147 flood insurance claims·$3.4M 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 Owen 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 flooding from slow-moving storms and heavy rainfall dominate Owen County, with the NOAA Storm Events Database recording 75 floods and 28 flash floods over the last 30 years, resulting in one flash flood fatality.
Recent events illustrate these hazards. On June 18, 2021, a multi-faceted storm system transitioned into an overnight flash flooding event across Owen and Monroe counties, causing one fatality and severe road damage. Later, on April 5, 2025, cumulative rainfall totals of 5 to 9.5 inches over several days produced widespread flash flooding and pushed main stem rivers to major flood stages.
Property owners should note historical claims data across FEMA zones. Zone A recorded 124 claims with an average payout of $25,856 and an average recorded water depth of 13 inches. Zone X recorded 13 claims averaging $19,134 with an average depth of 3 inches, while unshaded Zone X recorded 8 claims averaging $47,266 with an average depth of 18 inches. Zone UNKNOWN recorded 2 claims averaging $15,295 with an average depth of 0 inches. Residents in mapped high-risk riverine areas (Zone A) and those in unshaded Zone X areas experiencing deep water accumulation should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
6% of Owen County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
132 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 13 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 58 claims and $2.1M 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.
22 NOAA storm reports from Owen County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Indiana flood stories →
19 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.
103 since 1996: 28 flash floods and 75 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2025 | $25,000 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | $25,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 18, 2021 | $20.0M |
| Flash Flood | Sep 8, 2018 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 3, 2018 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2017 | $1,000 |
| Flood | Jun 24, 2014 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 24, 2014 | $1,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 17, 2025. On July 17, 2025, a slow-moving cold front interacted with a humid and unstable airmass over central and southern Indiana. This synoptic setup led to isolated but potent thunderstorms that produced a primary hazard of flash flooding, rather than the damaging winds or tornadoes seen in previous events. The day's weather pattern was dominated by a stalled cold front, which served as a focal point for storm developme…
Flash 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 · Jun 18, 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…
Flash Flood · Sep 8, 2018. The remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon interacted with a surface front to produce widespread heavy rain across much of central Indiana. The moisture content of the atmosphere was very high. Precipitable water, a measure of moisture content in the atmosphere, is normally around 1 inch for early September in Indiana. Precipitable water amounts approached 2 inches for parts of the area on September 8th. Heavy rainfall…
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 Owen 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.