Enter any address in Benson County, North Dakota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events is the primary flood hazard in Benson County. Recent examples include a flash flood event on September 20, 2019, associated with thunderstorms developing along a cold front, and another on August 10, 2016, where storms produced heavy rainfall. Over the last 30 years, NOAA data indicates 44 flood events and 21 flash flood events in the county.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data reveals that properties in Zone X have experienced the most claims (173), with an average payout of $28,106 and an average water depth of 0.5 feet. Zone D also shows a significant number of claims (127). Properties in Zone A have experienced the highest average water depth at 1.2 feet, though with fewer claims (11). Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, and those in Zone X or D who have experienced flooding, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
16 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Benson County, North Dakota has recorded 65 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 21 flash floods and 44 river or area floods. The county has received 34 federal disaster declarations, 18 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 23, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Jun 25, 2014 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 17, 2013 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 22, 2013 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 5, 2011 |
| Flooding | Flood | Feb 14, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Apr 1, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jul 1, 2020 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 20, 2019 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2016 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2011 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2011 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2011 | 250.00K |
| Flood | Aug 1, 2011 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2010 | 1.00K |
Flood — Jul 1, 2020
Training thunderstorms, mainly across portions of Grand Forks County, produced 3 to 10 inches of rain. The heaviest rain was around Arvilla, North Dakota, at 10 inches. This resulted in washed out roads, flooded fields and basements, and ponding of water in low lying areas. Even U. S. Highway 2 near the Grand Forks Air Force Base, had water over a portion of it.
Flash Flood — Sep 20, 2019
By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s. To the southwest of the low, a cold front extended back toward Bismarck. Just before 5 pm CDT, a fairly solid line of thunders...
Flash Flood — Aug 10, 2016
Late in the morning of August 10th, an east to west oriented warm front was located across central South Dakota into the southern half of Minnesota. Thunderstorms formed quickly north of the warm front, mainly along the North and South Dakota border. These storms initially produced large hail. However, as the storms pushed east of the North and South Dakota border region and into portions of we...
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2011
The 16th was hot and humid with late afternoon temperatures topping out in the 80s to around 90 and dew point temperatures well into the 70s. This created a large amount of instability. By early in the evening, thunderstorms began to flare up again aided by a weak low level jet.
Flood — Apr 10, 2011
The winter of 2010-2011 generally brought above normal amounts of snow to the area, but particularly so for the Devils Lake basin, the Sheyenne River basin, and the Wild Rice River basin. By April 1st, snow water equivalents were estimated to be about four to six inches in these areas with about two to four inches elsewhere. A see-saw pattern of temperatures led to a generally slow April snowme...
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 Benson County, North Dakota:
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 Benson County, North Dakota 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.