Enter any address in Van Buren County, Michigan to see its FEMA flood zone
8 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Van Buren County, Michigan has recorded 10 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 7 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 13 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 (1973–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| 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 & Flooding | Flood | Sep 10, 1986 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Flood | Sep 8, 1980 |
| Severe Storms & Tornadoes | Tornado | May 16, 1980 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Jan 27, 1978 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 17, 2013 | 3.00M |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2011 | 100.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2004 | 1M |
| Flood | Feb 24, 2001 | 10K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 22, 2001 | 50K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 9, 2001 | 100K |
| Flash Flood | May 18, 2000 | 100K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 21, 1997 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 1997 | 125K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 1996 | 8K |
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 — Aug 13, 2011
Thunderstorm wind damage included downed trees and power lines across portions of Calhoun, Kent and Ottawa counties. The southern half of Newaygo county experienced significant flooding where campers in Henning Park just east northeast of the town of Newaygo were evacuated.
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...
Flood — Feb 24, 2001
Minor flooding began during the evening hours of the 24th and continued through the rest of February. Minor street flooding occurred in Muskegon (Muskegon county) and Allegan (Allegan county) late on the 24th as a result of locally heavy rainfall. However, the event was primarily a river flood event, and an urban and small stream flood advisory was issued at 9:45 p.m. the 24th. Several area riv...
Flash Flood — Aug 22, 2001
Numerous reports of severe weather were received from Allegan, Ottawa and Kent counties. The first reports of severe weather were received from Holland (Ottawa county), where three quarters inch hail was reported near the intersections of M40 and I196, and also near the intersection of M40 and US31. Several reports of wind damage were received from Hudsonville (Ottawa county). A tree was blown ...
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 Van Buren 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 Van Buren 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.