Enter any address in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character for Lake of the Woods County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 11 flash flood events and 5 flood events. For example, heavy rainfall in June 2002 produced widespread flooding, with one location reporting nearly 12 inches of rain. More recently, a flood event in March 2009 was attributed to warmer weather causing significant snowmelt.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A and Zone X have experienced flooding. Zone X, which has had two claims averaging over $46,000, saw an average water depth of 2.0 feet. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A or Zone X, particularly those near waterways or in low-lying areas, should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
2 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota has recorded 16 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 12 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Apr 11, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Apr 22, 2022 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jun 11, 2014 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 16, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 9, 2002 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Flood | Mar 23, 2001 |
| Severe Flooding, High Winds,severe Storms | Flood | Mar 21, 1997 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 25, 2009 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Mar 28, 2004 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2004 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2002 | — |
| Flood | Jun 10, 2002 | 500K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2002 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2002 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2001 | 10K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2001 | 150K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2001 | 2K |
Flood — Mar 25, 2009
A stretch of warmer weather occurred from March 14th to 17th, which resulted in high temperatures in the 40s and low 50s. The snow depth in Fargo on the 14th was 15 inches with a melted water equivalent of 3.10 inches. By the 17th, the snow depth in Fargo had dropped to 6 inches. This was followed by a couple of cooler days, which temporarily slowed down any additional snowmelt. A second period...
Flood — Mar 28, 2004
[See antecedent conditions written in brackets under Kittson county]. For Lake of the Woods county, people were advised to use caution if driving in rural areas. Rushing water washed out county road 69 west of Pitt.
Flood — Apr 1, 2004
[For more information on the beginning of this flood event, see the March 2004 Storm Data report. The flooding began on March 27th and 28th, and continued into early April]. Flooding problems diminished enough so that the county-wide flood warning was cancelled on the afternoon of April 1st.
Flood — Jun 10, 2002
Heavy rainfall on the 9th and 10th of the month produced widespread flooding across Lake of the Woods county. The ASOS at Baudette reported 7.64 inches of rain during the two day period and an NWS cooperative observer station at Norris Camp reported 11.95 inches. There were unofficial reports of 15 inches of rain in portions of the county. The lake level of the Lake of the Woods was down pri...
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 Lake of the Woods 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 Lake of the Woods 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.