Enter any address in Pend Oreille County, Washington to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow and heavy rainfall events are the primary flood concerns in Pend Oreille County. Recent events include flooding from heavy rain associated with a cold front in May 2023, and an extended period of moderate flooding on the Pend Oreille River in May 2018 due to accelerated snowmelt.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $14,406 and an average water depth of 3.7 feet. However, properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have seen slightly higher average payouts ($15,195) despite lower average water depths (2.2 feet). Residents in areas designated as Zone A, or those located near rivers and streams, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Pend Oreille County, Washington has recorded 18 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 5 flash floods and 13 river or area floods. The county has received 20 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 (1974–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Dec 29, 2020 |
| Wildfires And Straight-line Winds | Fire | Sep 1, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides | Flood | Jan 30, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Nov 12, 2015 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Aug 13, 2015 |
| Wildfires And Mudslides | Fire | Aug 9, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow | Severe Storm | Dec 12, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Dec 14, 2006 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2023 | 1.00K |
| Flood | May 20, 2023 | 0.50K |
| Flood | Apr 16, 2018 | 1.00K |
| Flood | May 11, 2018 | 8.00M |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2017 | 300.00K |
| Flood | Feb 7, 2015 | 0.50K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 29, 2012 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2011 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2011 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 28, 2023
Thunderstorms impacted the region bringing damage and flash flooding to Eastern Washington.
Flood — May 20, 2023
A passing cold front brought more thunderstorms to Eastern Washington. The impacts again included hail, lightning, winds, and flooding from heavy rain.
Flood — Apr 16, 2018
The second week of April brought a period of wet weather to northeast Washington. Boundary Dam measured 1.79 inches of rain between April 11th and the 17th. Newport measured 1.6 inches during the same period and Mazama measured 1.01 inches. Holden Village recording 1.48 inches. All of this rain lead to saturated ground conditions by the beginning of the third week of April and set the stage for...
Flood — May 11, 2018
An above average snow pack in the mountains drained by the Pend Oreille and Clark Fork River basins melted at an accelerated rate during the month of May. Run off from this snow melt caused the Pend Oreille River to achieve moderate flood level for an extended period of time from the middle of May through the first week of June. ||Numerous homes along the river particularly between the towns of...
Flood — Mar 14, 2017
The month of March was a very wet period for eastern Washington. The Pullman COOP station reported a monthly total of 5.25 inches of precipitation, 2.75 inches above average for the month. The Spokane airport reported 4.11 inches which was 2.50 inches above average. The Colville COOP station reported 2.98 inches which was 1.86 inches above average and the Wenatchee airport recorded 1.23 inches,...
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 Pend Oreille County, Washington:
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 Pend Oreille County, Washington 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.