Enter any address in Pope County, Illinois to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Ohio River is the dominant flood character for Pope County. Between 2020 and 2024, NOAA Storm Events documented 60 flood events and 18 flash flood events in the county. For example, in February 2025, heavy rainfall led to flash flooding north of Golconda as a creek overflowed its banks, and also caused minor flooding near Golconda as the Ohio River rose. In February 2022, widespread flooding of rivers occurred following several rounds of heavy rain.
One NFIP claim was filed in an unknown flood zone, with an average payout of $0 and an average water depth of 0.0 feet. Residents in areas prone to river overflow, particularly those near the Ohio River, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
28 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Pope County, Illinois has recorded 78 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 18 flash floods and 60 river or area floods. The county has received 12 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Tornado | Nov 17, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 19, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Record/near Record Snow | Snowstorm | Dec 21, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 6, 2003 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 21, 2002 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 1, 1997 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 1, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Mar 3, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 23, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2020 | 0.00K |
Flood — Feb 17, 2025
Heavy rain (3 to 7) over the lower Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on the 15th resulted in rising water levels on the Ohio River, with moderate flooding near Paducah and Olmsted, and minor flooding near Golconda, Smithland, and Cairo. Minor flooding continued into early March near Olmsted and Cairo.
Flash Flood — Feb 15, 2025
Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall (2-5) across much of southern Illinois through the afternoon and evening of the 15th. The heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding north of Golconda where a creek overflowed its banks. Minor flooding of the usual trouble spots occurred in Metropolis.
Flood — Feb 22, 2022
Several rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms moved across the region on the 17th. Two to four inches were common, which resulted in isolated flash flooding and more widespread flooding of rivers. The heavy rain occurred ahead of a cold front as it entered southeast Missouri and southern Illinois from the northwest. Weak waves of low pressure moved northeast along the front. A strong 850 mb je...
Flood — Jan 9, 2022
A series of heavy rainfall events in late December and early January sent the Wabash River and large portions of the Ohio River above flood stage. The river flooding was minor. Low-lying farmland and fields along both rivers were flooded, as well as some river access roads and public recreational land.
Flood — Mar 1, 2022
River flooding continued from February into mid March. During March, the flooding was minor on the Wabash, Little Wabash, and Big Muddy Rivers. Low-lying fields and woodlands near these rivers were inundated, primarily dormant cropland. However, moderate flooding was observed on large portions of the Ohio River. The flooding was caused by several rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms on the 17...
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 Pope County, Illinois:
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 Pope County, Illinois 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.