15 flood insurance claims·$311,028 paid·7 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 Dickinson County, Iowa. 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.
River flooding driven by heavy rainfall dominates the flood history of Dickinson County, Iowa. Over the last 30 years, NOAA records show 81 flood events compared to 31 flash flood events.
Recent history underscores this risk, notably a multi-day heavy rainfall event from June 20 to 22, 2024, which brought 5 to 10 inches of rain across the region. This triggered major to record river flooding and extensive overland flooding that caused significant impacts, damages, and devastation across area communities.
Federal insurance records reflect property risks across different designations. In high-risk Zone A, 8 claims averaged $28,267 per payout with an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. In moderate-to-low risk Zone X, 7 claims averaged $28,285 per payout with an average recorded water depth of 66 inches. Property owners near rivers, streams, and low-lying areas should pay the closest attention to these risks, as well as those located in Zone A and Zone X who may experience significant water accumulation during major storms.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 40 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 2024, with 10 claims and $255,727 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, 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.
27 NOAA storm reports from Dickinson County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Iowa flood stories →
18 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 7 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Jun 16, 2024 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 6, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 14, 2014 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Apr 9, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jul 9, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Dec 23, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
112 since 1996: 31 flash floods and 81 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 30, 2024 | — |
| Flood | May 24, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | $1.9M |
| Flood | Jun 20, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jun 15, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2024 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 30, 2024. A wet last week of April resulted in saturated conditions and rising stream levels across portions of northwest Iowa. This helped push the Upper Little Sioux River between Milford and Spencer into Minor flood stage at the end of the month.
Flood · May 24, 2024. Another wet period during the mid to later part of May drove portions of the upper and middle Little Sioux Basin back above flood stage after only briefly falling below flood stage just a handful of days early.
Flood · Jun 21, 2024. A multi-day significant heavy rainfall event from June 20-22 resulted in widespread rain totals between 5 and 10 inches across portions of southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and southwest Minnesota. As rainfall reached area streams and rivers, major to record flooding was observed, devastating several towns and communities. Extensive overland flooding also resulted in significant impacts and damages. All rive…
Flash Flood · Jun 21, 2024. More isolated afternoon and early evening storms erupted just north of a frontal boundary across northeast Nebraska and western Iowa, which produced up to quarter size hail and damaging wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph. Storms became more widespread during the evening given a mid-level impulse and increase in the low-level jet across the frontal boundary. The rain regenerated in many of the same areas as the previous ni…
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 Dickinson 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.