34 flood insurance claims·$632,590 paid·3 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 Somervell County, Texas. 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.
Flash flooding from frequent severe weather events dominates the flood history of Somervell County. NOAA records show 16 flash flood events and 4 general flood events over the last 30 years, including 2 flood-related deaths. Severe weather patterns have driven these occurrences, such as the upper-level disturbances and saturated soils that produced flooding in May 2016, and the lingering upper trough that brought scattered thunderstorms and flash flooding in July 2025.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that flood risks extend beyond high-risk areas. Properties located in FEMA Zone A account for the highest claim volume with 24 claims averaging a payout of $22,137 and an average recorded water depth of 15 inches. However, properties in Zone X have also recorded 5 claims with an average payout of $22,735 and an average recorded water depth of 12 inches. Additional claims are documented in unshaded Zone X and unknown zones, with average recorded water depths of 6 and 7 inches respectively.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated within FEMA Zone A, while recognizing that lower-risk Zone X properties also experience damaging water depths during heavy rainfall events.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
8% of Somervell County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
26 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 13 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 2007, with 6 claims and $97,601 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.
2 NOAA storm reports from Somervell County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
21 federal disaster declarations since 1989, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Chalk Mountain Fire | Jul 18, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 22, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds And Flooding | May 4, 2015 |
| Wildfires | Apr 6, 2011 |
| Big Trickle Ranch Fire | Mar 11, 2011 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 16 flash floods and 4 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 6, 2025 | — |
| Flood | May 31, 2016 | $15,000 |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 31, 2015 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Mar 30, 2007 | — |
| Flood | May 29, 2007 | — · 2 killed |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2007 | $40,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2007 | $400,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 6, 2025. From the July 4th weekend into the early part of the following week, a weak upper trough lingered over North and Central Texas, triggering several days of scattered showers and thunderstorms. A saturated atmosphere combined with slow storm motions resulted in numerous flash flooding events throughout the region, particularly in Central Texas.
Flood · May 31, 2016. Several disturbances in advance of a deepening upper level trough over the southwest states led to multiple rounds of showers and storms across North and Central TX. With wet soils already in place, flash flooding was the main weather concern during this time. However, with unstable air still in place, some storms were able to become severe with large hail and damaging winds.
Flash Flood · Oct 31, 2015. Heavy rain led to flash flooding across portions of North Central Texas, with residual flooding persisting through the 31st.
Flash Flood · Mar 30, 2007. An upper low pressure system situated to the west brought large scale lift to north Texas. Southerly winds brought deep rich moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. These and other factors caused numerous thunderstorms to develop. Widespread flooding and wind damage followed, as well as a few tornadoes.
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 Somervell 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.