Enter any address in Boone County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events is the primary flood hazard in Boone County, Iowa. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 38 flood events and 26 flash flood events. For example, torrential rainfall from slow-moving thunderstorms caused flash flooding across portions of northern and central Iowa in May 2024. Heavy rain also contributed to flooding in June 2022 after a cold front stalled over the state, and in March 2019, a combination of heavy rain and snowmelt led to river system flooding.
FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone X and Zone X_Unshaded have experienced claims with average payouts of $17,272 and $13,660, respectively, with average water depths of 0.4 to 0.7 feet. Properties in Zone A have also seen claims, averaging $48,445, though with reported water depths of 0.0 feet in this dataset. Residents in areas designated as Zone X, Zone X_Unshaded, and Zone A, particularly those near rivers or in lower-lying areas, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
55 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Boone County, Iowa has recorded 64 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 26 flash floods and 38 river or area floods. The county has received 17 federal disaster declarations, 5 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Aug 10, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 19, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 25, 2008 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 17, 2007 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Feb 23, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 21, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 15, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 15, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2019 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 3, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Jul 3, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 21, 2024
PLEASE NOTE, for tornadoes, please see separate Storm Data entry for May 21st. ||Multiple rounds of thunderstorms brought torrential rainfall, damaging winds, hail and destructive tornadoes to the state. These thunderstorms were the result of a low pressure system which lifted north into the area on the night of May 20th, 2024, producing slow moving storms that dropped 2 to 4 inches of rainfall...
Flash Flood — Jul 12, 2023
Two rounds of convection moved across Iowa in quick succession beginning in the pre-dawn hours of July 12th. This first was an area of convection that developed along an elevated boundary into northwest Iowa. While this area of storms mainly remained sub-severe, severe hail did fall across central Iowa near 6 am. At the same time a MCS moved out of the Dakotas and into western Iowa, moving quic...
Flood — Jun 15, 2022
A cold front moved across Iowa overnight from the 14th to 15th of June. The week had been steamy with near record highs and high humidity, making for a highly unstable airmass with CAPE over 3000 J/kg. Storms initiated along the front in central Iowa later on June 14th, resulting in a number of hail and wind damage reports. While storms dropped below severe limits shortly after midnight, heavy ...
Flash Flood — Jun 21, 2019
Periods of moderate to heavy rainfall are not uncommon throughout the spring and summer months, but given the very wet spring across Iowa, soils were primed and unable to hold copious amounts of new rainfall. The overall setup for this event was somewhat typical with a shortwave moving through the parent flow, and 850 mb low level jet aiding in convective initiation and moisture transport, prec...
Flood — Mar 15, 2019
Higher than average snowfall through the winter created a wet snowpack across much of Iowa which was still present into early March. A large storm system impacted the region through the middle of March which brought heavy rain and warm temperatures to the state. This system allowed much of the snowpack to melt across the state within a few days to a week. This heavy rain fell on frozen ground a...
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 Boone County, Iowa:
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 Boone County, Iowa 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.