Enter any address in Hamilton County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is a significant concern in Hamilton County, Iowa. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 51 flood events and 21 flash flood events, with flash flooding resulting in one fatality. For example, on June 14, 2018, central Iowa experienced widespread heavy rain and flash flooding following multiple days of storms. Another notable event occurred in March 2019, when a deep snowpack and frozen soils contributed to widespread flooding across the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A, designated as high-risk flood areas, have experienced numerous claims with an average payout of $5,512 and an average water depth of 12.2 feet. While Zone X, considered moderate to low risk, has fewer claims, the average payout was higher at $6,578. Properties in unknown flood zones saw the highest average payouts at $18,337, with an average water depth of 6.5 feet. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, as well as those located near rivers or in areas with a history of flooding, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
63 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Hamilton County, Iowa has recorded 72 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 21 flash floods and 51 river or area floods. The county has received 21 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 20, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Dec 15, 2021 |
| 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 6, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 26, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 25, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Feb 23, 2007 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Sep 23, 2018 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2018 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Sep 25, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2015 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2015 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2015 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2015 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Jun 24, 2010 | 100.00K |
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 — Sep 23, 2018
Heavy rainfall continued across portions of central and northern Iowa through mid to late September. This allowed rivers across the area to go back into flood through the latter portion of the month. The West Fork of the Des Moines River remained in flood at the end of September and will be included in the October StormData event as well. The basins impacted by flooding were the Des Moines, Ced...
Flash Flood — Jun 14, 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 25, 2016
Several rivers went into flood across central and northern Iowa due to heavy rains received during the month of September, especially during the middle to latter portion of the month. Two of the rivers, the Iowa River at Tama Highway E49 and the Cedar River at Cedar Falls, remained in flood until early October.
Flash Flood — Aug 28, 2015
In the hours after midnight on the 28th a low pressure system was over portions of central/eastern Nebraska moving toward Iowa. A warm front extended east out of the surface low into southern Iowa. With the progression of the surface low, moderate to heavy rainfall began to enter the state. Areas that reported the greatest storm total amounts began to see rain around the 2 to 3 am hour and o...
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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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.