12 flood insurance claims·$20,285 paid·2 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 Lake County, Montana. 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 and creek flooding driven by a mix of heavy rainfall and snowmelt dominates Lake County. Historical events highlight these hazards, such as the March 2014 floods caused by warm temperatures and heavy rainfall that melted the snowpack, leading to road closures and the flooding of the Little Bitterroot River. Additionally, a June 2005 event brought heavy rain over the Mission and Swan Mountains, resulting in small creeks flooding with mud and debris flows that washed out roads and damaged bridges. Over the last 30 years, NOAA recorded 16 flood events resulting in 3 deaths, alongside 1 storm surge or tide event.
Federal insurance claims data shows varying impacts across different zones. Properties in Zone X recorded 6 claims with an average payout of $978 and an average recorded water depth of 14 inches. Zone A accounts for 5 claims with an average payout of $3,661 and an average recorded water depth of 8 inches, while Zone X Unshaded recorded 1 claim with an average payout of $750 and an average water depth of 1 inch. Residents living near rivers, creeks, and mountain runoff areas should pay the closest attention to these flood risks.
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 9 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 9 claims and $14,323 paid.
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.
7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Flooding | Mar 20, 2019 |
| Ice Jams And Flooding | Mar 1, 2014 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Mt - Northwestern Zone 1 Fire Complex | Aug 14, 2000 |
| Wildfires | Jul 13, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
17 since 1996: 16 river or area floods and 1 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 5, 2014 | — |
| Flood | Jun 16, 2006 | — |
| Flood | May 10, 2005 | — |
| Flood | Jun 2, 2005 | $1,000 |
| Flood | Jun 2, 2005 | $700,000 |
| Flood | Oct 1, 2005 | — |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Sep 21, 2000 | — |
| Flood | Mar 20, 1997 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Mar 5, 2014. A period of very warm temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 degrees occurred after an above normal snowfall winter across western Montana. This combined with moderate to heavy rainfall and high snow levels resulted in a quick melt of snowpack in various locations. Impacts felt included road closures due to avalanche danger, flooding of the Little Bitterroot River, rock slides across northwest Montana and lowland floo…
Flood · Jun 16, 2006. Excessive runoff caused road closures due to flooding.
Flood · May 10, 2005. The combination of moderate to heavy rain and snowmelt caused local creeks to flood in Powell County. Dog Creek north of Highway 12 flooded and washed out Blossburg Road and surrounded a home with flood waters. Gold Creek also flooded low lying farm land. Old Mullan Pass Road was closed due to mud and debris flows.
Flood · Jun 2, 2005. Three days of moderate to heavy rain on top of snow pack in the Mission and Swan Mountains caused small creeks to flood with mud and debris flows causing damage. Total rainfall amounts ranged from 2.50 inches in the valleys, and 4 to 7 inches over higher terrain in Lake County. Damage occurred mainly in Lake County due to washouts of roads and clogged culverts from debris and water flowing out of the Mission Mou…
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 Lake 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.