Enter any address in Ionia County, Michigan to see its FEMA flood zone
7 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Ionia County, Michigan has recorded 9 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 3 flash floods and 6 river or area floods. The county has received 16 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1972–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Flood | Aug 24, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 25, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 16, 2013 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 20, 2004 |
| Snow | Snowstorm | Dec 11, 2000 |
| Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 | Snowstorm | Jan 2, 1999 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | May 29, 1998 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 18, 2020 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2019 | 400.00K |
| Flood | Apr 17, 2013 | 7.00M |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2009 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2004 | 1M |
| Flood | Feb 24, 2001 | 10K |
| Flood | Feb 9, 2001 | 50K |
| Flash Flood | May 18, 2000 | 100K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 21, 1997 | — |
Flood — May 18, 2020
Significant rainfall fell across all of Lower Michigan on May 17 and 18 with many locations in Southwest Lower Michigan reporting over 3 inches of rain. This was the culmination of an already wet week that had experienced three separate episodes of heavy rain. As a result, soil was already saturated and this additional rain immediately became runoff instead of soaking into the ground. There we...
Flood — Feb 6, 2019
On February 6, 2019 an ice jam formed on the Grand River in Portland. Approximately 50 residents were evacuated from their homes along Water Street in downtown Portland. 2 days later, on February 8, the ice jam shifted and thickened, causing additional flooding. Many businesses along Kent Street were flooded, and residents along Canal and Market streets were evacuated. The ice jam held for more...
Flood — Apr 17, 2013
Record flooding occurred during the month of April and record crests occurred on the lower portions of the Grand River at Ionia, Lowell, Ada, Comstock Park, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Due to the severity of the flooding, Michigan���s Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of disaster for 19 counties and two cities. ||The two cities declared in the disaster were Grand Rapids and Ionia. T...
Flash Flood — Jun 19, 2009
Thunderstorms developed and moved across Lake Michigan during the evening hours on June 19th. Several hours of intense rainfall occurred starting around 7:00 PM EST. The ground was already saturated from early morning thunderstorms that produced very heavy rainfall. In addition to the heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes accompanied the thunderstorms.
Flood — May 21, 2004
The biggest and longest duration flooding event in the past ten to twenty years occurred across southwestern and south central lower Michigan from May 20th through the third of June. Flooding in mid May resulted in very high river levels and the ground was saturated on the 20th. Numerous thunderstorm complexes and areas of heavy rainfall developed repeatedly in the vicinity of a quasi station...
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 Ionia County, Michigan:
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 Ionia County, Michigan 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.