6 flood insurance claims·$30,562 paid·3 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 Nez Perce 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.
Flash flooding and standard riverine flooding occur equally across Nez Perce County, with NOAA records showing 14 events of each type over the last 30 years. Recent impacts include a slow-moving thunderstorm over the Lewiston area in June 2023 that caused flash flooding after dropping 0.68 inches of rain in just over an hour. Additionally, a slow-moving low-pressure system in May 2023 brought heavy rain and flooding driven by snowmelt, while trough systems in June 2022 produced stratiform showers that pushed streams and creeks near bank full and created problems in low-lying areas.
FEMA insurance claims data reflects historical payouts across different zones. Properties located in Zone A recorded 3 claims with an average payout of $12,356 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Unshaded Zone X properties recorded 2 claims with an average payout of $2,925 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches, while a single claim in an unknown zone averaged a $0 payout and 0 inches of recorded water depth.
Homeowners and real estate agents with properties in Zone A or low-lying areas near streams and creeks should pay the most attention to flood risk, given the history of localized flash flooding from summer thunderstorms and spring snowmelt.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 1 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 1984, with 2 claims and $1,670 paid.
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.
14 NOAA storm reports from Nez Perce County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Idaho flood stories →
13 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Gwen Fire | Jul 25, 2024 |
| Texas Fire | Jul 15, 2024 |
| Bedrock Fire | Aug 12, 2021 |
| Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mar 31, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Heavy Rains And Flooding | May 6, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides | Nov 16, 1996 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 6, 1996 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
28 since 1996: 14 flash floods and 14 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2023 | $1.0M |
| Flood | May 4, 2023 | $2,000 |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | — |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | $20,000 |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | $8,000 |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | $1.0M |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | $750,000 |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2022 | $1,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 9, 2023. A slow moving thunderstorm moved over the Lewiston Idaho area and caused flash flooding. The KLWS ASOS recorded 0.68 inches of rain from 1250LST to 1356LST. Strong winds also knocked down several trees in Latah County.
Flood · May 4, 2023. A slow moving Low brought several rounds of thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flooding from snow melt across North Idaho.
Flood · Jun 12, 2022. Another trough system brought a round of slow moving stratiform slow moving showers. With the abundant amount of precipitation from earlier in the month, the streams and creeks were already near bank full. The additional 1 inch of precipitation starting to create problems for low lying areas in the Southeast WA and Lower ID Panhandle.
Flood · Jun 5, 2022. Another round widespread stratiform rain showers impacted the Inland Northwest. With the ground already saturated from previous system, the rain began to impact the region quickly with three quarters to an inch of rain.
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 Nez Perce 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.