1 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 Owyhee 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 from intense summer thunderstorms and heavy convective rain dominates the flood risk profile in Owyhee County. Over the last thirty years, NOAA records show 18 flash flood events, resulting in one death, alongside 10 general flood events.
Weather patterns frequently combine upper-level lows, monsoonal moisture, and slow-moving troughs to drop heavy rainfall onto saturated or vulnerable ground. For example, an upper-level trough and monsoon moisture brought heavy rain and large hail to the region in August 2022, while an expansive upper low fueled intense convection that spurred flash flooding in September 2013. Additional heavy rain and thunderstorms caused localized urban flooding in June 2023, and heavy overnight rainfall led to flash flooding that swept a vehicle away in October 2015.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated near burn scars, urban drainage areas, and low-lying zones prone to rapid runoff and debris flows during intense convective storms.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
2 NOAA storm reports from Owyhee County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Idaho flood stories →
6 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Dec 30, 2005 |
| Hurricane Katrina | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud And Landslides | Nov 16, 1996 |
| Heavy Rains & Flooding | Dec 31, 1964 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
28 since 1996: 18 flash floods and 10 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 13, 2023 | — |
| Flood | Aug 10, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 19, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 12, 2013 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 5, 2013 | — |
| Flood | May 14, 2011 | — |
| Flood | May 9, 2011 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2009 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jun 13, 2023. A nearly stationary upper level low over the Four Corners region brought periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms which caused localized urban flooding in south central Idaho. Rainfall totals were around 0.50 inches, but the previous days rainfall made areas more prone to localized flooding.
Flood · Aug 10, 2022. An upper level trough on the West Coast slowly edged in between a ridge of high pressure to the east of the region. This allowed for monsoon moisture to move into the region along with strong southwest flow. Several days of isolated supercells occurred, bringing heavy rain and large hail to the region.
Flash Flood · Oct 19, 2015. Heavy rain fell across parts of Southwest Idaho overnight on the 18th through the 19th leading to flash flooding including a vehicle swept away by a debris flow.
Flash Flood · Sep 12, 2013. An expansive upper low situated across Eastern Nevada fed moisture northward into Idaho where intense convection spurred flash flooding across the area.
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 Owyhee 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.