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 Benton 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 from heavy summer thunderstorms dominates the flood character of Benton County, accounting for the majority of recorded flood events over the last 30 years with 14 flash flood events compared to 9 general flood events.
Heavy rainfall events frequently produce localized inundation across northwest Indiana, as demonstrated on August 5, 2023, when storms dropped over four and a half inches of rain five miles northwest of Earl Park. Similar heavy rainfall from scattered thunderstorms caused widespread flooding across the region during the afternoon and evening of June 13, 2017. Another significant heavy rain event produced flash flooding late on July 8 into July 9, 2015, with trained spotters measuring over three inches of rain nearby.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties situated in low-lying areas and locations susceptible to rapid stormwater accumulation during intense summer convective storms.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
1 NOAA storm reports from Benton County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Indiana flood stories →
21 federal disaster declarations since 1974, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Mar 31, 2023 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 14, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And | Apr 19, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | May 30, 2008 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jan 7, 2008 |
| Snow | Feb 12, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
23 since 1996: 14 flash floods and 9 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Aug 5, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 13, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2014 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 6, 2012 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 15, 2009 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 10, 2009 | — |
| Flood | May 30, 2008 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Aug 5, 2023. Very heavy rain fell across portions of northwest Indiana on August 5th which resulted in areas of flooding. The highest storm total rainfall amounts included 4.58 inches near Mount Ayr; 4.51 inches five miles northwest of Earl Park; 4.03 inches two miles southwest of Rensselaer; 3.24 inches near Remington and 3.07 inches four miles west of Wheatfield.
Flash Flood · Jun 13, 2017. Scattered thunderstorms produced hail and flooding across parts of Northwest Indiana during the afternoon and evening of June 13 into the early morning of June 14th.
Flash Flood · Jul 9, 2015. Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that resulted in flash flooding across portions of northwest Indiana late on July 8th into July 9th. A trained spotter measured 3.32 inches of rain in Morocco, Indiana.
Flash Flood · Jun 23, 2014. A line of strong thunderstorms slowly moved across northwest Indiana producing torrential rain and flooding. Rainfall totals between four and five inches produced flash flooding in some areas.
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 Benton 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.