495 flood insurance claims·$7.4M paid·13 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 Wilkin 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.
Flash flooding and broader flooding from seasonal snowmelt and thunderstorms define the primary flood risks in Wilkin County, Minnesota, with the NOAA Storm Events Database recording 35 flash flood events and 25 general flood events over the last 30 years.
Spring snowmelt frequently causes prolonged inundation, as seen in late April and early May 2023, as well as in March and April 2019 when melting winter snow and subsequent spring storms flooded low-lying areas, roads, and land sections near the Red River. Summer thunderstorms can also produce localized street flooding, such as the event on May 11, 2022.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that property damage is not limited to high-risk areas. While Zone A accounts for 79 claims with an average payout of $17,976 and an average recorded water depth of 15 inches, Zone X properties represent the highest volume with 376 claims, averaging $16,823 per payout and an average recorded water depth of 28 inches. Additionally, Shaded Zone X accounts for 24 claims averaging an 18,318 dollar payout and 3 inches of water, while Unshaded Zone X records 16 claims averaging a 3,118 dollar payout and 3 inches of water. Consequently, homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay close attention to properties across both designated flood zones and moderate-to-low risk Zone X areas.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
34% of Wilkin County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
119 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 22 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 1997, with 407 claims and $7.2M paid, the year of Severe Winter Storms and Severe Flooding, High Winds,severe Storms.
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.
17 NOAA storm reports from Wilkin County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Minnesota flood stories →
25 federal disaster declarations since 1966, 13 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Apr 11, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 8, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 20, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 16, 2011 |
| Flooding | Mar 1, 2010 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 16, 2009 |
| Flooding | Mar 30, 2006 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
60 since 1996: 35 flash floods and 25 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 15, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2022 | — |
| Flood | Mar 28, 2019 | $50,000 |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | $50,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2016 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2014 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 4, 2014 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 4, 2014 | $1,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 15, 2023. The spring snowmelt flooding began in late April 2023 and persisted into the early portions of May for some locations.
Flash Flood · May 11, 2022. A pre-frontal trough brought thunderstorms into the area during the evening of May 11. Isolated severe thunderstorms brought hail up to 1.5 inches and wind gusts of 58 mph, along with localized street flooding.
Flood · Mar 28, 2019. The winter snow melted first across portions of Grant, Wilkin, and Clay counties. Visible satellite imagery confirmed this fact, showing a distinct snow free north to south band that extended roughly 20 or so miles east of the Red River in these three counties. As the snow melted, it flooded low lying areas and roads. Numerous sections of land pooled with water from the snow melt.
Flood · Apr 1, 2019. The winter snow melted first across portions of Grant, Wilkin, and Clay counties. Visible satellite imagery confirmed this fact, showing a distinct snow free north to south band that extended roughly 20 or so miles east of the Red River in these three counties. In Fargo, the snow depth fell to zero on April 6th. However, a blizzard from April 10th to 12th brought more snow to the area. This snow finally melted by…
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 Wilkin 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.