Enter any address in Madison County, Idaho to see its FEMA flood zone
Flooding from snowmelt and heavy rains has been the dominant flood character in Madison County over the last 30 years. Recent events include flooding in April 2023, when snowmelt caused county roads to wash away east of Rexburg, and a more widespread disaster declaration in March 2018 due to snowmelt and heavy rains.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims in Madison County show that while some claims occur in areas with unknown flood risk, properties designated as Zone A have seen higher average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in areas prone to snowmelt flooding, heavy rain events, or those located in Zone A should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
5 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Madison County, Idaho has recorded 19 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 6 flash floods and 13 river or area floods. The county has received 5 federal disaster declarations, 1 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 |
| Hurricane Katrina | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| 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 | Mar 11, 2025 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2023 | 150.00K |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2023 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2018 | 1.28M |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2017 | 148.00K |
| Flood | Apr 2, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2017 | 36.00K |
| Flood | Mar 1, 2017 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2017 | 12.00K |
Flood — Mar 11, 2025
Minor runoff and sheet flooding west of Idaho Falls along Highway 20 and through Madison County.
Flash Flood — May 23, 2023
Widespread severe weather with strong winds, large hail, and very heavy rains occurred on the 23rd in the Snake River Plain.
Flood — Apr 10, 2023
The beginning of snowmelt caused some flooding and county roads to wash away east of Rexburg. Madison County closed two roads due to wash out and one due to two mud slides near each other. The mud slides occurred on 6000 East. The roads are in largely agricultural areas. Few homes were in the areas and had secondary means of access to their properties. A canal filled with water and the canal s...
Flash Flood — Jun 17, 2018
Flooding with heavy rain and large hail was reported in Fremont, Madison, and Bear Lake Counties.
Flood — Mar 14, 2018
A return to heavy mountain snows in late February and early March added significantly to the snow pack especially in the Upper Snake River Highlands and snow melt and heavy rains occurred sporadically from the middle of the month onward. The worst of the flooding occurred in Clark and Madison which were both declared state disaster areas by the end of the month. Low elevations in the centra...
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 Madison 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 Madison 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.