11 flood insurance claims·$65,568 paid
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 Lincoln County, Wyoming. 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.
Lincoln County experiences a mix of riverine flooding and flash flooding, with standard floods and flash floods forming the primary local hazards. Over the last 30 years, NOAA recorded 13 flood events and 9 flash flood events.
Recent events illustrate these distinct threats. In May 2023, near record snowpack melting brought widespread minor flooding to the Bear River. Later, slow-moving summer thunderstorms caused severe flash flooding in Opal, such as on August 12, 2024, when heavy rain and hail overwhelmed street sewers and flooded five houses, followed by additional flash flooding on August 13 that caused sewer backups into homes.
Federal insurance records show historical flood claims across both high-risk and moderate-to-low-risk areas. FEMA data records 6 claims in Zone A with an average payout of $7,457 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch, alongside 5 claims in Zone X with an average payout of $8,935 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Homeowners near waterways prone to snowmelt overflow, as well as properties in areas vulnerable to sudden urban and sewer backup during heavy summer thunderstorms, should pay the closest attention to these flood risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 1 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 2011, with 4 claims and $35,739 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides.
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.
4 NOAA storm reports from Lincoln County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Wyoming flood stories →
5 federal disaster declarations since 1977.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides | May 18, 2011 |
| Wy - Commissary Ridge Fire - 08/31/02 | Aug 29, 2002 |
| Drought | Jun 15, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
22 since 1996: 9 flash floods and 13 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2024 | $100,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2024 | $100,000 |
| Flood | May 24, 2023 | — |
| Flood | May 22, 2023 | — |
| Flood | May 3, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2021 | $25,000 |
| Flood | Mar 22, 2017 | — |
| Flood | Jun 5, 2017 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Aug 13, 2024. There was a second day of flash flooding in Opal occurred on August 13 as another slow moving thunderstorms brought very heavy rain and small hail. Roads were flooded and the rain overwhelmed the sewer system and caused backups into homes.
Flash Flood · Aug 12, 2024. A slow moving thunderstorm brought heavy rain and small hail to Opal. The rain and hail overwhelmed the street sewers and resulted in flooding of 5 houses and a few streets.
Flood · May 24, 2023. Near record snowpack began melting out during the month of May and brought widespread minor flooding to the Bear River in Lincoln County. This second flood wave continued into the month of June.
Flood · May 22, 2023. Melting of record to near-record snowpack brought a period of flooding along the Salt River in Star Valley.
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 Lincoln 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.