12 flood insurance claims·$197,115 paid·6 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 Pierce County, Nebraska. 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.
General flooding events dominate the historical record in Pierce County, Nebraska, accounting for 13 out of 20 total recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside 7 flash flood events.
Notable historic events include a March 2019 bomb cyclone that combined frozen ground, 4 to 15 inches of remaining snow cover, rapid snowmelt, and 1 to 2.5 inches of rain over a 48-hour period to produce widespread, moderate to major historic flooding across eastern Nebraska. Additionally, a stationary front and theta-e advection brought heavy precipitation and flash flooding to the region in August 2021.
National Flood Insurance Program claims data indicates that properties located within Zone A have experienced the highest impact, recording 9 claims with an average payout of $27,597 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Properties in Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED have also recorded claims, with 2 claims in Zone X averaging $25,527 and 0 inches average recorded water depth, and 1 claim in Zone X_UNSHADED averaging $8,076 and 0 inches average recorded water depth. Residents and property owners in Zone A should pay the most attention to flood risk given the higher claim frequency and recorded water depths.
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 2 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 2019, with 7 claims and $181,009 paid, the year of Severe Winter Storm, 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.
8 NOAA storm reports from Pierce County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Nebraska flood stories →
17 federal disaster declarations since 1967, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | May 12, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 9, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Straight-line Winds | Apr 13, 2018 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding | Mar 6, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Dec 22, 2009 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Dec 19, 2006 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Nov 27, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 13 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Aug 31, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | $475,000 |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Oct 7, 2017 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 21, 2013 | — |
| Flood | Feb 18, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Jul 22, 2010 | — |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2010 | $10,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Aug 31, 2021. Theta-e advection and a stationery front helped initiate storms across eastern Nebraska. The largest hail reports were for 2.5 inch hail and peak wind gusts were near 70 mph. Additionally, flash flooding was reported in Cedar County due to heavy precipitation.
Flash Flood · Mar 13, 2019. A 971mb bomb cyclone moved out of the central Rockies on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 and helped to create widespread, moderate to major, and in many cases historic, flooding across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. From 4 to 15 inches of snow cover remained across the mid Missouri River valley, and the ground was frozen with existing frost depths of 15 to 23 inches. Warm temperatures allowed all of the snow to rapi…
Flood · Mar 13, 2019. A 971mb bomb cyclone moved out of the central Rockies on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 and helped to create widespread, moderate to major, and in many cases historic, flooding across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. From 4 to 15 inches of snow cover remained across the mid Missouri River valley, and the ground was frozen with existing frost depths of 15 to 23 inches. Warm temperatures allowed all of the snow to rapi…
Flood · Oct 7, 2017. Two heavy rainfall events occurred on the 6th and 7th of the month. No flash flood warnings were issued however significant river flooding occurred along the N.F. Elkhorn River, Wahoo Creek and the Missouri River. Of these rivers the flooding was most significant along the N.F. Elkhorn River where moderate flooding was reported. This led to significant lowland flooding which included many county roads in Pierce Co…
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 Pierce 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.