231 flood insurance claims·$8.7M 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 Morgan 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.
River flooding and flash flooding from frequent storms dominate the flood profile in Morgan County, with NOAA records documenting 60 flood events and 29 flash flood events over the last 30 years. Recent events illustrate these hazards, such as an April 2025 multi-day storm system that brought up to 4.5 inches of rain on top of prior saturation, causing widespread flash flooding and pushing main stem rivers to major flood stages. Similarly, an early evening thunderstorm in July 2024 produced torrential downpours and training bands of heavy rain across far west-central Morgan County.
National Flood Insurance Program records show significant impacts across multiple zones, led by Zone A with 129 claims averaging a $52,236 payout and an average recorded water depth of 17 inches. Properties outside high-risk areas also experience losses, including 41 claims in unshaded Zone X averaging $23,717 with an average water depth of 8 inches, 39 claims in Zone X averaging $21,270 with an average water depth of 21 inches, and 16 claims in shaded Zone X averaging $88,792 with an average water depth of 22 inches. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties located within Zone A and river-adjacent areas, as well as properties in moderate-to-low risk Zone X areas where recorded water depths and payouts indicate significant flood exposure.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
31% of Morgan County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
186 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 17 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 2008, with 96 claims and $6.9M paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes.
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.
30 NOAA storm reports from Morgan County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Indiana flood stories →
18 federal disaster declarations since 1990, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Mar 30, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Mar 31, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 5, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | May 30, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Jan 1, 2005 |
| Snow | Dec 21, 2004 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
89 since 1996: 29 flash floods and 60 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | — · 1 killed |
| Flash Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2024 | $2,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2021 | $100,000 |
| Flood | Feb 7, 2019 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 3, 2018 | $50,000 |
| Flood | Apr 3, 2018 | $250 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 3, 2018 | $5,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 5, 2025. The final round of rain in a stretch of 4 days brought rain amounts of 2-4.5 inches of rain to central Indiana in addition to the 3-5 inches that had fallen. This led to additional widespread flash flooding and exacerbated ongoing creek and river flooding to a point that many main stem rivers ended up reaching major flood stage.
Flash Flood · Apr 4, 2025. The final round of rain in a stretch of 4 days brought rain amounts of 2-4.5 inches of rain to central Indiana in addition to the 3-5 inches that had fallen. This led to additional widespread flash flooding and exacerbated ongoing creek and river flooding to a point that many main stem rivers ended up reaching major flood stage.
Flash Flood · Jul 28, 2024. Warm and humid conditions with dewpoints in the low 70s fueled an early evening cluster of thunderstorms southwest of Indianapolis. A moist profile promoted efficient rainfall production, with resultant bands of torrential downpours training from northeast of Gosport into far west-central Morgan County.
Flash Flood · Jun 19, 2021. A long lasting and multi faceted storm system moved through central Indiana beginning during the late afternoon hours of June 18th and continued through the evening hours with widespread damaging winds and very large hail before transitioning into a flash flooding event during the overnight hours with significant flash flooding occurring across portions of Owen and Monroe counties. Unfortunately, one person lost…
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 Morgan 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.