15 flood insurance claims·$165,715 paid·7 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Murray County, Minnesota. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
River flooding dominates Murray County, supported by 25 historical flood events compared to 15 flash flood events over the last 30 years. Heavy rainfall and snowmelt drive local flood hazards, as demonstrated in June 2024 when multi-day rainfall totals between 5 and 10 inches caused major to record river flooding and extensive overland impacts. River levels from this historic event remained above flood stage into July 2024. Earlier, in April 2023, rapid snowmelt from above-normal temperatures caused minor to locally moderate flooding through the Big Sioux River Basin.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims concentrated in Special Flood Hazard Areas, with Zone A accounting for 13 claims averaging $20,031 with an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Zone X properties experienced fewer impacts, with 2 claims averaging $2,734 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Property owners in Zone A and those situated near rivers and streams should pay the closest attention to flood risks and mitigation needs.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 1 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2018, with 8 claims and $136,882 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
11 NOAA storm reports from Murray County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Minnesota flood stories →
17 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 7 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 16, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 15, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Jun 11, 2014 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Apr 9, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Sep 22, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Flooding, High Winds,severe Storms | Mar 21, 1997 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
40 since 1996: 15 flash floods and 25 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | $2.3M |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Apr 12, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2021 | — |
| Flood | Mar 4, 2020 | — |
| Flood | May 28, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2019 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jun 21, 2024. A multi-day significant heavy rainfall event from June 20-22 resulted in widespread rain totals between 5 and 10 inches across southwest Minnesota. As rainfall reached area streams and rivers, major to record flooding was observed, devastating multiple towns and communities. Extensive overland flooding also resulted in significant impacts and damages. All river crest information is preliminary until made official…
Flood · Jul 1, 2024. River levels from the historic June flooding remained above flood stage for some locations into July, although continued a declining trend.
Flood · Apr 12, 2023. Rapid snowmelt from a few day period of well above normal temperatures focused on the 11-13th of April resulted in minor to locally moderate flooding through much of the Big Sioux River Basin. Some areas north of I-90 lost between 2 to 5 inches of snow water equivalent (SWE) from the first to second week of April, but antecedent drought conditions resulted in only a percentage of this water actually making it into…
Flash Flood · Aug 28, 2021. An unstable warm sector with MUCAPE up to 2000-2500 J/kg developed during the afternoon between an advancing cold front across southeast South Dakota, and a gangly warm front extending into southwest Minnesota. An approaching weak impulse spurred rapid development of multiple rounds of storms near the warm front, initially discrete, with upscale growth into short bowing segments. Secondary development occurred dur…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Murray County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.