Enter any address in Wheeler County, Oregon to see its FEMA flood zone
1 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Wheeler County, Oregon has recorded 13 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 6 flash floods and 7 river or area floods. The county has received 14 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1964–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Ridge Fire | Fire | Sep 2, 2024 |
| Lone Rock Fire | Fire | Jul 17, 2024 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Jul 10, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Apr 6, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 14, 2006 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Dec 18, 2005 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Coastal Storm | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Dec 26, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 21, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 19, 2019 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Apr 9, 2019 | 1.00M |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 10, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 17, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 15, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 3, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 4, 2007 | 6.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 29, 2004 | — |
Flood — May 21, 2020
Heavy rain with QPF amounts of 2-4 inches across the Blue Mountains, Blue Mountain Foothills, and John Day Highlands produced areal and river flooding on May 20th and ending on May 21st. Most of the flooding was minor.
Flash Flood — Apr 19, 2019
On April 20th, thunderstorms produced locally heavy rainfall with 1 to 2 inches falling in Wheeler County.
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.
Flood — Mar 16, 2017
An extended period of snow melt, combined with a period of heavy rain, caused an extended period of flooding along portions of the John Day River.
Flood — Feb 10, 2017
Flows on the John Day river reached flood levels downstream of Monument due to the breaking up of an ice jam.
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 Wheeler 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 Wheeler 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.