Enter any address in Bremer County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flood and flash flood events have impacted Bremer County, Iowa, with 34 flood events and 24 flash flood events recorded over the last 30 years. Recent events include heavy rainfall causing flash flooding in May 2024 and prolonged heavy rain leading to flash flooding in May 2020. Snowmelt also contributed to flooding in March 2019, with deep snowpack in the region and upstream river basins.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows a significant number of claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $22,419 and an average water depth of 12.9 feet. Zone X also shows a notable number of claims, with an average payout of $18,003 and an average water depth of 9.4 feet. Properties in Zone A, Zone X, and Zone X_SHADED, which experienced claims with higher average water depths, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
54 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Bremer County, Iowa has recorded 58 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 24 flash floods and 34 river or area floods. The county has received 17 federal disaster declarations, 8 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 19, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Sep 21, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 25, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Feb 23, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 2, 1999 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 21, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 28, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2019 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Jun 13, 2018 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Sep 2, 2018 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2018 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2017 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2017 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 21, 2017 | 0.00K |
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 — May 28, 2020
An upper-level system over the Ozarks lifted north and interacted with a northern stream shortwave moving across the area, amplifying forcing. High precipitable water values of nearly two inches were in place. While the system was somewhat progressive in nature, an area of enhanced reflectivity set up over east-central to northeast Iowa, resulting in prolonged heavy rain in the area.
Flood — Mar 14, 2019
Reports from the 13h through the 19th in this entry. ||A relatively deep and widespread snowpack existed across the region during early to mid March. Many areas in central and northern Iowa had around a foot to two feet of snow on the ground, along with many areas in upstream river basins in Minnesota and the Dakotas having similar or deeper snowpacks on the ground. Additionally, with the below...
Flood — Jun 13, 2018
After a very brief reprieve from multiple days of activity, another round of storms greeted large parts of central Iowa during the very early morning hours of the 14th, through the rest of the morning, and into the afternoon. Traditional severe weather in the form of hail and damaging winds were sporadic, while heavy rain and flash flooding was the main player. The hail and wind reports were lo...
Flood — Sep 2, 2018
Heavy rainfall continued to affect the Midwest and portions of Iowa, though fortunately no severe weather (hail, winds, etc...) were experienced with this event. The overall pattern was not conducive for traditional severe weather, but with a short wave moving through the upper level flow, precipitable water values around 2 inches, decent 850 mb moisture transport, and MUCAPE values around 1000...
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 Bremer 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 Bremer 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.