Enter any address in Benton County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
4 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Benton County, Minnesota has recorded 12 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 6 flash floods and 6 river or area floods. The county has received 13 federal disaster declarations, 6 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 20, 2013 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Flood | Mar 23, 2001 |
| Severe Flooding, High Winds,severe Storms | Flood | Mar 21, 1997 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Jan 3, 1997 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jul 8, 1978 |
| Drought | Drought | Jun 17, 1976 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Flood | Aug 1, 1972 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 29, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 19, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Oct 4, 2005 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 4, 2005 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2002 | 100K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 22, 2001 | 500K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 7, 2001 | 3M |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2001 | — |
| Flood | Mar 26, 1997 | — |
Flash Flood — Aug 29, 2016
The late afternoon of Monday, August 29th, a line of thunderstorms developed in central Minnesota, north of Mora. These storms slowly moved southward across Mille Lacs County and trained from west to east during the evening. Rainfall rates were nearly 1-2 inches per hour, which total around 4-6 inches across portions of Benton and Mille Lacs counties by the late evening. The worst area was near...
Flash Flood — Jul 11, 2016
The morning of Monday, July 11th, two waves of thunderstorms moved across west central and central Minnesota. Very heavy rainfall and isolated hail occurred with the main area of storms. But these storms also produced a wide area of one half to two inches of rain by sunrise. ||The morning two events set the stage for flooding in central Minnesota as several additional waves of thunderstorms dev...
Flood — Mar 19, 2010
Accumulating snowfall across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains was extensive during the 2009/2010 winter with snowfall water equivalent amounts across the Minnesota River Valley as high as six inches. Across the Mississippi River Valley and the Crow, snowfall water equivalent amounts were between three and five inches. ||The winter had very little melting on the snow cover and therefore, on...
Flash Flood — Apr 22, 2001
Two to four inches rain fell on saturated ground. The most severe damage occured in Santiago (Sherburne County), where a dike along County Road 11 gave way and allowed water to come crashing into town. About one dozen homes and businesses were flooded and evacuations were necessary. Other damage included flooded basements in Foley (Benton County) and Milaca (Mille Lacs County). County offic...
Flash Flood — Apr 7, 2001
The same intense low pressure system that brought high wind to southern Minnesota also dumped a large area of 3 to 4 inches rain across west central and central Minnesota, on top of melting snow and saturated ground. Drainage ditches, still clogged with snow, were unable to accept most of this rain water. About 3000 homes in Stearns County and 500 homes in Benton County sustained water damage ...
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 Benton County, Minnesota:
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 Benton County, Minnesota 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.