Enter any address in Carroll County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flooding from heavy rainfall events is the primary flood hazard in Carroll County. Over the last 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 45 flood events and 16 flash flood events. Recent examples include widespread flooding in March 2019, attributed to deep snowpack melt and frozen soils, and localized flash flooding in September 2015 following heavy rainfall from a stalled weather front.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A, designated Special Flood Hazard Areas, have experienced higher average payouts ($48,184) and water depths (4.7 ft) compared to Zone X properties ($9,873 payout, 1.4 ft water depth). Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those residing near rivers and streams, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
50 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Carroll County, Iowa has recorded 61 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 16 flash floods and 45 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 Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 19, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 25, 2008 |
| Snow | Snowstorm | Feb 28, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Flood | Jun 13, 1998 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 14, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 9, 2016 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Dec 14, 2015 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 6, 2015 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 6, 2015 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2013 | 75.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2013 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2010 | 50.00K |
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 — Mar 13, 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...
Flash Flood — May 9, 2016
Through the day, a previously stalled warm front slowly made its way northward into portions of west central and southern Iowa. By the afternoon, with modest temperatures in the low to mid 60s and dewpoints around 60, storms developed in the vicinity of the warm front and produced 2 tornadoes west of Guthrie Center in Guthrie County. Another tornado was reported earlier in the day in Davis co...
Flood — Dec 14, 2015
Heavy rain that fell across the state in mid-December led to river flooding at many locations across central and southern Iowa. The ground was already saturated from a wet fall, with new rainfall of one to 3 inches fell across the area in a two-day span. The heavy rainfall also allowed for many area streams and creeks to reach bankfull or go into flood. County roads across several counties were...
Flash Flood — Sep 6, 2015
A slow moving cold front entered the state and produced heavy rainfall across a large portion of central Iowa. The front eventually stalled, and transitioned to a northward moving warm front the next day. Rainfall totals were generally in excess of 2 inches, with the largest reports in excess of 5 inches, resulting in some localized flash flooding. In addition to the heavy rainfall, a lone s...
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 Carroll 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 Carroll 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.