13 flood insurance claims·$255,841 paid·12 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 Cavalier County, North Dakota. 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.
Overland and river flooding driven by melting snow and heavy seasonal precipitation dominates the flood risk profile in Cavalier County, ND, accounting for 17 recorded flood events and 1 death, alongside 7 flash flood events over the last 30 years.
Historical events illustrate these vulnerabilities. In May 2013, a vertically stacked low pressure system dropped four to six inches of rain across portions of Pembina, Cavalier, and Walsh counties, while melting snow also caused widespread overland flooding that closed many rural roads. Heavy winter snowpacks and subsequent spring thaws present recurring threats, as occurred in March and April 2017 when snow water equivalents reached up to 5 inches and warm weather triggered rapid melting and runoff down the Pembina River.
NFIP claim records show 9 claims in Zone D with an average recorded water depth of 4 inches and an average payout of $36,058, as well as 4 claims in Zone UNKNOWN with an average recorded water depth of 1 inch and an average payout of $858. Property owners in unmapped or undetermined areas, such as Zone D and Zone UNKNOWN, should pay the closest attention to flood risks given the historical impacts of spring snowmelt and heavy rainfall.
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 3 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 1996, with 3 claims and $144,258 paid, the year of Severe Storms,flooding, & Ice Jams.
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 NOAA storm reports from Cavalier County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the North Dakota flood stories →
26 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 12 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm And Flooding | Apr 22, 2022 |
| Flooding | Mar 23, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 17, 2013 |
| Flooding | Apr 22, 2013 |
| Flooding | Feb 14, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 13, 2009 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 2, 2007 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Ground Saturation | Mar 30, 2006 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
24 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 17 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 16, 2024 | $1,000 |
| Flood | Mar 30, 2017 | $50,000 |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2017 | $50,000 |
| Flood | Apr 28, 2013 | $5,000 · 1 killed |
| Flood | May 20, 2013 | $200,000 |
| Flood | May 1, 2013 | $5,000 |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Mar 22, 2009 | $5,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Sep 16, 2024. Elevated convection along a warm front caused severe winds, hail, and flash flooding in the area.
Flood · Mar 30, 2017. Over the winter of 2016-2017, the most snow fell across the Devils Lake basin up into northeast North Dakota. By late March 2017, snow water equivalents in this area ranged from 3 to 4 inches, with isolated pockets of 5 inches. There was even more snow in southern Manitoba, and some of this water would come down the Pembina River in northeast North Dakota. A push of warm weather which began on March 28th, started…
Flood · Apr 1, 2017. Over the winter of 2016-2017, the most snow fell across the Devils Lake basin up into northeast North Dakota. By late March 2017, snow water equivalents in this area ranged from 3 to 4 inches, with isolated pockets of 5 inches. There was even more snow in southern Manitoba, and some of this water would come down the Pembina River in northeast North Dakota. A push of warm weather which began on March 28th and conti…
Flood · Apr 28, 2013. Melting snow caused overland flooding across portions of northeast North Dakota. Many rural roads were closed due to high water from the melting snow.
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 Cavalier 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.