Enter any address in Pepin County, Wisconsin to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Pepin County, WI, with 9 events recorded in the last 30 years, compared to 6 instances of general flooding. For example, heavy rains in August 2025 led to flooded roadways, and thunderstorms in July 2017 caused rock slides and debris on roads.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with 59 claims averaging $9,652 and an average water depth of 1.8 feet. While Zone X properties have had fewer claims, one in Zone X_UNSHADED resulted in a significant payout of $27,118, despite an average water depth of 0.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in any flood zone, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
7 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Pepin County, Wisconsin has recorded 15 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 9 flash floods and 6 river or area floods. The county has received 13 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 (1965–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Flood | Apr 10, 2001 |
| Severe Storms,straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,rain,and Floodi | Severe Storm | Jun 18, 1998 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 7, 1993 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Flood | Sep 14, 1992 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jul 7, 1978 |
| Drought | Drought | Jun 17, 1976 |
| Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flash Floods | Severe Storm | Sep 15, 1975 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 15, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 19, 2017 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 23, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 14, 2009 | 1.00M |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2009 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2009 | 200.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2003 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2002 | — |
Flash Flood — Aug 17, 2025
Several individual rounds of thunderstorms impacted western Wisconsin from Friday, August 16th through Sunday, August 18th. Heavy rain amounts on the order of 5-7 inches fell over the course of 72 hours, most of which fell from late Saturday into early Sunday, leading to at least one flooded roadway in Pepin County.
Flood — Mar 15, 2019
There were many factors that led to a severe Spring flood melt along the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers and several of their tributaries during the last two weeks of March. The first factor was above average snowpack for mid March. Additionally, the added effect of a cold late Winter kept this snowpack deeper into the early Spring. Once temperatures warmed, and snow began to melt, a few storms ...
Flash Flood — Jul 19, 2017
Several thunderstorms trained over the same areas of east central, and southeast Minnesota, and the adjacent counties in west central Wisconsin, along the Mississippi River. Several inches of rain led to a rock slide along a bluff near Stockholm. Water and debris was also reported on a road near intersection of Hwy 35 and Co Rd A in Pierce County.
Flash Flood — Jun 26, 2010
A complex of thunderstorms that moved across southern Minnesota during the late afternoon and evening hours of June 26th, moved into west-central Wisconsin and produced some minor wind damage in Maiden Rock. However, most of the severe weather was related to flash flooding that caused several areas to be impassible during the height of the storm. Some of the most significant flooding occurred P...
Flood — Sep 23, 2010
A strong storm system, in combination with deep moisture from the remnants of a tropical system, produced a large area of heavy rainfall with amounts as high as 3 to 5 inches in an 18 hour period. ||The main area of precipitation occurred across southern Minnesota, and portions of west central Wisconsin, between 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 22nd, to 9:00 a.m., Thursday, September 23rd. ||S...
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 Pepin County, Wisconsin:
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 Pepin County, Wisconsin 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.