Enter any address in Wallowa County, Oregon to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow from snowmelt and heavy rain is the dominant flood character in Wallowa County. Recent events include moderate flooding along the Grande Ronde River in March 2017 due to snowmelt and heavy rain, and significant river flooding in April 2019, driven by near-record rainfall and warm temperatures following a high snowpack in the Blue Mountains.
Flash flooding from thunderstorms has also occurred, as seen in May 2018 with locally heavy rain and some hail. Over the last 30 years, Wallowa County has experienced 12 flood events and 8 flash flood events.
Residents in Zone A and Zone X should pay particular attention to flood risk. While Zone A has had more claims, Zone X has seen higher average payouts and water depths, indicating potential for significant damage even in areas with lower base flood elevations.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
1 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Wallowa County, Oregon has recorded 20 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 8 flash floods and 12 river or area floods. The county has received 11 federal disaster declarations, 5 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1964–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 5, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Grizzly Bear Fire Complex | Fire | Aug 20, 2015 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Coastal Storm | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Dec 26, 2003 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Land And Mudslides, Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 25, 1996 |
| High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Feb 4, 1996 |
| Drought | Drought | Apr 29, 1977 |
| Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding | Flood | Jan 25, 1974 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 7, 2020 | 129.00K |
| Flood | Apr 9, 2019 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 15, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 5, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 26, 2012 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 17, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 4, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 18, 2008 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 20, 2006 | — |
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 numer...
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.
Flood — May 5, 2017
Increased snow melt caused minor flooding along portions of the Imnaha river on May 5th.
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 Wallowa County, Oregon:
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 Wallowa County, Oregon 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.