Enter any address in Walsh County, North Dakota to see its FEMA flood zone
Spring snowmelt flooding is the dominant flood character in Walsh County. Recent events include snowmelt flooding along tributaries in April and May 2023, with some locations experiencing persistent flooding into early May. In July 2020, slow-moving thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over already saturated ground, leading to flash flooding in the northern part of the county.
Homeowners in Zone A and Zone D, which have experienced higher average water depths and payouts, should pay particular attention to flood risk. Residents in Zone X and Zone X_SHADED also have a history of claims, indicating potential flood risk even in areas not designated as high-risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
12 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Walsh County, North Dakota has recorded 56 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 17 flash floods and 39 river or area floods. The county has received 41 federal disaster declarations, 26 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 10, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 22, 2022 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 1, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Flooding | Flood | Oct 9, 2019 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 21, 2019 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 23, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 17, 2013 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 22, 2013 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 18, 2023 | 1.00M |
| Flood | Apr 16, 2023 | 1.00M |
| Flood | May 1, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2020 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Apr 18, 2019 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2016 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Jul 5, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 9, 2014 | 10.00K |
| Flood | May 31, 2013 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Apr 30, 2013 | 5.00K |
Flood — Apr 18, 2023
Spring snowmelt flooding began in mid to late April in most locations, then persisted into early May.
Flood — Apr 16, 2023
Snowmelt flooding along the North Dakota Tributaries began in early to mid-April, with a few locations persisting into early May.
Flood — May 1, 2023
The spring snowmelt flooding began in late April 2023 and persisted into the early portions of May for some locations.
Flash Flood — Jul 4, 2020
A cluster of thunderstorms formed over the northern Red River Valley during the early morning hours of Saturday, July 4th. A couple of the individual storm cells became fairly strong, but the main hazard shifted to heavy rain. The storms were slow moving, but kept back-building, which led to some areas picking up very heavy rainfall. The northern Valley into extreme northwest Minnesota was alre...
Flood — Apr 18, 2019
The snow took longer to melt across the eastern edge of the northern Red River Valley, although it did melt earlier along the western edge of the valley. At the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks, the snow depth fell to zero on April 6th. However, a blizzard from April 10th to 12th brought more snow to the area. This snow finally melted by April 15th. As the snow melted, it flooded ...
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 Walsh 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 Walsh 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.