8 flood insurance claims·$35,667 paid·6 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 Ida 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 and flash flooding dominate the flood history of Ida County, Iowa. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 14 flood events and 10 flash flood events. Significant historical impacts include a multi-day heavy rainfall event in June 2024 that brought widespread totals of 5 to 10 inches and caused major to record flooding across the region. Additionally, a historic flooding event occurred in March 2019 when rainfall fell on frozen, impervious ground with existing snowpack, resulting in considerable areal flooding, compromised roads and bridges, and flooded homes.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that flood claims have primarily impacted properties located in specific risk zones. Zone A accounts for the majority of claims with 7 filed, resulting in an average payout of $4,806 and an average recorded water depth of 24 inches. Zone X_SHADED recorded 1 claim with an average payout of $2,022 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Property owners located in Zone A face the highest risk and should pay the closest attention to local flood warnings and insurance requirements.
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 16 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 2010, with 4 claims and $13,097 paid, the year of Severe Winter Storm and Severe Storms, Flooding, 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.
6 NOAA storm reports from Ida County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Iowa flood stories →
20 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 26, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 19, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Apr 9, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 19, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | May 5, 2007 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
24 since 1996: 10 flash floods and 14 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 23, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | $810,000 |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Jun 26, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Sep 21, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Jun 16, 2014 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jun 23, 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…
Flood · Mar 13, 2019. A historic flooding event unfolded as heavy rainfall drenched the area on March 13-14, 2019. With frozen and impervious ground, full and rapid runoff was maximized. In addition to the rainfall, between 1 and 3 inches of snow water equivalent remained in the snow pack south of Interstate 90, with 3 to 6 inches of snow water equivalent north of Interstate 90. Fifteen river gage sites measured record stages around th…
Flood · Mar 13, 2019. Rainfall of one to three inches on frozen ground and into a snow pack with between 1 and 3 inches of liquid water equivalent resulted in considerable areal flooding and flooding of small streams. Numerous roads, bridges and homes were compromised by flood water, especially in areas near Hornick, Danbury, Holly Springs, and Moville.
Flood · Jun 1, 2019. During crop planting season, prolonged flooding led to the loss of or inability to plant crops across the area. Crop loss estimates provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.
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 Ida 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.