16 flood insurance claims·$17,497 paid·5 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 Wallowa County, Oregon. 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.
River and general flooding dominate the historical record in Wallowa County, accounting for 12 events compared to 8 flash flood events over the last 30 years. Seasonal flood hazards are driven by combinations of heavy rainfall, warm temperatures, and high snowpack melt in regional mountains. For example, an extended period of snow melt combined with heavy rain caused flooding along portions of the Grande Ronde River in March 2017. Additionally, near-record April rainfall paired with above-normal snow water equivalents in the Blue Mountains produced significant river flooding in April 2019. Another notable event occurred in February 2020, when heavy rain and melting snow led to moderate flooding and landslides across multiple regional counties.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate historical claims in both high-risk and moderate-to-low risk areas, though claim counts and payout characteristics vary by zone. Properties located in Zone A recorded 10 claims with an average payout of $855 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Properties in Zone X recorded 6 claims with an average payout of $7,894 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated near rivers, creeks, and streams, as well as structures in mapped flood zones where snowmelt and heavy spring rains regularly elevate flood risks.
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 4 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 2014, with 4 claims and $1,209 paid.
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.
1 NOAA storm reports from Wallowa County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Oregon flood stories →
11 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 5 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 5, 2020 |
| Grizzly Bear Fire Complex | Aug 20, 2015 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Dec 26, 2003 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Land And Mudslides, Flooding | Dec 25, 1996 |
| High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 4, 1996 |
| Drought | Apr 29, 1977 |
| Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding | Jan 25, 1974 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 8 flash floods and 12 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 7, 2020 | $129,000 |
| Flood | Apr 9, 2019 | $50,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Mar 15, 2017 | — |
| Flood | May 5, 2017 | — |
| Flood | Apr 26, 2012 | — |
| Flood | Jan 17, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Jun 4, 2010 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Feb 7, 2020. Summary : Heavy snow on February 4-5, 2020 was followed by a period of heavy rain, February 5-7. Snow levels rose to near 5000 feet. The heavy rain and snow melt lead to moderate flooding and several landslides along the East Slopes of the Washington Cascades. There was record flooding on several rivers, including the Umatilla, Walla Walla and Touchet rivers with widespread flooding of numerous other creeks and…
Flood · Apr 9, 2019. Snow water equivalents near 200% of normal in the Blue Mountains coupled with warm temperatures and near record rainfall totals for April produced significant river flooding across eastern Oregon.
Flash Flood · May 25, 2018. Persistent moist southwest flow continued into the 25th of May. Thunderstorms developed late morning and continued well into the evening. The storms produced locally heavy rain and some flooding. Also some hail occurred with the storms. The hail was mainly small, but did reach to 1 inch in diameter.
Flood · Mar 15, 2017. An extended period of snow melt, combined with a period of heavy rain, caused an extended period of flooding along portions of the Grande Ronde River.
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 Wallowa 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.