Creek. 3 homes and a barn along the creek were impacted by the flood waters. One home had flood damage in the basement.
Flood · Jan 31, 2003. Heavy rainfall and snow melt lead to Pierce city officials to release water from a fresh water reservoir, resulting in flooding along Orofino Creek in Clearwater County. Two roads were closed near Weippe and many other roads experienced some water problems. Sandbagging was done to protect personal property in the region.
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 Clearwater 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.