Enter any address in Crawford County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding and river overflow have been the primary flood events in Crawford County over the last 30 years, with 20 flash flood events and 14 flood events recorded. For example, heavy rainfall in mid-December 2015 caused river flooding and closed county roads due to high water. Earlier, in March 2019, a deep snowpack combined with frozen soils contributed to widespread flooding across the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the deepest water, averaging 7.0 feet, with an average payout of $17,335. Zone X_UNSHADED saw the highest average payouts at $32,465, despite an average water depth of 1.2 feet. Properties in Zone X also incurred significant losses, with an average payout of $14,328 and an average water depth of 3.2 feet.
Homeowners, journalists, and real estate agents should pay particular attention to properties located in Zone A and near rivers and streams, as these areas have historically experienced deeper flooding and higher claim payouts. Residents in Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone X should also be aware of the potential for significant financial losses due to flooding.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
26 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Crawford County, Iowa has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 20 flash floods and 14 river or area floods. The county has received 23 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 (1965–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Mar 19, 2025 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Tornado | Apr 26, 2024 |
| 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 | Jun 26, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2013 |
| 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Dec 14, 2015 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 31, 2014 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2014 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2014 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 19, 2013 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 16, 2013 | 300.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2010 | 25.00K |
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...
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 — Aug 31, 2014
An unstable airmass was in place across Iowa with afternoon highs reaching well into the 80s, and dewpoint readings in the low to mid 70s. CAPE rose to 2000 to 3000 J/kg. Downdraft CAPE was around 900 to 1000 J/kg, with CAPE in the -10 to -30 C layer of the atmosphere in the 600 to 900 J/kg range. Precipitable water increased to around 1.75 inches. The freezing level was quite high at aroun...
Flash Flood — Jul 12, 2014
A boundary extended northeast to southwest across Iowa. Moisture pooled along the boundary with precipitable water values rising to over 2 inches during the night. An MCS developed over Nebraska into western Iowa. In what was a classic Maddox |Flash Flood event, heavy rainfall of 2 to 3 inches occurred in just over an hour over Crawford County. Flowing water closed U.S. Highway 30 and some ...
Flash Flood — May 19, 2013
The seasons first major severe weather event took place as a strong upper level low pressure lifted north into the central U.S. This was ahead of a strong upper level low pressure system over the southwest U.S. A warm front lifted north across the Des Moines CWA with moist and unstable air pushing into the state. There were several rounds of convection. The first developed over northern Iow...
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 Crawford 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 Crawford 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.