119 flood insurance claims·$1.2M paid·2 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 Adams County, Indiana. 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 river floods equally drive the flood history in Adams County, with 8 flash flood events and 7 flood events recorded over the last 30 years, including 1 flood fatality. Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms and basin overflow regularly threaten the area, as seen in the March 2023 event when 1 to 2 inches of rain caused the Wabash River to rise into minor flood stage, resulting in a driving fatality after a motorist bypassed road closed signs. Similarly, heavy rainfall in May 2017 caused rapid water rises, road closures, and vehicle rescues.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims across multiple zones. Properties in Zone A received the highest number of claims at 87, with an average payout of $11,028 and an average recorded water depth of 6 inches. Zone X recorded 15 claims with an average payout of $17,262 and an average water depth of 1 inch. Zone UNKNOWN recorded 7 claims with an average payout of $5,026 and an average water depth of 1 inch. Zone X_SHADED recorded 5 claims with an average payout of $34,249 and an average water depth of 1 inch. Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 5 claims with an average payout of $6,965 and an average water depth of 1 inch.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties located within Zone A and areas near rivers, as well as rural and urban locations susceptible to rapid water rises and road closures during heavy rainfall events.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
10% of Adams County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
97 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 5 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 2003, with 68 claims and $1.0M paid, the year of Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding.
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.
4 NOAA storm reports from Adams County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Indiana flood stories →
17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | May 30, 2008 |
| Snow | Feb 12, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Jan 1, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 25, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jul 4, 2003 |
| Snow | Dec 11, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
15 since 1996: 8 flash floods and 7 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 6, 2023 | — · 1 killed |
| Flood | Jul 16, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 24, 2017 | — |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Feb 7, 2008 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 6, 2003 | — |
| Flood | Jul 5, 2003 | $5.0M |
| Flash Flood | Jul 5, 2003 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Mar 6, 2023. One to two inches of rain fell across the Upper Wabash River basin on March 3rd, causing the Wabash River to rise well into minor flood stage on the 5th and 6th of March. A driver disregarded road closed signs in rural Adams county near the Wabash River and subsequently drown after driving into the high water.
Flood · Jul 16, 2021. An axis of heavy rain set up along and south of US 24, with flash flooding reported in Fort Wayne along SR-1 and I 469. Isolated amounts of 3-6 of rain were reported, with reports of 1-3 more widespread. Several rivers went into action stage during the event.
Flash Flood · May 24, 2017. An upper level system interacted with an unstable environment, causing the development of thunderstorms. High precipitable water values and training of several thunderstorms cause a narrow swath of intense rainfall. This subsequently caused rapid water rises in rural and urban areas, resulting in numerous road closures as well as some rescues from stranded vehicles. Portions of Allen and Adams county were impacted…
Flood · Feb 28, 2011. Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed and moved across portions of Northern Indiana. One to three inches of rain fell across the area with localized higher amounts. This resulted in some roads becoming impassable due to flood waters. The event continued into March when a few rivers went over their banks.
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 Adams 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.