Enter any address in Dakota County, Nebraska to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Missouri River is a significant flood character for Dakota County, NE. Recent events in June and July 2024, stemming from multi-day heavy rainfall, led to widespread flooding observed along the Missouri River. Additionally, localized flash flooding has occurred, with storms producing rainfall rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour in some areas.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone X, Zone A, and Zone X_UNSHADED have experienced the highest average payouts, suggesting a notable risk of damage. Homeowners and real estate agents should pay close attention to properties located in or near these flood zones, particularly those adjacent to rivers or streams, as they may face a higher risk of flood-related impacts.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
10 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Dakota County, Nebraska has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 14 flash floods and 20 river or area floods. The county has received 16 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1967–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm And Straight-line Winds | Winter Storm | Mar 18, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 19, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 9, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 17, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 14, 2014 |
| Flooding | Flood | Jun 17, 2011 |
| Flooding | Flood | May 24, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 6, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 24, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 24, 2024 | 1.18M |
| Flood | May 31, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 29, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 14, 2019 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 1.50M |
| Flood | Oct 1, 2019 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 28, 2024
Storms developed along a weak surface boundary within a moisture-rich environment with weak mean-layer flow. Slow moving storms produced rainfall rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour, with amounts of 3.09 inches reported by a cooperative weather observer near Wakefield and personal automated gauges and radar estimates up to 4 inches over portions of the Sioux City metro area.
Flood — Jun 24, 2024
A multi-day significant heavy rainfall event from June 20-22 resulted in widespread rain totals between 5 and 10 inches with pockets in excess of 15 inches across parts of southeast South Dakota and northwest Iowa. As rainfall reached area streams and rivers and moved downstream, significant flooding was observed along parts of the Missouri River. All river crest information is preliminary unti...
Flood — May 31, 2019
A combination of increased releases from Gavins Point Dam and the widespread 2 to 4 inches of rainfall between May 21 and May 27 across much of southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and northeast Nebraska led to flooding of the lower Missouri River.
Flood — May 29, 2019
A combination of increased releases from Gavins Point Dam and the widespread 2 to 4 inches of rainfall between May 21 and May 27 across much of southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and northeast Nebraska led to flooding of the lower Missouri River.
Flood — Sep 14, 2019
Continued high dam releases, along with another period of very heavy rainfall in the middle of the month, pushed a small section of the lower Missouri River into flood late month. Three to eight inches of rainfall was common through the James and Vermillion River Basins between September 10 and 12, which flowed into the unrestricted Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam. Areas of the Missouri R...
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 Dakota County, Nebraska:
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 Dakota County, Nebraska 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.