Enter any address in Chautauqua County, Kansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Chautauqua County, Kansas. Between 1994 and 2024, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 19 flash flood events and 15 flood events. Recent examples include heavy rainfall from thunderstorms on August 10th, 2025, which led to flash flooding, and widespread showers on May 13th, 2020, producing very heavy rain.
Residents in areas with higher flood risk, particularly those located near waterways or in low-lying areas, should pay close attention to flood advisories and warnings. Homeowners in designated flood zones, especially those without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) on file, are advised to understand their specific flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
10 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Chautauqua County, Kansas has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 19 flash floods and 15 river or area floods. The county has received 16 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires | Severe Storm | Mar 14, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Tornadoes And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 9, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 28, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 4, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow | Severe Storm | Mar 26, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | May 22, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Dec 6, 2007 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 27, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 13, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 3, 2019 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Oct 9, 2018 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Oct 8, 2018 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Apr 29, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 23, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 16, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 10, 2014 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 10, 2025
After a morning round of thunderstorms, additional thunderstorms developed during the evening hours of August 10th. These storms moved quite slowly and produced heavy rainfall and large hail.
Flash Flood — Apr 27, 2024
On Saturday April 27th, there was volatile severe weather across Kansas and Oklahoma. An abundance of moisture and increasing shear through the day resulted in numerous rotating storms which produced several tornadoes across the Flint Hills into southeast Kansas. The strongest tornado was an EF-2 which occurred in Cowley County which did damage to a few outbuildings. Luckily there were no injur...
Flood — May 13, 2020
Widespread showers and storms moved across the central sections of Kansas producing very heavy rain and a few lower end severe hail reports.
Flash Flood — Jul 3, 2019
South central Kansas saw a few multicell severe thunderstorms during the evening of July 3rd, 2019, with some reports of large hail and damaging winds. As the evening and overnight progressed a complex of thunderstorms developed over central Kansas. This slow moving complex of thunderstorms led to reports of flash flooding during the morning hours of July 4th, 2019, across portions of centra...
Flood — Oct 9, 2018
A strong low pressure area moved out of the southern plains and moved northeast across the central portions of Kansas. Abundant moisture moved north and wrapped into the low pressure area. Widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms developed across Kansas. Numerous rounds of showers moved across Kansas, with renewed flooding and even some flash flooding. Rainfall amounts over the two da...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Chautauqua County, Kansas:
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 Chautauqua County, Kansas 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.